Totonac, Upper Necaxa

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A language of Mexico

ISO 639-3
tku
Alternate Names
Totonaca, Totonaco del río Necaxa
Autonym
Totonaco, Totonaco xalac Patla
User Population

3,270 (2000 INALI). Total Totonac speakers: 256,000 (2020 INEGI). 680 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 5,800.

Location

Puebla state: Cacahuatlán, Chicontla, Patla, and San Pedro Tlalontongo in Necaxa river valley.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Totonacan, Totonac
Dialects

None known. Reportedly most similar to Tecpatlan Totonac [tcw]. Northern Totonac [too] materials are difficult to understand.

Language Use

Moderate use. Not all parents pass it on to children. Local administration, commerce, religion. Some young people, all adults. Neutral attitudes. Most also use Spanish [spa], especially in schools. A few may also speak Nahuatl.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 5%. Literacy rate in L2: 30%. NT: 1999.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Totonac, Upper Necaxa
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Young people must leave to find jobs.