SIL Mexico

Recent Special Publications

Where necessary, an asterisk indicates the contributing author who is a member of SIL.

Recent Special Publications

2024

Language education challenges in and outside of the classroom: A case study in rural Sonora

By Stephen A. Marlett and Carolyn O’Meara, and published in Transnational Approaches to Bilingual and Second Language Teacher Education, ed. by M. Dolores Ramírez-Verdugo. Routledge Studies in Applied Linguistics. Routledge.  This chapter looks at the case of Seri language speakers and learners in Sonora, Mexico and identifies challenges in language education both in and outside of the classroom. It presents various factors that contribute to these challenges and to potential future directions including the following: the history of education provided by the Mexican government in the Seri villages, local conditions and language ideologies, and previous interventions from linguists to promote language education and literacy.

2023

How can digital devices be incorporated into MLE classrooms to enhance literacy outcomes?

By Aaron and Christy Hemphill, and published in Good Answers to Tough Questions in L1-based Multilingual Education, ed. by Barbara Trudell and Diane Dekker, 2:52–58. SIL International.  "With the rapid rate of innovation and global dissemination of new technologies, many underresourced education systems are able to take advantage of EdTech tools that were previously inaccessible. As tablets and smartphones become more affordable and internet access extends to more remote areas, schools can take advantage of digital device-based educational resources such as adaptive learning software, e-books, reading apps, and educational game apps. These tools can positively impact MLE learning outcomes....  In this chapter we focus on educational resources that can be deployed to classrooms with access to tablets or smartphones, even in situations with limited or inconsistent access to internet or electricity.... We also focus on the potential of incorporating reading and learning game apps into the MLE classroom as an aid to home language literacy instruction and improved educational outcomes in multilingual classrooms."

Seri - Alfred L. Kroeber’s visit to the Seris in 1930, as recalled by Roberto Thomson Encinas

An article by Cathy M. Marlett published in the Journal of the Southwest 65.354–361.  Roberto Thomson Encinas (1888–1969), a rancher and amateur historian living in Sonora, Mexico, facilitated a six-day visit to the Seri Indians for anthropologist Alfred L. Kroeber in March 1930, and in which Thomson accompanied him. The visit, which included a trip to Tiburon Island made in Seri boats, was the basis for Kroeber's 1931 monograph on the Seris. Thomson later described his experience in Spanish in an account based on his memory, written following the death of Kroeber in 1960.

Sueños de vuelo en cuatrocientas voces: Métodos y experiencias en etno‑ornitología en México y más allá.

An article by Cathy M. Marlett, Enriqueta Velarde, and Thor Morales, and published in Etnobiología a la mexicana: Métodos, consejos y lineamientos selectos del campo, ed. by Nemer E. Narchi and Felipe Ruan-Soto, 293–322. Zamora Michoacán: El Colegio de Michoacán.  

Argument Structure Alternations

An article by James K. Watters, published in The Cambridge Handbook of Role and Reference Grammar, ed. by Delia Bentley, Ricardo Mairal Usón, Jr Van Valin Robert D., and Wataru Nakamura, 292–317. Cambridge Handbooks in Language and Linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. This chapter discusses argument structure alternations capitalizing on the Role and Reference Grammar (RRG) notions of logical structure, macrorole and privileged syntactic argument assignment, and linking. A distinction is drawn between lexical and syntactic processes. The lexical alternations (for example, causativization and anticausativization) are often limited in productivity and serve to enrich the lexicon. The syntactic alternations (for example, passivization and antipassivization) are characterized by mappings between the lexical and the syntactic levels, and may play an important role in referent tracking or topic continuity.

Seri -  The North Star and the Captain - La estrella Polar y el capitán

An article by Stephen A. Marlett and Lorenzo Herrera Casanova published in the journal Tlalocan XXVIII-1 (primavera-verano, 2023, pp. 21-47).  Basic information about the Seri language and its speakers is given, along with a description of the state of the documentation of the language. A short text about the North Star and its role in the past is presented and glossed. By means of this text, written by a Seri man who was greatly interested in history, the mentioned morphological and syntactic facts are illustrated. The Seris used the stars to arrange meetings between dispersed groups of them for various purposes, including, as in this text, to plan revenge attacks on those people who had caused the deaths of their loved ones.

2022

Bilingual Dictionaries for Indigenous Languages (Third edition).

A work by Doris Bartholomew and Louise Schoenhals. This work is a comprehensive guide to the process of compiling and publishing bilingual dictionaries. Although it is based on the work done in Mexico by the Summer Institute of Linguistics, its principles and procedures are applicable worldwide. It has been updated to include how to implement this model in FieldWorks Language Explorer. The PDF for this third electronic edition has been reformatted with larger type and smaller margins to facilitate screen viewing. It can also be printed out on letter sized paper.  The book can also be purchased here.

Cómo implementar el modelo de lexicografía "MXB" en FLEx.

Written by Thomas L. Willett, this document is a translation of the last appendix of the book "Bilingual Dictionaries for Indigenous Languages" (third edition), where the details of configuring the FLEx program (FieldWorks Language Explorer) for compiling and publishing bilingual dictionaries are explained, following the specifications presented in the book. Included are a sample FLEx project named "MXB muestra" and several templates for publishing the introduction and appendices of a dictionary using the program XLingPaper.

A bibliography for the study of Seri history, language and culture.

Compiled by Stephen Marlett, this is an extensive bibliography covering over 300 years of material published about the Seri people, an indigenous group living in Sonora, Mexico. The works identified cover topics such as anthropology, history, linguistics, literacy and scientific studies.

Words from another world: A collection of analyzed Seri texts.

Compiled by Stephen Marlett, this work is a detailed presentation of a collection of texts in the Seri language. The texts represent various genres and were collected in various ways over more than five decades by different investigators working with various narrators and writers. They are presented with morphological analysis in an interlinear format and with a free translation, along with discussion of their provenance. (Order the book here.)  Additonal note: The book was reviewed by Verónica Vázquez Soto in Tlalocan - Revista de fuentes para el conocimiento de las culturas indígenas de México, Vol. 28 Núm. 1 (2023)

2021

Maximizing Scalability in Literacy Game App Design for Minority Languages.

Written by Christy Hemphill and Aaron Hemphill.  Minority language communities lack access to educational technology that facilitates literacy skill building. The approach currently taken by most educational game app developers privileges widely spoken languages and often requires intensive resource investment.  In response, a new game app was designed to provide easily localized, pedagogically appropriate games for literacy skill building. Scalability to multiple minority languages was possible through a programming design based on language packs that could be compiled by local implementation teams without specialized technical skills and without significant resource investment. We describe the scalability issues encountered when localizing the app for the initial ten minority language pilot groups and how a language-neutral app design that relies on language packs to specify language-specific content and parameters can adequately address these issues. When it comes to meeting the demands of growing education technology markets in underserved Indigenous and minority communities, localizing an app initially designed for maximum scalability is more feasible than investing significant resources converting apps custom designed for one language into new languages.

Santiago Comaltepec Chinantec Dictionary

Santiago Comaltepec Chinantec - Santiago Comaltepec Chinantec Dictionary

This bilingual dictionary includes the majority of the most common words in the Chinantec language of Santiago Comaltepec (Ixtlán de Juárez, Oaxaca, México). The entries in both the Chinantec–Spanish and Spanish–Chinantec sections include parts of speech, translation equivalents with different senses and subentries for derived forms. There are also illustrative sentences in the Chinantec–Spanish section. Following the body of the dictionary, there are appendices that provide focus on particular semantic domains, such as animals, parts of the body and terms of relationships between people.

San Miguel Tilquiapam Zapotec - "Propuesta de convenciones ortográficas para el zapoteco de San Miguel Tilquiapam"

A working paper by Elizabeth Merrill and Heather Beal. This work summarizes basic conventions that are in use for writing San Miguel Tilquiapam Zapotec of Oaxaca (ISO 639-3 code = zts).

Conceptos de lingüística descriptiva

Descriptive Linguistics - Conceptos de lingüística  descriptiva: Un acercamiento a las lenguas del mundo

This book by Karina Araiza and Stephen Marlett covers topics in phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics, and includes practice exercises from a great variety of languages, related links and chapter summaries. The purpose of the work is to promote language development and to equip investigators with the skills needed to begin studying any language. Its content, with a special focus on the indigenous language of Mexico, is ideal for those interested in descriptive linguistics or desiring an introduction to this topic. Thanks to its design, it will be relevant both for students and professors.

Buy the book!

2020

Tepehuan -  "Epistemic Modality in Southeastern Tepehuan

A paper by Thomas Willett in Chungmin Lee & Jinho Park (eds.), Evidentials and Modals (Brill), pp. 520–533. Abstract: Epistemic modality reflects the speaker’s degree of commitment to the truth of what he or she is saying. This involves both the reliability and the source of his or her knowledge about the situation described. Unlike many languages, all epistemic contrasts in Southeastern Tepehuan are encoded in the verbal particles. Four types of reliability are distinguished in Southeastern Tepehuan: multiple degrees of emphasis as well as affirmation, disclaimer, and doubt. Three types of sources are distinguished: that which is perceived by the speaker; that which is reported to the speaker; and that which causes the speaker to infer the situation. Reported evidence is further distinguished by whether or not the speaker assumes the hearer already is aware of the situation.

Me'paa —"The sounds of Acatepec Me'paa (Tlapanec)"

A paper by Stephen A. Marlett and Plácido Neri Remigio presenting the sounds of one major variety of the Tlapanec languages, that of Acatepec Meꞌpaa, in order to illustrate the general characteristics of this language family.

Dictionaries - "The natural world in bilingual dictionaries"

This paper by Stephen A. Marlett & Thomas Willett addresses questions that arise for compilers of bilingual dictionaries as they consider how to present words relating to plants and animals.

Seri — "The declining use of Seri sweets and sweeteners: Dietary transition through culinary acculturation"

A paper by Nemer E. Narchi, *Cathy M. Marlett, & Guillermo Hernández-Santana published in Journal of Ethnobiology (Vol. 40, No. 30, pp. 348-367). Abstract: During the decades of 1960–1980, Richard S. Felger and Mary B. Moser researched the botanical knowledge of the Seris (Comcaac), a hunter-gatherer and fishing people living in the arid desert of northwestern Mexico. They recorded and published an extensive body of species-specific data so rich in biological and ethnographic detail that it is possible to reconstruct a quickly eroding, annual dietary cycle; such a comprehensive account is a precious resource to study transitions in the community diet. In this article, we focus on Seri sweets and sweeteners, represented by 16 fruits, four agave species, one perennial halophyte, pollen paste (beebread), and honey. We rely on archival research to explore various data sources, situating ethnobiological questions in a socio-historical context to provide information on the spatial distribution of resources and the community's livelihood, which can be correlated with specific political zeitgeist. We examine how the swift integration of the Seri society into the state-mediated market in the early-mid twentieth century introduced greater use of exogenous sweeteners and displaced local food items, resulting in culinary acculturation that affected the community's health and well-being. Through understanding the process, we aim to present local foods in ways that are comprehensible to younger Seris in order to foster efforts toward food sovereignty in their community.

2019

Dictionaries - "Names in a bilingual dictionary"

This paper presents detailed suggestions for including proper names in a bilingual dictionary as a complement to the more general work, Bartholomew & Schoenhals (2019).

Teocuitlapa Me'phaa - "Funciones adposicionales y palabras de múltiples categorías en me'phaa (tlapaneco) de Teocuitlapa"

A paper by Christy Hemphill & Aaron Hemphill. In Lilián Guerrero (ed.), Adposiciones y elementos de su tipo en lenguas amerindias (UNAM), 277-313. Abstract: In Meꞌphaa (Tlapanec) of Teocuitlapa (Oto-manguean), there is not a large class of words that are probable candidates for the designation of adposition. The words that form adverbial adjuncts and locative oblique arguments have multiple uses in the language and also function in syntactic categories other than adpositions. In their adpositional uses, some of the words maintain features of verbs or nouns and do not appear completely grammaticalized. A comitative form, jma̱a̱, introduces an instrument or a participant who accompanies an argument of the verb. It inflects to show agreement with the accompanee or the company. The language has a robust inventory of dispositional verbs that encode spatial relationships and verbs of motion that encode direction. Náa (the locative marker) is used to form locative arguments. Some verbs use a̱ jndu̱ in conjunction with náa to mark source or goal arguments. There are certain nouns that can take a locative suffix and there is a set of relational nouns derived from body part terms. The words ndíi and a̱jndu̱ are used to form adjuncts of time and comparison.

Tepehua -  "La preposición en tepehua y construcciones semejantes

A paper by James K. Watters. In Lilián Guerrero (ed.), Adposiciones y elementos de su tipo en lenguas amerindias (UNAM), 315-343. Abstract: The Tepehua and Totonac languages have only one or two prepositions. There are other constructions that license indirect arguments and adjuncts and specify their semantic relations with other elements of the sentence. This work presents three areas of investigation on the topic. First, it introduces and describes constructions such as applicatives and relational nouns that have functions similar to those carried out by adpositions in other languages. Second, it demonstrates the use of prepositions in Tepehua, including two borrowed from Spanish. and shows some of the structural effects of the borrowed prepositions. Finally, it presents some analytical problems of the locative preposition in Tepehua which has cognates in Totonac, especially its status as a prepositional clitic vs. a case prefix. Evidence is provided that suggests it is, in fact, a preposition that cliticizes to the head noun rather than a case prefix.

Seri - "Preverbos relacionales en seri"

A paper by Stephen A. Marlett. In Lilián Guerrero (ed.), Adposiciones y elementos de su tipo en lenguas amerindias, (UNAM), 561-588. Abstract: There are seven lexemes in Seri that, in terms of their function, resemble words that are adpositions in other languages. Morphologically, they require inflection for person; they agree with their complements. Semantically, they primarily indicate locative relationships although there are grammaticalized uses as well. The syntactic characteristics are the most notable. In the places where one most expects an adpositional phrase in other languages, the construction in Seri is different because the nucleus forms part of the verb complex, almost as an incorporated element. In fact, this is its obligatory position. There is no evidence known that supports a syntactic postpositional phrase in such cases.

Amatlán Zapotec - "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir el zapoteco de Amatlán"

A working paper by David RIggs & Sylvia Riggs. This work summarizes basic conventions that are in use for writing Amatlán Zapotec of Oaxaca (ISO 639-3 code = zpo).

Jalapa de Díaz Mazatec - "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir el mazateco de San Felipe Jalapa de Díaz"

A working paper by Judith L. Schram & Heather Beal. This work summarizes basic conventions that are in use for writing San Felipe de Díaz Mazatec of Oaxaca (ISO 639-3 code = maj).

San Bartolomé Ayautla Mazatec - "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir el mazateco de San Bartolomé Ayautla"

A working paper by Cynthia Williams & Larry Williams. This work summarizes basic conventions that are in use for writing San Bartolomé Ayautla Mazatec of Oaxaca (ISO 639-3 code = vmy). 

Western Juxtlahuaca Mixtec - "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir el mixteco del oeste de Juxtlahuaca"

A working paper by Bruce Beatham & Candice Beatham. This work summarizes basic conventions that are in use for writing Western Juxtlahuaca Mixtec of Oaxaca (ISO 639-3 code = jmx).

Dictionaries - Bilingual Dictionaries for Indigenous Languages 

A work by Doris Bartholomew and Louise Schoenhals. This work is a comprehensive guide to the process of compiling and publishing bilingual dictionaries. Although it is based on the work done in Mexico by the Summer Institute of Linguistics, its principles and procedures are applicable worldwide. This second edition, edited by Thomas Willett, shows how to implement this model in FieldWorks Language Explorer.  

XLingPaper

A detailed presentation of the advantages of using XLingPaper for writing linguistic articles and books has been posted under the Training tab (http://www.mexico.sil.org/training).

Phonological analysis - Phonology from the ground up: The basics

This book by Stephen Marlett provides an introduction to basic phonological analysis, focussing on postlexical phonology. It includes exercises drawn from a wide variety of languages. (A Spanish version is also available from the  author in draft  form.)

Isthmus Zapotec - "Presentation of three short texts in Isthmus Zapotec"

A paper by Stephen A. Marlett. This paper presents three short interlinearized texts in Isthmus Zapotec using conventions that generally follow the Leipzig Glossing Rules. One is a procedural text (a recipe) and two are fictional pieces. An explanation of how the texts were prepared and glossed is included, with special attention to the glossing conventions. Some notes on facts of Isthmus Zapotec that are illustrated in these texts are also included.

Seri -  "Changes in mollusk consumption by the Seris of Sonora, Mexico"

A paper by Cathy M. Marlett, as part of a special issue of the Journal of Ethnobiology (Vol. 39, No. 2, Mollusks, guest edited by Ariadna Burgos and Alexandra C. Younger). Abstract: "In the mid-twentieth century, the Seris (Comcaac), a small mobile hunter-gatherer and fishing people of northwestern Mexico, became almost entirely sedentary. They had for centuries survived in the isolated desert and coast along the eastern central Gulf of California, an area of rich biodiversity. The move to permanent settlements facilitated access to non-traditional foods that began to markedly impact their traditional diet of desert and marine resources, including mollusks. Although fish and sea turtles continued to be an important part of that diet, consumption of mollusks declined significantly, accompanied by a gradual loss of knowledge of their names and related ecological information, a loss evident among younger Seris today. This paper explores the role of mollusks in the Seri culture and associated changes that have taken place over the past century. Published accounts, oral tradition, historical records, and current investigation describe how the Seris adopted a sedentary lifestyle, and the impact that the change has had on their traditional diet, ecological knowledge, subsistence practices, and health."

Helps for glossing  texts with FLEx

Drafts of two manuals (in Spanish) to help with glossing texts using FLEx have been posted under the Training tab (http://www.mexico.sil.org/training).

2018

Seri — "La creación del mundo: análisis de un antiguo canto seri"

A paper by *Stephen A. Marlett, René Montaño Herrera and E. Fernando Nava L. in the journal Tlalocan, published at UNAM in Mexico City. An ancient Seri song is presented along with a comparison of eight variations of the text that have been recorded, and a discussion of the meaning of the sung version of a creation myth. A version of the content in narrative form is also given, as well as a proposal for the correspondence between the sung version and the oral version of the text. The narrative version is presented with morpheme division, glosses and with reference for each word to its respective entry in a Seri dictionary. A musical transcription of the song is included, and an explanation of the relationship between the text and the music. 

An ancient Seri song is presented along with a comparison of eight variations of the text that have

been recorded, and a discussion of the meaning of the sung version of a creation myth. A version of the con

-

tent in narrative form is also given, as well as a proposal for the correspondence between the sung version and

the oral version of the text. The narrative version is presented with morpheme division, glosses and with refe

-

rence for each word to its respective entry in a Seri dictionary. A musical transcription of the song is included,

and an explanation of the relationship between the text and the music.

An ancient Seri song is presented along with a comparison of eight variations of the text that have

been recorded, and a discussion of the meaning of the sung version of a creation myth. A version of the con

-

tent in narrative form is also given, as well as a proposal for the correspondence between the sung version and

the oral version of the text. The narrative version is presented with morpheme division, glosses and with refe

-

rence for each word to its respective entry in a Seri dictionary. A musical transcription of the song is included,

and an explanation of the relationship between the text and the music.

An ancient Seri song is presented along with a comparison of eight variations of the text that have

been recorded, and a discussion of the meaning of the sung version of a creation myth. A version of the con

-

tent in narrative form is also given, as well as a proposal for the correspondence between the sung version and

the oral version of the text. The narrative version is presented with morpheme division, glosses and with refe

-

rence for each word to its respective entry in a Seri dictionary. A musical transcription of the song is included,

and an explanation of the relationship between the text and the music.

An ancient Seri song is presented along with a comparison of eight variations of the text that have

been recorded, and a discussion of the meaning of the sung version of a creation myth. A version of the con

-

tent in narrative form is also given, as well as a proposal for the correspondence between the sung version and

the oral version of the text. The narrative version is presented with morpheme division, glosses and with refe

-

rence for each word to its respective entry in a Seri dictionary. A musical transcription of the song is included,

and an explanation of the relationship between the text and the music.

An ancient Seri song is presented along with a comparison of eight variations of the text that have

been recorded, and a discussion of the meaning of the sung version of a creation myth. A version of the con

-

tent in narrative form is also given, as well as a proposal for the correspondence between the sung version and

the oral version of the text. The narrative version is presented with morpheme division, glosses and with refe

-

rence for each word to its respective entry in a Seri dictionary. A musical transcription of the song is included,

and an explanation of the relationship between the text and the music.

An ancient Seri song is presented along with a comparison of eight variations of the text that have

been recorded, and a discussion of the meaning of the sung version of a creation myth. A version of the con

-

tent in narrative form is also given, as well as a proposal for the correspondence between the sung version and

the oral version of the text. The narrative version is presented with morpheme division, glosses and with refe

-

rence for each word to its respective entry in a Seri dictionary. A musical transcription of the song is included,

and an explanation of the relationship between the text and the music.

An ancient Seri song is presented along with a comparison of eight variations of the text that have

been recorded, and a discussion of the meaning of the sung version of a creation myth. A version of the con

-

tent in narrative form is also given, as well as a proposal for the correspondence between the sung version and

the oral version of the text. The narrative version is presented with morpheme division, glosses and with refe

-

rence for each word to its respective entry in a Seri dictionary. A musical transcription of the song is included,

and an explanation of the relationship between the text and the music.

An ancient Seri song is presented along with a comparison of eight variations of the text that have

been recorded, and a discussion of the meaning of the sung version of a creation myth. A version of the con

-

tent in narrative form is also given, as well as a proposal for the correspondence between the sung version and

the oral version of the text. The narrative version is presented with morpheme division, glosses and with refe

-

rence for each word to its respective entry in a Seri dictionary. A musical transcription of the song is included,

and an explanation of the relationship between the text and the music.

An ancient Seri song is presented along with a comparison of eight variations of the text that have

been recorded, and a discussion of the meaning of the sung version of a creation myth. A version of the con

-

tent in narrative form is also given, as well as a proposal for the correspondence between the sung version and

the oral version of the text. The narrative version is presented with morpheme division, glosses and with refe

-

rence for each word to its respective entry in a Seri dictionary. A musical transcription of the song is included,

and an explanation of the relationship between the text and the music.

An ancient Seri song is presented along with a comparison of eight variations of the text that have

been recorded, and a discussion of the meaning of the sung version of a creation myth. A version of the con

-

tent in narrative form is also given, as well as a proposal for the correspondence between the sung version and

the oral version of the text. The narrative version is presented with morpheme division, glosses and with refe

-

rence for each word to its respective entry in a Seri dictionary. A musical transcription of the song is included,

and an explanation of the relationship between the text and the music.

Amuzgo — Gramática del amuzgo de Xochistlahuaca, Guerrero

A book compiled by Marjorie J. Buck. This grammar of the Amuzgo language uses relatively non-technical terminology to describe the variety that is spoken in the region of Xochistlahuaca, Guerrero. Topics covered include the parts of speech. The descriptions are illustrated by analyzed phrases and sentences. In addition, there are three analyzed texts. Also included is a bibliography and a map.

Me'phaa —"The sounds of Me'phaa (Tlapanec): A new assessment"

A paper by Stephen A. Marlett and Mark L. Weathers. This paper presents an assessment of the complexities of the sounds of the Meꞌphaa (Tlapanecan) genus, a cluster of closely related language varieties spoken in southern Mexico that form a separate branch of the large Otomanguean family. Various facts present analytical challenges; these are discussed in detail.

Training for writers — Curso básico para escritores hablantes de lenguas originarias de México  

The content of this book was developed to help native speaker writers become better prepared to write and publish material in their own languages. See the link on the new page for training on this website where similar materials will be posted. 

 

Isthmus Mixe — Breve diccionario del mixe del Istmo, Mogoñé Viejo, Oaxaca

A book by Julia Dieterman and James M. McCarty, Jr. This bilingual dictionary includes many of the most common words in the Isthmus Mixe language (Oaxaca). The entries in both the Mixe–Spanish and Spanish–Mixe sections include parts of speech and translation equivalents with different senses. There are also illustrative sentences in the Mixe–Spanish section.

Tlacoapa Mi'phaa — "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir el mi'phaa de Tlacoapa"

A working paper by Stephen A. Marlett. This work summarizes basic conventions that are in use for writing Mi'phaa (Me'phaa, Tlapanec) of Tlacoapa, Guerrero (ISO 639-3 code = tpl).

Mazatlán Villa de Flores Mazatec — "ꞌIen Nájndi̱̱a̱, el mazateco de Mazatlán Villa de Flores"

A paper by *Ryan David Klint and Israel Filio García. This description presents a new and detailed analysis of the sounds of Mazatec as they are attested in Mazatlán Villa de Flores, Oaxaca. It is accompanied by recordings.   

Lacandón — "Diccionario maya lacandón"

A book compiled by Mary and Phillip Baer. This bilingual dictionary includes the majority of the most common words in the Maya Lacandón language (Chiapas). The entries in both the Lacandón–Spanish and Spanish–Lacandón sections include parts of speech, translation equivalents with different senses, and subentries for derived forms. The Lacandón–Spanish section has illustrative sentences. The appendices contain phonological notes and a grammar sketch of Lacandón.

San Jerónimo Tecóatl Mazatec — "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir el mazateco de San Jerónimo Tecóatl"

A working paper by Daniel Agee and Margaret Agee. This work summarizes basic conventions that are in use for writing San Jerónimo Tecóatl Mazatec (ISO 639-3 code = maa).

Eloxochitlán Mazatec — "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir el mazateco de Eloxochitlán"

A working paper by Daniel Agee and Margaret Agee. This work summarizes basic conventions that are in use for writing Eloxochitlán Mazatec (ISO 639-3 code = maa).

 

Comaltepec Zapotec — "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir el zapoteco de Comaltepec "

A working paper by Larry Lyman. This work summarizes basic conventions that are in use for writing Comaltepec Zapotec (ISO 639-3 code = zpc).

Santiago Comaltepec Chinantec — Gramática del chinanteco de Santiago Comaltepec

A book by Judi Lynn Anderson.  This grammar of the Chinantec language uses relatively simple terminology to describe the variety that is spoken in the town of Santiago Comaltepec, Oaxaca. Topics covered include the parts of speech. The descriptions are illustrated by analyzed phrases and sentences. In addition, one chapter contains eight analyzed texts. Also included is a bibliography and a map.

Southwestern Tlaxiaco Mixtec — "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir el mixteco del suroeste del distrito de Tlaxiaco"

A working paper by Larry Harris and Mary Harris. This work summarizes the basic conventions that are in use for writing Southwestern Tlaxiaco Mixtec (ISO code 639-3 = meh).

"Bichos / Bugs"

The purpose of this paper, edited by Heather Beal, is to preserve and provide access to a group of indigenous language essays which afford both cultural insights and linguistic information. These essays were written by various authors for use on a calendar published by ILV (Agee 2016). This article contains one additional essay that was collected for this purpose but not included in the published calendar. 

Seri — “A bibliography for the study of Seri history, language and culture”  

This is an updated version of the bibliography compliled by Stephen A. Marlett.  

2017

Mixtec — "Los pronombres personales del mixteco: Un estudio comparativo entre dos variantes lingüísticas"

A paper by Ada Rázuri, published in Lengua y Sociedad. The personal pronouns of two varieties of Mixtec are described: San Bartolomé Yucuañe and Magdalena Peñasco, both located in the district of Tlaxiaco, state of Oaxaca. The ways in which the two varieties classify the pronouns are different. The first codifies factors such as gender, age and proximity to the speaker and hearer. The second, on the other hand, only emphasizes respect towards the hearer.

Seri — “Los que llevan la Vía Láctea”: “The carriers of the Milky Way” 

A text written by René Montaño Herrera with discussion and analysis done in collaboration with *Stephen A. Marlett. In the tradition of the Comcaac (the Seris) there is a constellation composed of three stars that is called Ihamoquixp Quizjoj, ‘Carriers of the Milky Way’. They were three young men who, during their life on earth, helped the people in the community in various ways, including the preparation of torches so that there would be light at night. Today they do the same by means of the many lights of the Milky Way. [This has the publication date of 2016, but it appeared in 2017.]

Tlachichilco Tepehua — "Tlachichilco Tepehua: Semantics and function of verb valency change"

An article by James K. Watters, in Verb valency changes: Theoretical and typological perspectives, edited by Albert Álvarez González and Ía Navarro (John Benjamins), pp. 165-192. Tlachichilco Tepehua, like other Tepehua and Totonacan languages, has a rich system of morphology that modifies verb valency. There are five constructions that affect core arguments of the verb: the dative and causative and the four valency-decreasing constructions ─ passive, antipassive, body-part incorporation, and the decausative. These morphological processes typically affect inherent aspect and lexical semantics or facilitate tracking referents in discourse. The three applicative prefixes, and, in some cases, the dative suffix, license non-core arguments which function as direct arguments of the verb. Syntactically, the applicatives allow non-core arguments to be questioned or relativized. Semantically, their arguments manifest roles that are frame-internal ─ determined by the scene associated with the base verb ─ or frame-external, such as the benefactive.

Seri — "A panorama of valency changing operations in Seri

An article by Stephen A. Marlett, in Verb valency changes: Theoretical and typological perspectives, edited by Albert Álvarez González and Ía Navarro (John Benjamins), pp. 193-226. The Seri language displays several valency changing operations, most of which are robustly attested and used. is paper presents a panorama of these oper- ations. Evidence from the morphology, sensitive as it is to transitivity, helps in the consideration of possible analyses. Some of the operations, such as passive, unspeci ed subject, antipassive (implicit argument type) and causative, are straightforward in their respective analyses, as well as being common cross-linguistically. Other operations, including the impersonal passive of transitive verbs, the age construction, the times construction and the Experiencer subject construction, do not have counterparts in many other languages. 

Tepehua — "Spanish influence in two Tepehua languages: Structure-preserving, structure-changing, and structure-preferring effects"

An article by James K. Watters, in Language contact and change in Mesoamerica and beyond, edited by Karen Dakin, Claudia Parodi and Natalie Operstein (John Benjamins), pp. 30-54. The kinds of change brought about by Spanish influence on two Tepehua (Totonacan) languages are of three types: structure-preserving change, including borrowing of all word classes; structure-changing processes in the phonology; and the structure-preferring influence of Spanish in progressive and applicative constructions. Nonfinite verb forms and other borrowed lexical items fit within existing structures. Changes in the phonology include loss of phonemic contrast as well as change from a three-vowel to a five-vowel system. Contact has also given some preference to the periphrastic form of the progressive, and prepositional phrases over applicatives. The features characterizing Spanish influence vary widely across the generations, reflecting growing bilingualism and interference from code switching.

Meꞌphaa — "The effect of external factors on the perception of sounds in Me'phaa"

An article by Stephen A. Marlett, in Language contact and change in Mesoamerica and beyond, edited by Karen Dakin, Claudia Parodi and Natalie Operstein (John Benjamins), pp. 82-104. The Meꞌphaa (Tlapanec) language genus, which displays some interesting internal diversification, has been in contact with other languages of southern Mexico, including those with which it is not genetically related, and with Spanish. This chapter examines various specific areas of the phonology of Meꞌphaa and discusses different factors – both internal to the genus and external – that seem to be affecting how the sounds of the language are perceived by the speakers of the language today. The primary evidence is based on the on-going development of an alphabetic representation of the language. The discussion of these facts leads to a new assessment of the value of traditional methods, based on a closed corpus, for analyzing the sound system of a language. The effects of external factors need to be taken into consideration.

San Andrés Yuatatío Mixtec —  Diccionario mixteco de San Andrés Yutatío, Tezoatlán, Oaxaca

A book compiled by Judith F. de Williams [Judith Williams]. This bilingual dictionary includes the majority of the most common words in the Tezoatlán Mixtec language (San Andrés Yutatío, Oaxaca, Mexico). The entries in both the Mixtec–Spanish and Spanish–Mixtec sections include parts of speech, translation equivalents with different senses and subentries for derived forms. There are also illustrative sentences in the Mixtec–Spanish section.

 

Magdalena Peñasco Mixtec —  Diccionario mixteco de Magdalena Peñasco (Saꞌan ñuu savi)

A book (in two volumes) compiled by Elena Erickson de Hollenbach [Barbara E. Hollenbach]. This bilingual dictionary includes the majority of the most common words in the Mixtec language of Magdalena Peñasco (Oaxaca, Mexico). The entries in both the Mixtec–Spanish and Spanish–Mixtec sections include parts of speech, different senses, and subentries for derived forms. There are also illustrative sentences in the Mixtec–Spanish section. Following the body of the dictionary, there are several appendices that treat particular semantic domains: numbers, colors, kinship terms, place names, and parts of the body, etc. Also included are ninety-one verb conjugations.

San Juan Lealao Chinantec — "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir el chinanteco de San Juan Lealao"

A working paper by James Rupp. This work summarizes the basic conventions that are in use for writing San Juan Lealao Chinantec (ISO code 639-3 = cle).

"La preparación y publicación de textos como parte de la documentación de una lengua"

A working paper by Stephen Marlett. This paper describes different ways of presenting language texts for publication, with translation and analyisis. Although the examples are drawn from presentations of texts of indigenous languages of Mexico, the paper is pertinent to investigators working in other parts of the world as well.

"Discourse analysis and information structure studies of Otomanguean languages: An annotated bibliography"

A working paper by Stephen Marlett. This paper presents an annotated bibliography of studies about discourse analysis or information structure of languages in various branches of the Otomanguean language family. It is organized around the topics presented in Dooley & Levinsohn (2001).

Ozumacín Chinantec — "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir el chinanteco de Ozumacín"

A working paper by James Rupp. This work summarizes the basic conventions that are in use for writing Ozumacín Chinantec (ISO code 639-3 = chz).

Quioquitani Zapotec — "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir el zapoteco de Quioquitani"

A working paper by Michael Ward. This work summarizes the basic conventions that are in use for writing Quioquitani Zapotec (ISO code 639-3 = ztq).

Seri — "Bandas seris"

Edited Spanish-language version of a paper by Edward W. Moser originally published in The Kiva in 1963. In previous publications about the Seris, frequent references to distinct groups of Seris indicated the existence of historic tribal divisions on some level. Investigation by Moser among the Seris determined the previous existence of six bands, which included three dialectal groups. Three of the bands were subdivided in clans. These six bands, whose formation could have been caused principally by internal conflicts, eventually were crushed and reduced to one single group by means of destruction caused by external conflicts. 

Seri — "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir la lengua seri (cmiique iitom)"

A working paper by Stephen A. Marlett. This work summarizes the basic conventions that are in use for writing Seri (ISO code 639-3 = sei).

Tepehua — "Verb-verb compounds and argument structure in Tepehua"

A paper by James K. Watters published in Argument realisation in complex predicates and complex events: Verb-verb constructions at the syntax-semantic interface edited by Brian Nolan and Elke Diedrichsen. In Tepehua (Totonacan, Mexico), verb-verb constructions are of two kinds: verb-verb compounds and verb-as-operator constructions. In verb-verb compounds, the second verb is the head of the construction and the two verbs may or may not be separated by inflection. These compounds parallel adverb-incorporation constructions and are subject to a constraint: if the first verb is transitive, the second verb must also be formally transitive, even if its semantic contribution is intransitive. Beyond this transitivity constraint, verb selection is only restricted by pragmatics. In the verb-as-operator constructions, the head verb is the first member of the construction, the modifying verb is a member of a closed class, and it may not be separated from the head verb by inflection. In some instances, the second verb functions as an operator specifying aspect or position. The complex predicate construction has made it possible for what was historically a verb root, tʃuqu, to become a very common productive suffix in Tepehua.

2016

2017 Calendar — "Bichos" (Bugs)

A calendar for 2017 compiled by Peggy Agee. Each month is accompanied by an illustration of an insect common to Mexico and a short text in an indigenous Mexican language, with Spanish translation, about that insect.

Alacatlatzala Mixtec — "Propuesta de convenciones para escribir el mixteco de Alacatlatzala"

A working paper by Lynn Anderson C. and Carol F. Zylstra. This work summarizes the basic conventions that are in use for writing Alacatlatzala Mixtec.

Comaltepec Chinantec — "Flexible animacy in Comaltepec Chinantec"

A working paper by Judith Lynn Anderson and Cheryl A. Black. This paper describes how animacy is normally marked in Comaltepec Chinantec and how this animacy marking may change when the speaker wishes to express either a closer or more distant relationship with the referent.

Northern Tlaxiaco Mixtec — Gramática popular del norte de Tlaxiaco

A book compiled by Laura Gittlen. This grammar describes the Northern Tlaxiaco Mixtec language, a variety of Mixtec that is spoken in Oaxaca, Mexico. Relatively non-technical terminology and illustrations are used to make grammatical concepts more understandable. Grammar is explained through contextualization, repeating the apt cultural metaphor of the human body and its parts, which are used in the language for locations. The chapters are organized according to the order of the three main parts of a simple sentence: the verb phrase, subject, and complements. Topics covered include parts of speech and various kinds of sentences, all of which are accompanied by interlinearized examples. The final chapter contains an analyzed text. The appendices provide information about the sounds of the language; movement, carrying and position verbs; derivational affixes; verbal aspect, number and tense; pronouns; and numbers and measures. 

Coatecas Altas Zapotec — Vocabulario zapoteco de San Juan Coatecas Altas

A book compiled by Joseph P. Benton. This bilingual vocabulary includes the majority of the most common words in the San Juan Coatecas Altas Zapotec language (Oaxaca, Mexico). The entries in both the Zapotec–Spanish and Spanish–Zapotec sections include parts of speech, translation equivalents with different senses and subentries for derived forms. The Zapotec–Spanish section also includes a few illustrative sentences. Following the body of the vocabulary there are notes about the grammar.

San Baltazar Chichicápam Zapotec — Vocabulario zapoteco de San Baltazar Chichicápam 

A book compiled by Joseph P. Benton. This bilingual vocabulary includes the majority of the most common words in the San Baltazar Chichicápam Zapotec language (Oaxaca, Mexico). The entries in both the Zapotec–Spanish and Spanish–Zapotec sections include parts of speech, translation equivalents with different senses and subentries for derived forms. The Zapotec–Spanish section also includes a few illustrative sentences. Following the body of the vocabulary there are notes about the grammar.

2015

Tepehuan — Diccionario tepehuano de Santa María Ocotán, Durango

A book compiled by Elizabeth R. Willett & Thomas L. Willett. This bilingual dictionary (with approximately 3700 entries) includes the majority of the most common words in the Southeastern Tepehuan language as spoken in Santa María Ocotán, Durango. The entries in both the Tepehuan–Spanish and Spanish–Tepehuan sections include parts of speech, translation equivalents with different senses and subentries for derived forms. There are also illustrative sentences in the Tepehuan–Spanish section. Following the body of the dictionary, there is a grammar section (90 pages) and appendices that provide focus on particular semantic domains: kinship terms, parts of the human body, the number system, names for certain sounds, place names and tongue-twisters. [This is a new printing of the 2013 dictionary.]

Seri — "Federico Craveri and changes in nesting seabirds on Isla Rasa, Gulf of California, since 1856"

An article by Thomas Bowen, Enriqueta Velarde, Daniel W. Anderson, & *Stephen A. Marlett. Isla Rasa in the Gulf of California has been recognized as an important seabird breeding island for more than 150 years. Yet during most of this period, the island suffered human disturbances that severely reduced seabird nesting success. Today, nearly two decades after disturbances ended, Isla Rasa supports about 90% of the global populations of Heermann’s gulls (Larus heermanni) and elegant terns (Thalasseus elegans), plus smaller populations of other species. However, the recently available 1856 journals of Italian naturalist Federico Craveri, and the oral traditions of the Comcaac (Seri people), suggest that the array of nesting species has changed. Apparently, California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) abandoned Isla Rasa as a breeding site at the onset of disturbances, and terns first colonized it around 1920. 

Seri — "The Trooqui Treen: A Seri truck"

An article by Cathy Marlett in Journal of the Southwest 57: 199–212. The story of a unique truck that was given to and operated by people in the Seri community for a short while in the 1920's is told and connected to the changes that were taking place at that time. 

Mixtec — "Pareados y difrasismos verbales en mixteco de Diuxi-Tilantongo"

A working paper by Albertha Kuiper. A description of the grammatical structure and the uses of verbal parallelisms and doublets in Diuxi-Tilantongo Mixtec. Most are used to make discourse more formal and elegant. Many examples are given.

Seri — "Seri origin myth"

A working paper by Roberto Herrera Marcos & *Edward W. Moser, edited by *Stephen A. Marlett. It is a previously unpublished summary of one "typical version" of the Seri origin myth.

Seri — "Two annotated short Seri texts"

A working paper by Stephen A. Marlett. It presents a community-based orthographic transcription in Seri of two short texts with interlinear glosses and free translations in English and Spanish. The texts are extensively annotated to point out interesting lexical and grammatical features of the language.

Seri — "A typological overview of the Seri language"

A chapter by Stephen A. Marlett. This is an updated version of a previously published paper (2005), now appearing in Stefan Georg, ed., Language Isolates, vol. 4 (London: Routledge Press), ISBN 9780415827348.

Seri — Calendario 2015: Los moluscos en la cultura de los comcaac

 

This is a calendar with a photograph of a different mollusk for each month and a text in Seri and Spanish of Seri knowledge and folklore about each mollusk. Various young people contributed the interesting essays.

Seri — "Doce moluscos en doce meses / Twelve mollusks in twelve months"

A working paper edited by Stephen A. Marlett. The essays in the 2015 calendar are presented with Spanish and English translations.



2014

 

Seri — Shells on a Desert Shore: Mollusks in the Seri World

A book by Cathy (Moser) Marlett. Shells on a Desert Shore describes the Seri knowledge of mollusks and includes names, folklore, history, uses, and much more. Cathy Moser Marlett's research of several decades, conducted in the Seri language, builds on work begun in 1951 by her parents, Edward and Becky Moser. Marlett presents what she has learned from Seri consultants over recent decades and also draws from her own childhood experiences while living in a Seri village. The information from the people, who had lived as hunter-gatherers, provides a window into a lifestyle no longer recalled from personal experience by most Seris today—and perhaps a window into the lives of other peoples who made the Gulf's shores their home. The book offers a wealth of information about Seri history, as well as species accounts of more than 150 mollusks from the Seri area on the central Gulf coast. Chapters describe how the people ate mollusks or used them medicinally, how the mollusks were named, and how their shells were used. The author provides several hundred detailed drawings and photographs, many of them archival. Published by University of Arizona Press. (See reviews in Ethnobiology LettersAnales de Antropología, and Epistemus.)

Mazatec — "Tense-aspect formation in Mazatec (in Jalapa de Díaz, Oaxaca)"

A working paper by H. Andrew Black & Judith L. Schram. This paper focuses on the formation of the six tense-aspects for simple (i.e. non-compounded) verbs of the Jalapa de Díaz variety of Mazatec.

Popoloca — "Los pronombres en ngigua"

A working paper by Sara Stark C. [Sharon L. Stark]. This is a Spanish translation of the 2011 working paper that is a description of the Tlacoyalco Popoloca pronominal system. The focus is on the richness of third person pronoun forms, specifically how any noun without an existing pronominal form can be used as a pronoun by removing the stress.

Seri — "La semántica léxica contrastiva y los diccionarios bilingües"

A chapter by Stephen A. Marlett that appeared in Rebeca Barriga Villanueva & Esther Herrera Zendeja, eds., Estructuras, lenguas y hablantes: estudios en homenaje a Thomas C. Smith Stark, volumen 2. México, D.F.: El Colegio de México. It presents a partial analysis of three nouns in the Seri language and a brief discussion of a verb, comparing them with English, Spanish and other languages. It also presents some ideas of how the meanings of these words could be adequately presented in a bilingual dictionary

Zapotec — "Possession"

A working paper by Stephen A. Marlett. This paper, which is part of the Zapotec Grammar Files series, describes syntactic constructions that are used to indicate possession in various varieties of Zapotec.

2013

 

Tepehuan — Diccionario tepehuano de Santa María Ocotán, Durango

A book compiled by Elizabeth R. Willett & Thomas L. Willett. This bilingual dictionary (with approximately 3700 entries) includes the majority of the most common words in the Southeastern Tepehuan language as spoken in Santa María Ocotán, Durango. The entries in both the Tepehuan–Spanish and Spanish–Tepehuan sections include parts of speech, translation equivalents with different senses and subentries for derived forms. There are also illustrative sentences in the Tepehuan–Spanish section. Following the body of the dictionary, there is a grammar section (90 pages) and appendices that provide focus on particular semantic domains: kinship terms, parts of the human body, the number system, names for certain sounds, place names and tongue-twisters.

Tepehua — "Transitivity, constructions, and the projection of argument structure in RRG"

A chapter by James K. Watters that appears in Brian Nolan & Elke Diedrichsen, eds., Linking Constructions into Functional Linguistics: The Role of Constructions in Grammar (Amsterdam: John Benjamins), ISBN 9789027206121. Traditional “projectionist” accounts of transitivity project the argument structure of a clause from the head verb. Some studies within Construction Grammar have shown this does not account for cases in which syntactic frames override a verb’s inherent transitivity, arguing instead that transitivity is determined by the syntactic construction. Such examples typically come from English and related languages in which many or most verbs freely occur in transitive or intransitive frames without any overt derivational morphology. However, in languages such as Tepehua (Totonacan), verbs have rigidly specified transitivity, with no such overriding of argument structure. Role and Reference Grammar treats argument structure as a projection from the composite logical structure, accounting for clause structure in both types of languages.

Tlapanec — Calendario 2013: Plantas [en la cultura meꞌphaa]

This is a calendar that illustrates the significance of plants in the Tlapanec (Meꞌphaa) language and culture. Each month features a photograph of a different type of plant and a text about the category of plant or the plant. Various authors contributed the beautiful essays, which are written in several varieties of Me'phaa and are translated into Spanish.

Tlapanec — The tone system of Acatepec Me'paa

A thesis by Kevin Cline at the University of North Dakota. This thesis focuses on the tone system of the Acatepec variety of Me'phaa with the goal of broadening the understanding of the tone systems of other Me'phaa varieties. The thesis follows the methodology set forth in Snider (2013) by presenting the underlying tone melodies found among different categories and classes of morphemes, focusing on nouns and verbs, and how those melodies are realized in different phonological and grammatical environments. [more details]

Tlapanec — "Meꞌpaa de Acatepec

A preliminary phonological description of Me'paa de Acatepec by *Stephen A. Marlett & Plácido Neri Remigio. Includes sound recordings of examples (in a separate zip file).

Mazatec — The Segments and Tones of Soyaltepec Mazatec

An e-book by Heather D. Beal presenting her 2011 dissertation at the University of Texas at Arlington. This dissertation describes the segments and tones of Soyaltepec Mazatec. The phonological processes that occur are described as well as the intricacies of the co-occurrence of phonemes within the syllable which are shown to be vital in determining the nature of the syllable onsets. Four levels of tone are confirmed to occur lexically as well as five rising and two falling tones. The tonal processes include the transfer of tones between morphemes as well as the spread of a low register to the end of a phonological domain. [more details]

Mixtec — Gramática del mixteco de Magdalena Peñasco (Saꞌan ñuu savi)

 

A book by Elena Erickson de Hollenbach [Barbara E. Hollenbach]. This grammar uses relatively non-technical terminology to describe the variety of Mixtec that is spoken in the town of Santa María Magdalena Peñasco, district of Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca. Topics covered include all the parts of speech, but especially the verbs. The descriptions are illustrated by analyzed phrases and sentences. In addition, there is a description of the phrase and sentence structure of the language. The final chapter contains four analyzed texts. One appendix provides information about the use of doublets, which are juxtaposed pairs of synonyms or other words that are closely related semantically used to augment the rhetorical effect. Another appendix contains information about greetings.

Mixtec — Tonal association, prominence and prosodic structure in South-eastern Nochixtlán Mixtec

A dissertation by Inga McKendry at the University of Edinburgh about prosodic topics in Mixtec.

Mixtec — Gramática del Tuꞌun Savi (la lengua mixteca) de Alacatlatzala, Guerrero

A book by Carol Zylstra. This grammar uses relatively non-technical terminology to describe the variety of Mixtec that is spoken in the town of Alacatlatzala, municipality of Malinaltepec, Guerrero. Topics covered include the parts of speech and phrase, sentence and discourse structure. The descriptions are illustrated by analyzed phrases and sentences. An appendix provides information about tonal changes involving pronouns.

Seri — "How the blue bottlefly makes smoke: on the presentation of a Seri text"

An article by Stephen A. Marlett that appeared in Tlalocan. The text that it discusses was first published by Edward W. Moser in 1968 and has been edited and used in various community-oriented publications.

Seri — A Bibliography for the Study of Seri History, Language and Culture

This extensive electronic bibliography by Stephen A. Marlett covers over 300 years of material published about the Seri people and their language. The works identified cover topics such as anthropology, history, linguistics, literacy and scientific studies. [It is updated periodically.]

Seri — "The minimal word in Seri"

A working paper by Stephen A. Marlett published in Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota, Vol. 53. Data are presented in support of the claim that the minimal word and minimal root in Seri must be bimoraic. The bimoraicity condition may be met by rhymes that are heavy in more than one way.


2012

Zapotec — "Location as subject in Yalálag Zapotec"

A paper by Ronald Newberg published in Expressing location in Zapotec, Studies in Native American Linguistics 61, edited by Brook Danielle Lillehaugen and Aaron Huey Sonnenschein. This paper describes grammatical constructions involving positional verbs in Yalálag Zapotec, with focus on a particular construction (known as “hosting”) in which the semantic ground (location) is realized as the grammatical subject.

Zapotec — "The grammaticalization of body part terms in two varieties of Zapotec"

A paper by Joseph P. Benton published in Expressing location in Zapotec, Studies in Native American Linguistics 61, edited by Brook Danielle Lillehaugen and Aaron Huey Sonnenschein. This article describes how body part terms in both Chichicapan and Coatecas Atlas Zapotec have become grammaticalized to function as prepositions. There is special focus on the uses for the term 'face'.

Zapotec — "Location and position in Comaltepec Zapotec: Some aspects of Comaltepec Zapotec locative adverbs, demonstrative adjectives, and body part prepositions"

A paper by Larry G. Lyman published in Expressing location in Zapotec, Studies in Native American Linguistics 61, edited by Brook Danielle Lillehaugen and Aaron Huey Sonnenschein. This paper describes different locative and temporal constructions in Comaltepec Zapotec, particularly those involving locative adverbs, demonstrative adjectives, and body parts terms functioning as locative prepositions.

Zapotec — "The existential use of positional verbs in Texmelucan Zapotec"

A paper by Charles H. Speck published in Expressing location in Zapotec, Studies in Native American Linguistics 61, edited by Brook Danielle Lillehaugen and Aaron Huey Sonnenschein. This article explores the syntax of clauses involving positional verbs being used with an existential meaning. The results are compared with what is known about existential verbs universally.

Zapotec — "Body part terms and their uses in Quiegolani Zapotec"

A paper by Cheryl A. Black published in Expressing location in Zapotec, Studies in Native American Linguistics 61, edited by Brook Danielle Lillehaugen and Aaron Huey Sonnenschein. This paper documents various uses of body part terms in Quiegolani Zapotec. In addition to being names of body parts, these terms can be used in other grammatical constructions (e.g. in a prepositional sense in locative constructions).

Chinantec — Diccionario chinanteco para Ayotzintepec, Ozumacín y Progreso

A volume compiled by James E. Rupp. This bilingual dictionary (with approximately 2000 entries) includes many of the most common words in the Ozumacín Chinantec language. The entries in both the Chinantec–Spanish and Spanish–Chinantec sections include parts of speech, translation equivalents with different senses and subentries for derived forms. A short grammar (40 pages) follows the body of the dictionary.

Mixtec — "El parangón en San Juan Mixtepec, Juxtlahuaca: El día de la boda y el día del cambio de autoridades"

A working paper by María M. Nieves. This study presentes the Ceremonial Speech used in the Mixtec town of San Juan Mixtepec, Oaxaca. Ceremonial Speech is a discourse uttered by an old man who acts as an ambassador or representative in certain civic or religious activities like weddings, baptisms, and the changing-over of the municipal authorities of the village, among others. The special speech genre used in this type of discourse is part of Mixtec rhetoric; in addition to figures of speech, it is characterized by some poetic devices like parallelisms and word pairs in parallel lines. Today, this form of expression is kept alive in San Juan Mixtepec, demonstrating the richness of this ancient language.

Mixtec — "Algunos dichos y creencias tradicionales de Magdalena Peñasco"

A paper by Elena Erickson de Hollenbach [Barbara E. Hollenbach]. This study presents some traditional beliefs found in the Mixtec town of Magdalena Peñasco, Oaxaca. Some refer to omens that foretell the weather or even death. Others refer to actions that give a way to remedy some condition or that are taboo because of their unfavorable consequences. The study also includes a number of traditional sayings; some give wise counsel for living, and others are used to make children obey, or to comment on people's luck or fate. Each section has a brief explanation of the belief, and many times one or more Mixtec versions are included with a translation into Spanish. When an animal or plant is referenced, the Mixtec name is given in parentheses. 

Pame — A phonological grammar of Northern Pame

An e-book by Scott C. Berthiaume presenting his 2003 dissertation at the University of Texas at Arlington. The research describes the phonology and morphology of Northern Pame, an Otomanguean language of Central Mexico. Furthermore, it explains the grammatical relationship of these domains from an Optimality Theoretic perspective. Northern Pame has a complex phonological inventory of forty consonants, which distinguish among glottalized, aspirated, voiceless and voiced segments, as well as six vowels, which contrast for nasalization. In addition, a claim is made for two Northern Pame tones, in contrast to earlier suggestions of a three-tone system (Avelino 1997). Regarding Otomanguean laryngeally complex vowels (Silverman 1997b, Herrera 2000), this research provides phonological, as well as laryngoscopic evidence for the segmental, rather than a unit, interpretation in Northern Pame. [more details]

Pame — Nakuɛ̃nkꞌ nɛp namitk ntɛ̀uꞌ: Giriuyat xiꞌiùyat kjuɛnt ruꞌ ganuꞌbat

This unique 447 page volume by Baltazar Hernández et al. (authors), edited by *Scott Berthiaume C., written entirely in Pame (except for the introduction) is a collection of personal diaries, providing a significant amount of well-written reading material that is culturally appropriate for the Pame community.  (Published by the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí and the Instituto Lingüístico de Verano.) 

Seri — "Relative clauses in Seri"

A chapter by *Stephen A. Marlett in Bernard Comrie & Zarina Estrada-Fernández (eds.), Relative clauses in languages of the Americas: A typological overview, Amsterdam: John Benjamins. This chapter presents the basic facts about relative clauses in Seri, including their morphology (as nominalizations), syntax (head-internal), and distribution in discourse (relatively infrequent). The heads of intransitive relatives may be formally marked as definite when the content of the relative is being emphasized. Ambiguity is avoided in transitive relatives by the omission of the definite article on the head. While some kinds of recursion of relative clauses are possible, others are not. Throughout this presentation, relative clauses are distinguished from formally identical but pragmatically distinct constructions in the language.

Seri — texts and translations

Three Seri authors (Lorenzo Herrera Casanova, Francisco Xavier Moreno Herrera, and René Montaño Herrera)  contributed written essays to the volume edited by David L. Kozak entitled Inside Dazzling Mountains: Southwest Native Verbal Arts. published by the University of Nebraska Press (ISBN 9780803215757). *Stephen A. Marlett provided translations into English.

Otomi — "Los pueblos indígenas de Hidalgo"

Invited contribution by *Doris Bartholomew. In Lourdes Báez Cubero et al. (eds.), Los pueblos indígenas de Hidalgo: Atlas etnográfico, pages 64-68. México, D.F.: Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. It presents a very concise history of the documentation of Otomian languages from the 16th century to the present.

Otomi — "Ran yogipêntβᵭ, “el águila sagrada”: en yuhú y español"

Invited contribution by Artemisa Echegoyen & Katherine Voigtlander. In Lourdes Báez Cubero et al. (eds.), Los pueblos indígenas de Hidalgo: Atlas etnográfico, pages 90-92. México, D.F.: Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. It presents a short Sierra Otomi text that was recorded in 1975; the narrator also collaborated in the transcription and translation.