Tlapanec , or Mephaa, is an indigenous Mexican language spoken by more than 98,000 Tlapanec people in the state of Guerrero.INEGI 2005 Like other Oto-Manguean languages, it is tonal and has complex inflectional morphology. The ethnic group themselves refer to their ethnic identity and language as Me̱pha̱a̱ .Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas. 2008. Catálogo de las lenguas indígenas nacionales: Variantes lingüísticas de México con sus autodenominaciones y referencias geoestadísticas. Diario Oficial 14 enero, Primera Sección: 31–78, Segunda Sección: 1–96, Tercera Sección: 1–112.
Before much information was known about it, Tlapanec (sometimes written "Tlappanec" in earlier publications) was either considered unclassified or linked to the controversial Hokan language family. It is now definitively considered part of the Oto-Manguean language family, of which it forms its own branch along with the extinct and very closely related Subtiaba language of Nicaragua.See Suárez (1977; 1986).
Mephaa people temporarily move to other locations, including Mexico City, Morelos and various locations in the United States, for reasons of work.
Varieties Ethnologue distinguishes four Tlapanec languages:Computer-generated list of Tlapanec languages at Ethnologue (2013) Acatepec (dialects Acatepec proper, Huitzapula, Nanzintla, Teocuitlapa, Zapotitlán Tablas) Azoyú Malinaltepec (dialect Huehuetepec/Zilacayotitlán) Tlacoapa (dialects Tlacoapa proper, Tenamazapa)
Other sources of information, including native speakers and the Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas of the Mexican government, identify eight or nine varieties, which have been given official status: Acatepec, Azoyú, Malinaltepec, Tlacoapa, Nancintla, Teocuitlapa, Zapotitlán Tablas (with Huitzapula sometimes considered distinct), Zilacayotitlán.A 2008 proposal to divide the ISO code for Acatepec into Acatepec proper, Teocuitlapa, Zapotitlan Tablas, and Huitsapula was rejected. These share mutual intelligibility of 50% between Malinaltepec and Tlacoapa, though Acatepec has an 80% intelligibility of both.
The Azoyú variety is the only natural language reported to have used the pegative case, though it is verbal case like other 'case' markers in Tlapanec.Wichmann (2005).
Grammar Tlapanec is an ergative–absolutive language. However, while most languages of this type have an overt ergative case, Tlapanec is one of the rare examples of a marked absolutive language, that is, an ergative language that overtly marks the absolutive and leaves the ergative unmarked.Donohue, Mark (2008).
Phonology
There is wide variation in the reported phonology of Tlapanec, including from the following sources: Weathers (1984) on the Malinaltepec variety Carrasco Zúñiga & Weathers (1988) and Black (2004) on the Malinaltepec variety Marlett & Weathers (2018) on multiple varieties Marlett & Neri Remigio (2020) on the Acatepec variety
Vowels + Vowels of the Malinaltepec variety () Front Central Back Close Mid Open
According to and , in addition to lengthening and nasalization, vowels may also be glottalized; they can be any combination of the three (lengthened, nasalized, glottalized).
Consonants + Consonants of the Malinaltepec variety ()BilabialAlveolarPost-alveolarPalatalVelarGlottalPlosivevoicelessaspiratedvoicedAffricatevoicelessvoicedFricative ~ NasalRhoticApproximant
+ Consonants of the Malinaltepec variety ( / )LabialDentalPalatalVelarGlottalPlosive orAffricatevoiceless aspirated voiced Continuant () Nasal () Sonorant Vibrant
According to , the retroflexion (subapical articulation) of the voiceless postalveolar fricative varies, being before , fluctuating between ~ before , retaining slight retroflexion before consonants, and fully retroflexed elsewhere.
Also according to , Allophones of the sounds include . In the existence of the cluster , an allophone may be heard.
Tones
Tones differ based on variety.
Orthography + Tlapanec alphabet Uppercase A B Ch D Dx E F G I J K Kh L M N Ñ Ŋ O P Ph R S T Th U W X Y Ꞌ Lowercase a b ch d dx e f g i j k kh l m n ñ ŋ o p ph r s t th u w x y ꞌ
The glottal stop is written with a saltillo .
Media Tlapanec-language programming is carried by the CDI's radio station XEZV-AM, broadcasting from Tlapa de Comonfort, Guerrero.
Notes
References
External links SIL description of Tlapanecan languages Listen to a sample of Acatepec Meꞌphaa from Global Recordings Network