![]() This considerably increased the power of expression of the language. A drastic change in the writing system of Mayan words was brought about during colonial times when the Latin alphabet was introduced in the Mayan language. Mayans also wrote the language and words on codices most of which, however, were lost due to the humid weather conditions in the region. This script makes extensive use of logograms and also consists of a syllabic system. The script used for the writing of Mayan words during the pre-Columbian era is known from the engravings on different archeological sites which have been deciphered almost completely. This two-way movement of words has enriched languages on both sides. Another example of a Mayan loanword is the English language word “shark” which has been derived from Mayan language word “xoc” meaning “fish”. One example of Mayan loanword into the English language is the word “cigar” which has been derived from Mayan word “sicar” which means “to smoke tobacco leaves”. Conversely, Mayan languages have also loaned words from outside languages, most notably Spanish. There are several such Mayan loanwords which are part of not just other Mesoamerican languages but also various European languages including Spanish and English. Mayan loanwords are those words which, over the years and centuries, have seeped into various other languages and become part of those languages. This last aspect is true not just for Mayan languages but also for various other Mesoamerican languages. Word formation also includes widespread metaphorical use of roots signifying different body parts, particularly for formation of locatives and relational nouns. Another aspect of word formation for Mayan words is incorporation of noun stems into verbs either as direct objects or in other functions. Additionally, different morphological processes are used for the derivation of nouns from verbs. Most common aspect of word formation for Mayan words includes compounding of noun roots to form new nouns. By the time the Mayans entered their Classic Period (250AD-900AD) there were already multiple Mayan languages spoken in different Mayan kingdoms and city states. With the passage of time, however, slight variations in language accumulated in different regions which over time gave rise to distinct languages with their own vocabulary and grammar. ![]() ![]() At that time there was only one language spoken in the region and thus there were limited number of Mayan words. The history of Mayan words and the languages can be traced back to the Proto-Mayan language which was spoken about 5,000 years ago. Based on these differences of grammar and Mayan words, scholars have classified the Mayan languages into different language families. However, it is also true that there was not a single language of the Mayans and different variations were spoken by people in different city states and areas. Being an independently developed language, Mayan words also had independent roots and the language had its own grammatical rules and structures. The Mayans had a fully developed language which made extensive use of logograms and glyphs. The Mayan civilization was the most magnificent and longest reigning civilization of the Mesoamerican region.
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