Poqomchiʼ language


Poqomchiʼ is a Mayan language spoken by the Poqomchiʼ Maya of Guatemala, and is very closely related to Poqomam. Its two main dialects, eastern and western, were spoken by 90,000 or so people in the year 2000, in Purulhá, Baja Verapaz, and in the following municipalities of Alta Verapaz: Santa Cruz Verapaz, San Cristóbal Verapaz, Tactic,
Tamahú and Tucurú. It is also the predominant language in Aldea Belejú, in the municipality of Chicamán, which borders Alta Verapaz.

Distribution

Poq'omchí is spoken in the following municipalities of Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, and El Quiché departments.
  • Alta Verapaz
  • *Panzós
  • *La Tinta
  • *Tucurú
  • *Tamahú
  • *Tactic
  • *Santa Cruz Verapaz
  • *San Cristóbal Verapaz
  • El Quiché
  • *Chicamán
  • Baja Verapaz
  • *Purulhá

Phonology

Consonants

  • In Western Poqomchi', is non-existent and a glottalized occurs in alteration. Sometimes an allophone of can be heard as.
  • mainly exists among the western dialects.
  • can be heard as a flap sound when occurring word-medially.
  • If a glottal sound precedes, it is then heard as a voiceless fricative.

Vowels