Guerrero Amuzgo language

Last updated
Guerrero Amuzgo
Ñomndaa
Native to Mexico
Region Guerrero
Native speakers
46,000 (2011) [1]
Oto-Manguean
Language codes
ISO 639-3 amu
Glottolog guer1243
ELP Guerrero Amuzgo

The Guerrero Amuzgo language is an Amuzgo language spoken in southwest Guerrero state in Mexico. [1]

Contents

Statistics and history

There are 23,000 speakers, 10,000 that are monolingual. It is also known as Nomndaa or Ñomndaa. [1] It belongs to the Oto-Manguean language family and the Amuzgoan subfamily. [1] The use of the language is widespread and it is learned as a second language by Spanish and Nahuatl speakers living with the Guerrero speakers. [1]

There is a positive cultural affinity toward the tongue and it is used in business, religion, and taught bilingually with Spanish until 6th grade. [1] 10% of adults and 15% of children are literate in Amuzgo Guerrero. [1] There are media such as videos, a dictionary and radio broadcasts in the language that propagate its use. [1]

Phonology

Vowels

Oral/Nasal vowels
Front Central Back
oralnasaloralnasaloralnasal
Close iĩuũ
Close-mid eoõ
Open-mid ææ̃ɔɔ̃
Open aã
Laryngealized vowels
Front Central Back
oralnasaloralnasaloralnasal
Close ḭ̃ṵ̃
Close-mid ḛ̃õ̰
Open-mid æ̰æ̰̃ɔ̰ɔ̰̃
Open ã̰

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Post-
alveolar
Velar Glottal
centrallabial
Nasal mnɲ
Plosive voiceless(p)tk kʲʔ
prenasal(ᵐb)ⁿdⁿdʲᵑɡᵑɡʷ
Affricate ts
Fricative βsʃh
Lateral l
Rhotic tapɾ
trill(r)
Approximant wj

Sounds [p, ᵐb, r] only appear in a few words. [2]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Guerrero Amuzgo at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  2. de Jesús García, Ivan (2019). Fonología del Amuzgo de Cochoapa, Guerrero. México: CIESAS.

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