Highland Totonac
Encyclopedia
Highland Totonac is a native American language spoken in central Mexico
: specifically, in the states of Veracruz
and Puebla
, and especially the Zacatlán
area of the Sierra Norte
. One of the Totonacan languages
, it is also known as Totonaco de la Sierra or Sierra Totonac. There is a Highland Totonac dictionary and the language has been studied by linguists since 1959. The language is characterized by long words, affixes, and clitics; it is not a tonal language. Some speakers use various Nahuatl
varieties as a second language.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
: specifically, in the states of Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
and Puebla
Puebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
, and especially the Zacatlán
Zacatlán
Zacatlán is a city, and the surrounding municipality of the same name, in the northern region of the Mexican state of Puebla. It is renowned as one of the country's foremost apple-growing regions, and is so sometimes called "Zacatlán de las Manzanas"...
area of the Sierra Norte
Sierra Norte de Puebla
The Sierra Norte de Puebla – known simply as the Sierra Norte by locals – is a mountain range that makes up the southern end of the Sierra Madre Oriental in central Mexico.-Mountain range:...
. One of the Totonacan languages
Totonacan languages
The Totonacan languages are a family of closely related languages spoken by approximately 200,000 Totonac and Tepehua people in the states of Veracruz, Puebla, and Hidalgo in Mexico...
, it is also known as Totonaco de la Sierra or Sierra Totonac. There is a Highland Totonac dictionary and the language has been studied by linguists since 1959. The language is characterized by long words, affixes, and clitics; it is not a tonal language. Some speakers use various Nahuatl
Nahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
varieties as a second language.