MAYA LANGUAGES

also called Mayan languages family of Meso-American Indian languages spoken in southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize; Maya languages were also formerly spoken in western Honduras and western El Salvador. The family may be subdivided into the Huastec, Yucatec, Western Maya, and Eastern Maya groups. The most important Eastern Maya languages are Quich and Cakchiquel; but there are also Mam, Teco, Aguacatec, Ixil, Uspantec, Sacapultec, Sipacapa, Pocomam, Pocomch, and Kekch. The largest Western Maya language is Tzeltal, spoken in Chiapas, Mexico, but other Western Maya languages include Chontal, Chol, Chort, Tzotzil, Tojolabal, Chuj, Kanjobal, Acatec, Jacaltec, and Motozintlec. The Yucatec languages, including Yucatec, Lacandn, Itz, and Mopn, are sometimes also classed as Western Maya languages; Yucatec, the most important, is spoken in Yucatn, northern Guatemala, and Belize. The Huastec group is composed of the Huastec and Chicomuceltec languages.