Yokotʼan (self-denomination), also known as Chontal Maya, is a Maya language of the Cholan family spoken in 2020 by around 60,000 Chontal Maya people of the Mexican state of Tabasco. According to the National Catalog of Indigenous Languages of Mexico-INALI, Yokotʼan has at least four dialects: Nacajuca (Central), Centla (Northern), Macuspana (Southern) and Tamulte (Eastern).

Distribution

The Chontal Maya are concentrated in 159 settlements in 5 municipalities of Tabasco (Brown 2005:122). Some Chontal settlements near the town of Nacajuca include (Brown 2005:116): Some Chontal settlements in the northeastern Centla region include (Brown 2005:116): Chontal settlements near Macuspana include Benito Juárez and Aquiles Serdan (Brown 2005).

Phonology