Mazahua, Central

A language of Mexico

Masawa, Mazahua de oriente

Autonym

Jnatrjo

User Population

74,000 (2000 INALI). Total Mazahua speakers: 154,000 (2020 INEGI).

Location

México state: border area; northwest Michoacán de Ocampo; Queretaro de Arteaga state: southern tip.

Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification

Otomanguean, Western Otomanguean, Oto-Pame-Chinantecan, Oto-Pamean, Mazahua

Dialects

Atlacomulco-Temascalcingo, Santa María Citendejé-Banos, San Miguel Tenoxtitlán. The Atlacomulco-Temascalcingo dialect uses different kinship terms, has phonological differences, grammatical variation among towns. 85%–100% intelligibility among dialects.

Typology

VSO, (usually VS or VO); short words, affixes, clitics; tonal.

Language Use

Used by all. Also use Spanish [spa].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 35%. Dictionary. NT: 1970–2007.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Mazahua, Central

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Traditional religion, Christian.