Tlapanec language

Ethnologue distinguishes four Tlapanec languages: • Acatepec (dialects Acatepec proper, Huitzapula, Nanzintla, Teocuitlapa, Zapotitlán Tablas) • Azoyú • Malinaltepec (dialect Huehuetepec/Zilacayotitlán) • Tlacoapa (dialects Tlacoapa proper, Tenamazapa) Other sources of information, including native speakers and the Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas of the Mexican government, identify eight or nine varieties, which have been given official status: Acatepec, Azoyú, Malinaltepec, Tlacoapa, Nancintla, Teocuitlapa, Zapotitlán Tablas (with Huitzapula sometimes considered distinct), Zilacayotitlán. These share mutual intelligibility of 50% between Malinaltepec and Tlacoapa, though Acatepec has an 80% intelligibility of both. The Azoyú variety is the only natural language reported to have used the pegative case, though it is verbal case like other 'case' markers in Tlapanec. ==Grammar==

Tlapanec is an ergative–absolutive language. However, while most languages of this type have an overt ergative case, Tlapanec is one of the rare examples of a marked absolutive language, that is, an ergative language that overtly marks the absolutive and leaves the ergative unmarked. ==Phonology==

There is wide variation in the reported phonology of Tlapanec, including from the following sources: • Weathers (1984) on the Malinaltepec variety • Carrasco Zúñiga & Weathers (1988) and Black (2004) on the Malinaltepec variety • Marlett & Weathers (2018) on multiple varieties • Marlett & Neri Remigio (2020) on the Acatepec variety Vowels According to and , in addition to lengthening and nasalization, vowels may also be glottalized; they can be any combination of the three (lengthened, nasalized, glottalized). Consonants According to , the retroflexion (subapical articulation) of the voiceless postalveolar fricative varies, being before , fluctuating between ~ before , retaining slight retroflexion before consonants, and fully retroflexed elsewhere. Also according to , Allophones of the sounds include . In the existence of the cluster , an allophone may be heard. Tones Tones differ based on variety. == Orthography ==

The glottal stop is written with a saltillo . ==Media==

Tlapanec-language programming is carried by the CDI's radio station XEZV-AM, broadcasting from Tlapa de Comonfort, Guerrero. ==Notes==