Documentation of two Mayan languages of Guatemala: Uspanteko, Sakapulteko

The Endangered Language Documentation Programme (ELDP) provides grants worldwide for the documentation of endangered languages and knowledge. Grantees create audiovisual collections with transcription and translations of endangered languages and practices. These collections are preserved and made freely available through the Endangered Languages Archive (ELAR).

Uspanteko and Sakapulteko are two of the most severely threatened Mayan languages for which inadequate documentation exists both of the K'ichee' branch. A reference grammar, bilingual dictionary, and substantial text collection for each language will be produced. Audio recordings will be used to document natural speech. Spanish will be used as the explanatory language in the grammars, and as the translation language for dictionaries and texts. The project will be supervised by Nora C. England (University of Texas, Austin) and undertaken by Telma Can Pixabaj and Romelia Mó Isém, linguists at Oxlajuuj Keej Maya' Ajtz'iib' (OKMA), a Guatemalan Maya linguistic research institution. They will be assisted by two researchers from each language community, and will be further assisted by community consultants for text and specialized vocabulary collection. Community researchers will receive training in literacy, grammar, field collection methods and dictionary making procedures. Primary investigator: Nora England

Project Details


Location: Guatemala, Central America, Americas Organiser(s): Endangered Languages Documentation Programme Project partner(s): Oxlajuuj Keej Maya' Ajtz'iib' (OKMA) Funder(s): Arcadia Funding received: £127,341.00 Commencement Date: 01/1999 Project Status: Completed
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