Zapotec

The Zapotec language is a Mesoamerican language spoken by the Zapotec people of central Mexico. It is one of the oldest languages in Mesoamerica, and is believed to have been spoken by the ancient Zapotecs of the Valley of Oaxaca. The language is still spoken today by around 350,000 Zapotec people, making it one of the most widely spoken indigenous languages in Mexico. The Zapotec language is a member of the Oto-Manguean language family, which includes languages such as Otomi, Mazatec, and Mixtec. The Zapotec language is thought to have evolved from an earlier language called Proto-Zapotec, which was spoken by the ancient Zapotecs of the Valley of Oaxaca. The Zapotec language is written in a syllabary known as Isthmian, which was developed by missionaries in the 16th century. The language is also spoken in a dialect known as Zapotecan, which is spoken in the Sierra Zapoteca region of Oaxaca. The Zapotec language has a rich history and has been influenced by many other languages, including Spanish, Nahuatl, and Mixtec. The Zapotec language is also one of the few Mesoamerican languages that is still spoken today.