Popoluca

Popoloca or Popoluca is a Nahuatl name for various indigenous peoples of Mexico, who do not speak Nahuatl.

Origin of the name

The Nahuatl word Popoloca ( Popoloca ) means " growl, grunt, mumble, speak indistinctly, speak unintelligible, speaking a foreign language." This designation, which had a similar meaning as the Greek word βάρβαρος (of lautmalendem " βαρ - βαρ " in the sense of " babble ") for the Barbarians, was used by the Nahua for many different ethnic groups, and the Spaniards took over this. The result is a confusion continues to this day even with linguists. The nahuasprachigen Nicarao used the word Popoluca for Speaker of the Matagalpa language in Nicaragua.

Although " Popoluca " and " Popoloca " derogatory and confusing names, they are still used today, even in scientific papers and official publications of the Mexican government.

Marked ethnic groups

Many of the so called ethnic groups ( about 30,000 ) Mixe- Zoque languages ​​speak. These are written to an agreement by linguists Popoluca with u.

Other ethnic groups with this name speak variants of the Popolocan languages ​​- which include the Mazatekisch heard - which belong to the Eastern branch of Otomangue languages ​​; they are written to distinguish Popoloca with o.

Even within the Mixe- Zoque language family are the " Popoluca " languages ​​mentioned no unity. Here is an overview:

• Mixe- language

• Oluta Popoluca ( Olutec mixes or Olutec )
• Sayula Popoluca ( Sayultec mixes or Sayultec )

• Zoque language

• San Andres Tuxtla
• Sierra Popoluca ( Soteapanec Zoque, Soteapan Zoque, Soteapaneco or Soteapan Soke )
• Texistepec Popoluca ( Texistepec Zoque )
• Zoque Popoluca