Alaguilac language
Encyclopedia
Agüilac is an undocumented indigenous American language
that is thought to have been spoken in Guatemala at the time of the Spanish conquest.
. However, Campbell (1972) believes this is wrong. Brinton may have been misled by his sources: En 1576 Palacio reported the language of Acavastlan, Guatemala, which he called Tlacacebatleca. Juarros mentioned that "Alagüilac" was spoken in San Cristóbal Acasaguastlán
and "Mejicano" was spoken in San Agustín Acasaguastlán
. This started a debate on whether Alagüilac was a relative of Pipil. Since Briton found four pages, written between 1610 and 1637 in a Nahua dialect, in the archives of San Cristóbal Acasaguastlán, and further since in 1878 Bromowicz compiled a list of Nahua words in San Agustín Acasaguastlán, Brinton concluded that Agüilac was nothing more than a form of Nahua. Nonetheless, the archeological evidence does not support the language of the area being Nahua. Others have suggested that Acaguastlán could have been bilingual in Pipil and a Maya language such as Poqomchi'
or Poqomam
.
However, Campbell argues that the presence of the Pipil or Nahua in the Motagua River valley could have been the result of forced population movements after the Spanish Conquest. For example, the neighboring town of Salamá
was a Pipil community populated by slaves brought in by the Spanish governor, Pedro de Alvarado
. He also argues that the Cakchiquels and Poqom expanded from the north into central Guatemala, where they encountered a Xinca
population, as evidenced by the large number of Xinca words in these languages. He suggests therefore that Alagüilac may have been a Xinca language
; many local place names appear to be of Xinca origin, such as Sanarate, Sansare, Sansur, and Ayampuc.
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
that is thought to have been spoken in Guatemala at the time of the Spanish conquest.
Views on the language
Brinton (1892) considered Alaguilac to be a dialect of PipilPipil language
Pipil is a Uto-Aztecan language descended from Nahuatl which was spoken in several parts of present day Central America before the Spanish conquest. It is on the verge of extinction in western El Salvador and has already gone extinct elsewhere in Central America...
. However, Campbell (1972) believes this is wrong. Brinton may have been misled by his sources: En 1576 Palacio reported the language of Acavastlan, Guatemala, which he called Tlacacebatleca. Juarros mentioned that "Alagüilac" was spoken in San Cristóbal Acasaguastlán
San Cristóbal Acasaguastlán
San Cristóbal Acasaguastlán is a town in the El Progreso department of Guatemala. San Cristóbal Acasaguastlán is located on the northern bank of the Motagua River at an altitude of 250 m. It had a population of 6,129 people at the 2002 census, and covers a territory of...
and "Mejicano" was spoken in San Agustín Acasaguastlán
San Agustín Acasaguastlán
San Agustín Acasaguastlán is a municipality in the El Progreso department of Guatemala....
. This started a debate on whether Alagüilac was a relative of Pipil. Since Briton found four pages, written between 1610 and 1637 in a Nahua dialect, in the archives of San Cristóbal Acasaguastlán, and further since in 1878 Bromowicz compiled a list of Nahua words in San Agustín Acasaguastlán, Brinton concluded that Agüilac was nothing more than a form of Nahua. Nonetheless, the archeological evidence does not support the language of the area being Nahua. Others have suggested that Acaguastlán could have been bilingual in Pipil and a Maya language such as Poqomchi'
Poqomchi' language
Poqomchi’ is a Mayan language spoken by the Poqomchi’ Maya of Guatemala, and is very closely related to Poqomam. Its two main dialects, eastern and western, were spoken by 90,000 or so people in the year 2000, in Purulhá, Baja Verapaz, and in the following municipalities of Alta Verapaz: Santa...
or Poqomam
Poqomam language
Poqomam is a Mayan language, closely related to Poqomchi’. It is spoken by approximately 49,000 people in several small pockets in Guatemala, the largest of which is in the Alta Verapaz department but which extend to El Salvador....
.
However, Campbell argues that the presence of the Pipil or Nahua in the Motagua River valley could have been the result of forced population movements after the Spanish Conquest. For example, the neighboring town of Salamá
Salamá
Salamá is a city in Guatemala. It is the capital of the department of Baja Verapaz. It is situated at 940 m above sea level.The municipality of Salamá, for which the city of Salamá serves as the administrative centre, covers a total surface area of 776 km² and contains 40,000 people.The...
was a Pipil community populated by slaves brought in by the Spanish governor, Pedro de Alvarado
Pedro de Alvarado
Pedro de Alvarado y Contreras was a Spanish conquistador and governor of Guatemala. He participated in the conquest of Cuba, in Juan de Grijalva's exploration of the coasts of Yucatan and the Gulf of Mexico, and in the conquest of Mexico led by Hernan Cortes...
. He also argues that the Cakchiquels and Poqom expanded from the north into central Guatemala, where they encountered a Xinca
Xinca people
The Xinca are a non-Mayan indigenous people of Mesoamerica, with communities in the southern portion of Guatemala, near its border with El Salvador, and in the mountainous region to the north....
population, as evidenced by the large number of Xinca words in these languages. He suggests therefore that Alagüilac may have been a Xinca language
Xinca language
The Xinca language is a Mesoamerican language spoken by the indigenous Xinca people from communities in the southern portion of Guatemala, near its border with El Salvador and in the mountainous region to the north...
; many local place names appear to be of Xinca origin, such as Sanarate, Sansare, Sansur, and Ayampuc.