Acceso usuarios
Fidencio Briceño Chel
The aim of this article is to outline the new paths of the Maya language in the Yucatan Peninsula. The author identifies the linguistic and extra linguistic factors that are causing a decline in the domains of use of Maya, despite it being a very widely spoken language in Mexico. This article also reviews different stages in the history of the Maya language, in order to show how it came to be a language in frequent contact with other languages. Changes within the language and in the linguistic awareness of its speakers have led to new efforts in its revitalization and in the creation of new functional domains which may help it gain back status, it may also lead to the creation of new spaces for it to be used along with other world languages. In this process, Maya speakers, NGOs, associations, and institutes of Maya language, along with experts, researchers, and government sectors, have come together to create new paths which aim at promoting and strengthening the Maya language. However, there exist external factors which serve as obstacles to the creation of clear, pertinent, and feasible linguistic policies.
