Totozoquean languages
# Totozoquean languages

Totozoquean is a proposed language family of Mesoamerica, originally consisting of two well-established genetic groupings, Totonacan and Mixe–Zoque. The erstwhile isolate Chitimacha was later proposed to be a member. The closest relatives of Totozoquean may be the Huavean languages.

## Correspondences

Comparative proto-Totozoquean reconstructions are proposed in Brown et al. (2011) for simple consonants and vowels. The consonant-inventory for proto-Totozoquean is similar to that reconstructed for proto-Totonacan (Arana Osnaya 1953), and the vowels are not unlike those proposed for proto-Mixe–Zoquean (Wichmann 1995). A parallel set of laryngealized but otherwise identical proto-Totozoquean vowels is reconstructed for proto-Totozoquean to account for the distribution of laryngealized vowels in the Totonac branch of the Totonacan family, though these left no known trace in proto-Mixe–Zoquean (Wichmann 1995) and there may be a more economical explanation. Vowel length is likewise an independent parameter reconstructed for proto-Totozoquean that does not seem to affect the correspondences, but in this case it is a feature inherited by both families.

Some Totozoquean lexical correspondences have also been proposed by Davletshin (2016).

### Vowels

Proto-Totozoquean (pTZ) is reconstructed with seven vowel qualities, all of which occur with long, laryngealized, and long laryngealized homologues. These reduce to a three-vowel system in proto-Totonacan (pT); length and laryngealization is retained. Proto-Mixe–Zoque (pMZ) loses laryngealization and neutralizes **ɨ~ə and **ɔ~o.

| pTZ | pT | pMZ |
| - | - | - |
| **i | *i | *i |
| **e | *i | *e |
| **ɨ | *i | *ə |
| **ə | *a | *ə |
| **a | *a | *a |
| **ɔ | *a | *o |
| **o | *u | *o |
| **u | *u | *u |

### Consonants

Of the three consonants which do not appear in either daughter, **ty and **ny are poorly attested, whereas **ky is robust. Proto-Mixe–Zoque loses the laterals and gutturals, and neutralizes the alveolar–palato-alveolar distinction. Proto-Totonocan loses glottal stop and **y.

| pTZ | pT | pMZ |
| - | - | - |
| **n | *n | *n |
| **ny | *l | *n |
| **l | *l | *y |
| **ɬ | *ɬ | *y |
| **ƛ | *ƛ | *y |
| **y | *t | *y |
| **t | *t | *t |
| **ty | *č | *t |
| **č | *č | *¢ |
| **š | *š | *s |
| **s | *s | *s |
| pTZ | pT | pMZ |
| **p | *p | *p |
| **m | *m | *m |
| **w | *w | *w |
| **ky | *k | *k |
| **k | *q | *k |
| **q | *q | *ʔ |
| **ʔ | *∅ | *ʔ |
| **h | *∅ | *h |
| **#h | *h | *h |
| **x | *x | *h |
