Poqomam

Poqomam (also spelled Pocomam or Poqomchi') is a Mayan language spoken in Guatemala and parts of El Salvador. It is a member of the Quichean-Mamean language group, which also includes the Quiche and Cakchiquel languages. Poqomam is spoken by around 20,000 people, primarily in the departments of Chiquimula and Jutiapa in Guatemala, as well as in parts of El Salvador.

Like other Mayan languages, Poqomam has a complex phonetic system that includes a range of consonants and vowels that can be pronounced in different ways depending on their position in a word and the sounds that come before or after them. The phonetic rules of Poqomam can be quite challenging for speakers of other languages to learn, as they are quite different from the phonetic systems of Indo-European languages such as English, Spanish, and French.

If you are interested in learning more about the phonetics of Poqomam or other Mayan languages, there are many resources available online and in print that can help you learn about the sounds and rules of these languages. Some good places to start might include language textbooks, online courses, and language-learning apps.

Primary texts

1. ONLINEResources in the Poqomam language. n.a. 2014. Archive of the Indigenous Languages of Latin America (AILLA). oai:ailla.utexas.org:poc

2. Eastern Pokomam texts from San Luis Jilotepeque. Domingo G., Pablo; Wolvin, Carol. 1980. Summer Institute of Linguistics. oai:sil.org:26201

3. Central Pokomam text from Chinautla. Martínez, Vicente; Baird, Susan. 1980. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. oai:sil.org:26269

4. ONLINEPocomam. Zinn, Gail; Zinn, Raymond. 1971. Summer Institute of Linguistics of the University of Oklahoma. oai:sil.org:8862

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Other resources about the language

1. ONLINEGramática del idioma poqomam. Santos Nicolas, Jose Francisco. 1997. Proyecto Linguistico Francisco Marroquin. oai:refdb.wals.info:4002

2. ONLINEPoqomam: a language of Guatemala. n.a. 2018. SIL International. oai:ethnologue.com:poc

3. ONLINELINGUIST List Resources for Poqomam. Damir Cavar, Director of Linguist List (editor); Malgorzata E. Cavar, Director of Linguist List (editor). 2017-09-27. The LINGUIST List (www.linguistlist.org). oai:linguistlist.org:lang_poc

4. Términos de parentesco y la hipótesis cakchiquel. Oltrogge, David F. 1988. SIL Language and Culture Archives. oai:sil.org:743

5. Colocación léxica en poqomam oriental. Langan, Katherine. 1991. SIL Language and Culture Archives. oai:sil.org:1588

6. Linguistic comparisons [between Mayan languages]. Mayers, Marvin K. 1966. Mouton. oai:sil.org:2764

7. Aspectos del discurso en un cuento folklórico de pocomam oriental. Langan, Katherine. 1989. SIL Language and Culture Archives. oai:sil.org:3732

8. Pocomam oriental. Zinn, Gail; Zinn, Raymond. 1974. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. oai:sil.org:26186

9. Según nuestros antepasados: Textos folklóricos de Guatemala y Honduras. Shaw, Mary (editor). 1972. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. oai:sil.org:26211

10. ONLINEIntroducción a la fonología maya: Manual de ejercicios. Blackburn, Linda (compiler). 1981. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. oai:sil.org:26235

11. ONLINENaj imas jaʼlak wach cʼux. Muyus, Marta. 1981. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. oai:sil.org:26781

12. ONLINENquiyoʼ wile ka tinimit. Hilario V., Abel. 1984. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. oai:sil.org:26792

13. ONLINEHaʼ jaskʼ y sak. Eidsvoog, Sonya (translator); Hilario V., Abel (translator). 1981. Unión Panamericana. oai:sil.org:26847

14. ONLINENkakʼaram mahnecʼ reh América. Eidsvoog, Sonya (translator); Hilario V., Abel (translator). 1980. Unión Panamericana. oai:sil.org:26871

15. ONLINEEl alfabeto pokomam central. Eidsvoog, Sonya. 1979. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. oai:sil.org:26910

16. ONLINERaʼcʼal y chʼahkon chaʼar planetas wilquieʼ taxaj. Eidsvoog, Sonya (translator); Hilario V., Abel (translator). 1981. Unión Panamericana. oai:sil.org:26933

17. ONLINETakeʼ i mayas najter. Hilario V., Abel. 1983. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. oai:sil.org:27014

18. ONLINEChacʼam chaʼan leer pam kʼoral. Eidsvoog, Sonya; Hilario V., Abel; Muyus, Marta. 1981. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. oai:sil.org:27034

19. ONLINEEl alfabeto pocomam oriental. Wolvin, Carol. 1979. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. oai:sil.org:27065

20. ONLINETakeʼ tinimet najter reh América. Eidsvoog, Sonya (translator); Hilario V., Abel (translator). 1981. Unión Panamericana. oai:sil.org:27068

21. ONLINEChahtʼali kayoʼ ka. Eidsvoog, Sonya (translator); Hilario V., Abel (translator). 1981. Unión Panamericana. oai:sil.org:27186

22. ONLINECartilla transicional español-pocoman. McArthur, Carol. 1985. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. oai:sil.org:27246

23. ONLINEPrimera/Segunda/Tercera cartilla de pocomam oriental. Zinn, Gail; Zinn, Raymond. 1964. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. oai:sil.org:27328

24. ONLINEAprendamos pocomam. McArthur, Carol; McArthur, Richard. 1983. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano. oai:sil.org:27357

25. ONLINEA sketch of Mayan languages. Oltrogge, David F. 1974. SIL Language and Culture Archives. oai:sil.org:40210

26. ONLINEPrimera cartilla de pocomam oriental. n.a. 1968. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano en cooperación con el Ministerio de Educación Pública, Dirección de Alfabetización y Educación de Adultos y el Instituto Indigenista Nacional. oai:sil.org:51163

27. ONLINESegunda cartilla de pocomam oriental. n.a. 1968. Instituto Lingüístico de Verano en cooperación con el Ministerio de Educación Pública, Dirección de Alfabetización y Educación de Adultos y el Instituto Indigenista Nacional. oai:sil.org:51165

Other resources in the language

1. ONLINEVocabularia variarum linguarum Americanarum. Du Ponceau, Peter Stephen, 1760-1844. 1822. Indigenous Materials at the American Philosophical Society. oai:indigenousguide.amphilsoc.org:11066

2. ONLINEMam, Xinca, and Pocomam Central linguistics. Simeon, George. 1969. Indigenous Materials at the American Philosophical Society. oai:indigenousguide.amphilsoc.org:10997

3. ONLINEChinaulta materials, Ruben E. Reina Papers. Reina, Ruben E. 1596-1984. Indigenous Materials at the American Philosophical Society. oai:indigenousguide.amphilsoc.org:10478

4. ONLINEPoqomam materials, Phillips Fund Collection. Simeon, George. 1968-1972. Phillips Fund for Native American Research Collection. oai:indigenousguide.amphilsoc.org:9313

Other known names and dialect names: Central Poqomam, Eastern Poqomam, Palín Pocomam, Pocomán, Pokomam, Southern Poqomam

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