2016/04/01 by David F. Mora‐Marín · 5 citations
Arts and Humanities · Psychology · #Ancestor #Biology #Computer science #Historical Linguistics and Language Studies #History #Identification (biology) #Linguistics #Loanword #Philosophy #Phonetics and Phonology Research #Range (aeronautics) #Set (abstract data type) #Sound change #Sound symbolism #Spanish Linguistics and Language Studies
paper · doi:10.1086/685900
openalex publication_date 2016/04/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/30
This paper tests the hypothesis of a common ancestor for the Mayan and Mije-Sokean languages. It applies the Comparative Method to a data set of Proto-Mayan and Proto-Mije-Sokean comparanda compiled following strict criteria for the selection of comparanda, including wide distribution of the forms within each of the language families, semantic isomorphism, and biconsonantal correspondences. Loanwords have been reviewed and compiled, and their sound correspondences isolated, to serve as a control in the process of identification of sound correspondences among the potential cognates. Due to the limited data set, the focus of the comparative analysis lies with consonantal correspondences. It is shown that many consonantal correspondences exhibit sufficient recurrence and sufficient phonetic distance from the consonantal correspondences attested in the loanword data set to support a Proto-Mayan-Mijesokean hypothesis. Also, a few etyma can be traced as probable cognates and also as later loanwords, also supporting the hypothesis. It is concluded that the hypothesis is plausible, although not yet verified. The most difficult task at hand remains to distinguish between a situation of common descent and one of extensive archaic diffusion. A discussion of the problems inherent to long-range comparison is offered, as well as potential cultural historical implications. The paper concludes with a summary and an outline of desiderata for further testing of this hypothesis.