ISSN: 2347-7474 International Journal Advances in Social Science and Humanities Available online at: www.ijassh.com RESEARCH ARTICLE Social Factors, Language Preservation and Attitudes towards Spanish and Tzotzil in San Pedro Chenalhó in the State of Chiapas, Southeast Mexico Karla Berenice Del Carpio Ovando* Modern Languages and Cultural Studies Department, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. *Corresponding Author: E-mail:[email protected] Abstract This paper examines the social factors that have influenced the Tzotzils to maintain their indigenous language even if there are factors that have worked against such preservation. The Tzotzils are an indigenous group found in Chiapas in southeast Mexico, and the participants of this study were the Tzotzils living in Chenalhó, a predominantly indigenous community in central Chiapas. The closeness of Chenalhó to cities, the lack of employment in this community, government programs and especially the establishment of bilingual schools where Spanish is more frequently used than Tzotzil, are examples of the factors that have influenced the Tzotzils to use Spanish. However, Tzotzil speakers identify with their native language, so they are concerned with preserving it and transmitting it to younger generations. Nonetheless, people in this indigenous community realize that speaking Spanish is important so they can communicate with non-indigenous Mexicans and they can have better opportunities in life. Keywords: Spanish, Tzotzil, Indigenous, Language preservation Introduction Mexico is a country with different indigenous mestizos [1]. In Mexico indigenous people are communities that speak their own native shifting to Spanish therefore it is necessary to language. However, many of these communities promote the importance of preserving native tend to abandon their language in favour of languages because they constitute a valuable Spanish, for example, Otomí speakers in Central element in Mexican culture by maintaining and Mexico [1] and Totonac speakers in East Central enriching its ethnic and linguistic diversity. Mexico (Lam, in press). This is due to the Indigenous languages can also permit combination of social, economic, and/or political intergenerational communication and maintain factors. For example, one of the reasons for Otomí cultural traditions. For example, young children speakers to shift to Spanish is “the necessity of can use their parents’ native language to finding jobs outside the community” [2]. The same communicate with elders who do not speak applies to the Tzotzils, an indigenous group found Spanish. By doing so, they can learn their in the state of Chiapas, southeast Mexico (more on grandparents’ traditions and maintain them. this later). Background on Chenalhó Social Justification of the Study Location Indigenous people in Mexico are perceived San Pedro Chenalhó, better known as Chenalhó,is negatively by the mestizo1 society since they are one of the fifteen municipalities in Chiapas that considered ignorant and inferior relative to mainly consists of Tzotzil speakers [3]. This mestizos. Such perceptions have had a great municipality is located in the region known as “Los influence on the way indigenous people perceive Altos” or the Highlands of Chiapas, some 34 themselves and their languages. Some indigenous kilometres north of the touristic colonial town of groups have decided to abandon their language San Cristóbal de las Casas. and culture because they do not see much value in being indígena, which is an idea perpetuated by Population, Education and Language According to the Agenda Estadística Chiapas [4] 1Mestizo: a person of mixed racial ancestry, in this case usually there are 27,331 inhabitants in Chenalhó, of which indigenous and Spanish Karla Berenice Del Carpio Ovando et. al. |March 2014 | Vol.2 | Issue 3|14-23 14 Available online at: www.ijassh.com 23,002 (84.16%) are indigenous. Of the Tzotzil Purpose of the Study population, 14,834 (64.49%) are monolingual This research aimed to explore the situation of the Tzotzil speakers [5]. In Chenalhó, most people Tzotzil language in Chenalhó, Chiapas. Since (10,933, 57%) only have elementary education, language loss has been spreading in Mexico, this while 628 (3%) have junior high school education, study aimed to investigate if the Tzotzil and 136 (1%) have high school education. Only 3 community has abandoned or is abandoning its people have Master’s or PhD degrees. There are native language to switch to Spanish. If so, the approximately 2 pre-schools, 4 elementary schools study included determination of the social factors and 2 high schools in Chenalhó, the majority of that have led to this switch and the Tzotzil which operates only in Spanish. In theory, these speakers’ attitudes to both their language and institutions employ instructors who are part of the Spanish. Bilingual Educational System (Sistema de EducaciónBilingüe); however, according to the Research Questions participants there are not many instructors that What is the current situation of the Tzotzil use both Tzotzil and Spanish in the classroom language? What are the social factors that have because most of them are mestizos that do not led to such a situation? What are the Tzotzil speak Tzotzil. If Pedranos desire to attend community’s attitudes towards the Spanish university they have to move to cities. Nowadays, language and the Tzotzil language? due to the establishment of Spanish-language schooling, many young people can also speak Participants Spanish. For example, it was observed that The participants were ten Tzotzil-Spanish Spanish is mostly used at school whereas Tzotzil is bilingual Pedranos living in Chenalhó, Chiapas. used at home, at church, in the market, in the Five of the participants were male and the other street and social gatherings. Because most five were female. Six of the participants were Pedranos also speak Spanish or have some married and had children, one was a single mother knowledge of it (e.g. elders who are not fluent in and had a girl, and three of the participants were Spanish but speak it or are able to understand it single with no children. Most of these Pedranos to a limited degree), it is possible for non- were aged twenty to thirty, except for one who was indigenous Mexicans to live in Chenalhó without 15 years old. Most of the participants had at least speaking a word of Tzotzil. elementary-level education and only two of them Economics did not have any formal education. Also, most of the participants had lived in Chenalhó for most of Chenalhó is an area rich in high-altitude coffee, their lives and only a few had left their community timber, sheep and cattle, corn, beans, and other temporarily. All of the participants were content vegetable crop production. However, this area is about living in their town. poor in terms of health care, education, and clean water. The land in Chenalhó is owned by Tzotzil Methods families and can be bought and sold among them Oral interviews were conducted in Spanish with with the purpose of doing business with people the Tzotzil speakers. Since Spanish is often used from their same region. Although the lands by the participants in their daily lives, most of usually stay in the hands of the Tzotzils, the them were fluent in the language. The modest money they can earn from agriculture, participants were asked about their daily lives, the which is one of their main economic bases, forces history of their communities and stories related to some Pedranos to move to cities to find a job their childhood. Also, the participants were asked outside their community, for which Spanish is about their knowledge, use, and attitudes necessary. Their main destinations are towardsTzotzil and Spanish. The conversations, Villahermosa, San Cristóbal, and Tuxtla which are used as part of the discussion of this Gutiérrez. research, were audio-recorded, transcribed and Access to Chenalhó then translated into English for analysis. The collected data were analyzed to focus on similar Nowadays, it is easy to access Chenalhó from San answers given by the participants in order to Cristóbal de las Casas. There are taxis and buses identify patterns and factors related to language that go to Chenalhó every 20 minutes. Since it is shift, if any, and the attitudes towards both now easy to access Chenalhó, the contact between languages. non-indigenous Mexicans living in San Cristóbal and Pedranos has increased, which also increases Analysis of Results the exposure of Pedranos to Spanish and In general, it was found that the Tzotzils in diminishes the use of their native language. Chenalhó, Chiapas, are very proud of their Methodology ethnicity. All of the participants in the study Karla Berenice Del Carpio Ovando et. al. |March 2014 | Vol.2 | Issue 3|14-23 15 Available online at: www.ijassh.com exhibited pride in being indigenous. The reasons and not just an oral form. The existence of a they gave were related to their town translated version of the Bible was confirmed by characteristics and advancements and their the researcher. traditions that they still preserve (see section 4.2 Progress in the Community for further discussion). These factors have made Pedranos increase their affection for their The participants of the study stated that Chenalhó community and feel proud of themselves. Such has had various positive changes that have made pride does not necessarily lead to maintenance of them increase their positive feelings toward their their native language; however, it could be one of town and make them want to continue living the factors that has influenced their language there. According to the participants, Chenalhó has choice. In addition, most of the participants prospered in terms of construction, transportation, claimed that they learned Tzotzil at home because education, and health care services. Also, the that was the language their parents used and in participants pointed out that nowadays more some cases it was the only language their parents people move to Chenalhó than in the past, for and/or grandparents knew.