Comparative Xinkan Dictionary

The first comprehensive comparative dictionary of the Xinkan languages

This volume presents the first comparative dictionary of the Xinkan languages, bringing together all known lexical data for each language with translations in both Spanish and English. As the only non-Mayan languages spoken in Guatemala prior to European colonization, the Xinkan languages occupy a unique position in Mesoamerican history and raise enduring questions about language change, cultural continuity, identity, and prehistory. Addressing these questions has long been impossible without a comprehensive lexical resource of this scope.

The dictionary is the culmination of decades of research by multiple generations of linguists working in close collaboration with native speakers. Building on early documentation efforts dating back to the eighteenth century, it incorporates fieldwork conducted during the late twentieth century, when political unrest and civil war endangered both speakers and linguistic knowledge. By assembling vocabulary, example sentences, and narrative materials, this work provides an essential foundation for future research and language revitalization. It is intended as a vital resource for the Xinkan community, scholars of linguistics, and researchers of Mesoamerica alike.