ITZA'
About
Itza' is a Mayan language that is spoken in Guatemala and Belize. Itza' was the language spoken in the city of Chichen Itza, and it was one of the most spoken languages throughout the Yucatan Peninsula during from 600 AD until around 1697, when Chichen Itza was at its most powerful. After the Spanish conquest, the language declined as the natives were forced to learn Spanish. In the 1930s, the government ordered a ban on speaking the Itza' language, which caused two generations of Itzas (or Mayas, as they call themselves) to grow up speaking only Spanish. In the 1980s, the Mayas began to re-expose themselves to their own culture, and some schools were started to teach the language to the younger generations. At that time, there were only around a dozen fluent speakers of the language. However, language revitalization, including schools and texts in the language, exposed many more people to Itza', and it is now believed that between 150 and 1000 people fluently speak the language. However, the younger generations focus on Spanish as their main language, and nearly all of the fluent speakers are older adults.
More/Stats
Also known as: Itza, Itzaj, Itz, Itza' Maya, Petén Itzá Maya, Icaiche Maya, Maya
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Language Family: Mayan
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Written Alphabet: Itza' Orthography, Latin
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Category: Critically Endangered
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Speakers: Less than 1,000