{{Short description|Mixe–Zoque language of southern Mexico}} {{Infobox language | name = Sayula Popoluca | altname = Sayultec | states = Mexico | region = Veracruz | speakers = {{sigfig|4765|2}} | date = 2020 census | ref = <ref name=inegi2020>[http://cuentame.inegi.org.mx/hipertexto/todas_lenguas.htm Lenguas indígenas y hablantes de 3 años y más, 2020] INEGI. Censo de Población y Vivienda 2020.</ref> | familycolor = American | fam1 = Mixe–Zoque | fam2 = Mixean | iso3 = pos | glotto = sayu1241 | glottorefname = Sayula Popoluca | notice = IPA | nativename = {{lang|pos|yamay ajw }}<br>{{lang|pos|tʉcmay-ajw}} }} '''Sayula Popoluca''', also called '''Sayultec''', is a Mixean language spoken by around 5,000 indigenous people in and around the town of Sayula de Alemán in the southern part of the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Almost all published research on the language has been the work of Lawrence E. Clark of the Summer Institute of Linguistics. More recent studies of Sayula Popoluca have been conducted by Dennis Holt (lexico-semantics) and Richard A. Rhodes (morphology and syntax), but few of their findings have been published.
== Etymology == ''Popoluca'' is the Castilian alteration of the Nahuatl word {{lang|nah|popoloca}}, meaning 'barbarians' or 'people speaking a foreign language'.<ref name=SDIC2007>Sistema de Información Cultural (2007)</ref> In Mexico, the name ''Popoluca'' is a traditional name for various Mixe-Zoque languages, and the name ''Popoloca'' is a traditional name for a totally unrelated language belonging to the Oto-Manguean family.
Natively it is known as {{lang|pos|yamay ajw}} 'local language' or {{lang|pos|tʉcmay-ajw}} 'language of the home'.<ref name=SDIC2007 />
==Phonology== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! colspan="2" | ! Bilabial ! Alveolar ! Palatal ! Velar ! Glottal |- ! rowspan="2" | Plosives ! {{small|voiceless}} | {{IPAlink|p}} | {{IPAlink|t}} | | {{IPAlink|k}} | rowspan="2" | {{IPAlink|ʔ}} |- ! {{small|voiced}} | {{IPAlink|b}} | {{IPAlink|d}} | | {{IPAlink|ɡ}} |- ! colspan="2" | Fricatives | | {{IPAlink|s}} | {{IPAlink|ʃ}} | | {{IPAlink|h}} |- ! colspan="2" | Affricates | | {{IPAlink|ts}} | {{IPAlink|tʃ}} | | |- ! colspan="2" | Nasals | {{IPAlink|m}} | {{IPAlink|n}} | | | |- ! colspan="2" |Rhotics | |{{IPAlink|ɾ}}, {{IPAlink|r}} | | | |- ! colspan="2" | Approximants | {{IPAlink|w}} | {{IPAlink|l}} | {{IPAlink|j}} | | |}
{{IPA|/s/}} is only found in Spanish loans.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! !Front !Central !Back |- !High |{{IPAlink|i}}, {{IPAlink|iː}}, {{IPA|iʔ}} |{{IPAlink|ɨ}}, {{IPAlink|ɨː}}, {{IPA|ɨʔ}} |{{IPAlink|u}}, {{IPAlink|uː}}, {{IPA|uʔ}} |- !Mid |{{IPAlink|e}}, {{IPAlink|eː}}, {{IPA|eʔ}} | |{{IPAlink|o}}, {{IPAlink|oː}}, {{IPA|oʔ}} |- !Low | |{{IPAlink|a}}, {{IPAlink|aː}}, {{IPA|aʔ}} | |}
Sayula vowels are short, long, and broken (i.e. glottalized, represented here as Vʔ).
There are two systems of orthography in the published literature. * Clark (1961, 1995) uses some Spanish orthographic principles. /h/ is spelled {{grapheme|j}}. /j/ is spelled {{grapheme|y}}. /ʔ/ is spelled {{grapheme|{{saltillo}}}}. /ʃ/ is spelled {{grapheme|s̈}}. /tʃ/ is spelled {{grapheme|ch}}. /k/ is spelled {{grapheme|qu}} before /i/ and /e/, and {{grapheme|c}} elsewhere. Similarly /g/ is spelled {{grapheme|gu}} before /i/ and /e/, and {{grapheme|g}} elsewhere. Syllable final /w/ is spelled {{grapheme|u}}. /ɨ/ is spelled {{grapheme|ʉ}}. Vowel length is indicated by an underline. Unassimilated Spanish loans are spelled as in Spanish. * Clark (1983) uses an orthography closer to IPA, but as in the other orthography /ɨ/ is spelled {{grapheme|ʉ}}, and /ʔ/ is spelled {{grapheme|{{saltillo}}}}. /s/ is {{grapheme|š}}. /ts/ is spelled {{grapheme|c}}. /tʃ/ is spelled {{grapheme|č}}. Length is spelled {{grapheme|꞉}}.
The orthography of Clark (1983) is used here.
==Morphology== Sayula Popoluca verbs are inflected for person and number of subject and object, for aspect, and for the difference between independent and dependent.
{| class="wikitable" |+ Intransitive independent |- |'walk' !imperfective !perfective !future |- |''yoꞌy'' !''-p'' !<nowiki>-w</nowiki> !''-áh'' |- !1sg ''tʉ-'' |''tʉyóꞌyp'' | ''tʉyóꞌyw'' |''tʉyòꞌyáh'' |- !2sg ''mi-'' | ''miyóꞌyp'' | ''miyóꞌyw'' |''miyòꞌyáh'' |- !3rd Ø | ''yóꞌyp'' | ''yóꞌyw'' |''yòꞌyáh'' |- !1 excl ''tʉ- -ga'' | ''tʉyóꞌygap'' | ''tʉyóꞌygaw'' |''tʉyòꞌygáh'' |- !1 incl ''na- -ga'' | ''nayóꞌygap'' | ''nayóꞌygaw'' |''nayòꞌygáh'' |- !2pl ''mi- -ga'' | ''miyóꞌygap'' | ''miyóꞌygaw'' |''miyòꞌygáh'' |- !3pl ''-ga'' | ''yóꞌygap'' | ''yóꞌygaw'' |''yòꞌygáh'' |}
Dependency is marked by the allomorphy of the aspect markers, as shown in the following paradigm.
{| class="wikitable" |+ Intransitive dependent |- |'walk' !imperfective !perfective !future |- |''yoꞌy'' !<nowiki>-Ø</nowiki> !''-h'' !''-wáꞌn'' |- !1sg ''tʉ-'' |''tʉyóꞌy'' | ''tʉyóꞌhy'' |''tʉyòꞌywáꞌn'' |- !2sg ''ꞌin-'' | ''ꞌinyóꞌy'' | ''ꞌinyóꞌhy'' |''ꞌinyòꞌywáꞌn'' |- !3rd ''ꞌi-'' | ''ꞌiyóꞌy'' | ''ꞌiyóꞌhy'' |''ꞌiyòꞌywáꞌn'' |- !1 excl ''tʉ- -ga'' | ''tʉyóꞌyga'' | ''tʉyóꞌygah'' |''tʉyòꞌywáꞌn'' |- !1 incl ''na- -ga'' | ''nayóꞌyga'' | ''nayóꞌygah'' |''nayòꞌygawáꞌn'' |- !2pl ''ꞌin- -ga'' | ''ꞌinyóꞌyga'' | ''ꞌinyóꞌygah'' |''ꞌinyòꞌygawáꞌn'' |- !3pl ''ꞌi- -ga'' | ''ꞌiyóꞌyga'' | ''ꞌiyóꞌygah'' |''ꞌiyòꞌygawáꞌn'' |}
Sayula Popoluca marks agreement in transitive clause in an inverse system (Tatsumi, 2013). Speech Act Participants (SAP) 1EXCL, 1INCL, and 2 outrank 3. There is a separate system in which a topical 3rd person (PROXIMATE) outranks a non-topical 3rd person (OBVIATIVE). The pattern of person marking is given in Table I (adapted from Tatsumi, 2013:88).
{| class="wikitable" |+ Independent Transitive person markers |- !colspan=3 rowspan=3| !colspan="100%"|Object |- ! colspan="3" |{{gcl|SAP|speech act participants}} ! colspan="2" |Non-{{gcl|SAP|speech act participants}} |- !{{gcl|1EXCL}} !{{gcl|1INCL}} !{{gcl|2}} !{{gcl|3}}{{gcl|PROX|proximate}} !{{gcl|3}}{{gcl|OBV}} |- !rowspan="100%" {{vert header|va=middle|Subject}} ! rowspan="3" |{{gcl|SAP|speech act participants}} !{{gcl|1EXCL}} | | |''tʉ''= |''tʉn''= | |- !{{gcl|1INCL}} | | | |''na''= | |- !{{gcl|2}} |''ꞌiš''= | | |''in''= | |- ! rowspan="2" |Non-{{gcl|SAP|speech act participants}} !{{gcl|3}}{{gcl|PROX|proximate}} | rowspan="2" |''tʉ=š''- | rowspan="2" |''na=š''- | rowspan="2" |''ꞌi=š''- | |''ꞌi''= |- !{{gcl|3}}{{gcl|OBV}} |''ꞌigi''= | |}
Table I
The inverse system is also reflected in the form of the plural marker. In the case in which a higher ranking singular acts on a lower ranking plural, the plural marker is -''kʉš''-, elsewhere the plural is as in the singular, -''ka''-. An example paradigm is given below:
{| class="wikitable" |+ Transitive independent |- ! colspan="2" |imperfective ! colspan="4" |sg object ! colspan="5" |pl object |- ! |''yu꞉giy''- 'cure' !1 !2 ! colspan="2" |3 !1excl !1incl !2 ! colspan="2" |3 |- ! rowspan="3" |sg subj !1 |— |'''''tʉ'''yu꞉gip'' | colspan="2" |'''''tʉn'''yu꞉gip'' |''—'' |''—'' | '''''tʉ'''yu꞉gi'''gʉš'''p'' | colspan="2" | '''''tʉn'''yu꞉gi'''gʉš'''p'' |- !2 |'''''ꞌiš'''yu꞉gip'' |''—'' | colspan="2" |'''''ꞌin'''yu꞉gip'' |'''''ꞌiš'''yu꞉gi'''ga'''p'' |''—'' |''—'' | colspan="2" |'''''ꞌin'''yu꞉gi'''gʉš'''p'' |- !3 | '''''tʉš'''yu꞉gip'' | '''''ꞌiš'''yu꞉gip'' | |'''''ꞌi'''yu꞉gip'' |'''''tʉš'''yu꞉gi'''ga'''p'' |'''''naš'''yu꞉gi'''ga'''p'' |'''''ꞌiš'''yu꞉gi'''ga'''p'' | |'''''ꞌi'''yu꞉gi'''gʉš'''p'' |- ! ! | | |'''''ꞌigi'''yu꞉gip'' | | | | |'''''ꞌigi'''yu꞉gi'''ga'''p'' | |}
Inversion affects he allomorphy of both the person marking and the aspect marking (Clark (1961:195) with the result that the inverse forms have no distinct dependent form.
{| class="wikitable" |+ Transitive dependent |- ! colspan="2" |imperfective ! colspan="4" |sg object ! colspan="5" |pl object |- ! |''yu꞉giy''- 'cure' !1 !2 ! colspan="2" |3 !1excl !1incl !2 ! colspan="2" |3 |- ! rowspan="3" |sg subj !1 |— |'''''tʉ'''yu꞉giy'' | colspan="2" |'''''tʉš'''yu꞉giy'' |''—'' |''—'' | '''''tʉ'''yu꞉gi'''gʉš''''' | colspan="2" | '''''tʉš'''yu꞉gi'''gʉš''''' |- !2 |'''''ꞌiš'''yu꞉gip'' |''—'' | colspan="2" |'''''ꞌiš'''yu꞉giy'' |'''''ꞌiš'''yu꞉gi'''ga'''p'' |''—'' |''—'' | colspan="2" |'''''ꞌiš'''yu꞉gi'''gʉš''''' |- !3 | '''''tʉš'''yu꞉gip'' | '''''ꞌiš'''yu꞉gip'' | |'''''ꞌigi'''yu꞉giy'' |'''''tʉš'''yu꞉gi'''ga'''p'' |'''''naš'''yu꞉gi'''ga'''p'' |'''''ꞌiš'''yu꞉gi'''ga'''p'' | |'''''ꞌigi'''yu꞉gi'''gʉš''''' |- ! ! | | |'''''ꞌigi'''yu꞉gip'' | | | | |'''''ꞌigi'''yu꞉gi'''ga'''p'' | |}
==Notes== {{reflist}}
==Bibliography== *Clark, Lawrence E. 1959. "Phoneme classes in Sayula Popoluca." Studies in Linguistics 14:25-33. *Clark, Lawrence E. 1961. "Sayula Popoluca Texts, with Grammatical Outline". Linguistic Series, 6. Norman, Oklahoma: Summer Institute of Linguistics of the University of Oklahoma. *Clark, Lawrence E. 1962. "Sayula Popoluca Morpho-Syntax. <nowiki>''</nowiki>International Journal of American Linguistics<nowiki>''</nowiki> 28(3):183-198. *Clark, Lawrence E. 1977. "Linguistic Acculturation in Sayula Popoluca." <nowiki>''</nowiki>International Journal of American Linguistics<nowiki>''</nowiki> 43(2):128-138. *Clark, Lawrence E. 1983. "Sayula Popoluca Verb Derivation". Amerindian Series, 8. Dallas, Texas: Summer Institute of Linguistics. *Clark, Lawrence E. 1995. ''Vocabulario popoluca de Sayula: Veracruz, México''. Serie de vocabularios y diccionarios indígenas "Mariano Silva y Aceves", 104. Tucson: Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. *Havlicek, Corey. "An analysis of the privileged syntactic argument in three Sayula Popoluca texts." Master's thesis, The University of North Dakota, 2021. [https://www.proquest.com/openview/2f125331029e42cd3bb6f96ad45b9113/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y] *Holt, Dennis. 1998. Review of ''Vocabulario popoluca de Sayula: Veracruz, México''. By Lawrence E. Clark. ''Language'' 74.2:438-40. *Holt, Dennis. 2002. "Poemo Sayula Popoluca". ''The Third Page''. [http://www.emptymirrorbooks.com/thirdpage/holtintro.html] *Sistema de Información Cultural, Government of Mexico. 26 January 2007. [http://www.sic.gob.mx/ficha.php?table=inali_li&table_id=52 Mixe–popoluca de Oluta, Mixe–popoluca de Sayula] *Tatsumi, Tomoko. 2013. Inversion in Sayula Popoluca. 言語研究（Gengo Kenkyu）144: 83–101. {{Mixe-Zoque languages}}
Category:Indigenous languages of Mexico Category:Mixean languages Category:Endangered Mixe–Zoque languages
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