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THOMAS] INDIAlSr LANGUAGES OF MEXICO AND CENTEAL AMERICA 55
guage is divided into two principal dialects, Mazateco and Izcateco,
but makes no reference to the respective localities in which thev are
spoken, nor is anything stated with respect to subtribes.
CUICATECO
The people speaking this language are located by Orozco y Berra
in the department of Teotitlan; Professor Starr says in what is now
the district of Cuicatlan. Their area is marked by the former and
also on our map on the northeastern border of the Mixtec territory
and immediately south of the Mazatec.
The language belongs to the Zapotecan family; it does not appear,
however, to have been carefully studied.
Chinantec
According to Doctor Berendt (Brinton, 3: 144) the Chinantec
language does not appear to be related to any of the surrounding
tongues. He suggests as probable that there is to be found in it one
of the original languages spoken before the advent of the Nahua,
possibly the mythical Olmec.
The people speaking this language inhabited Chinantla in the state
of Oaxaca, on the western border of Vera Cruz, and along the north-
ern boundary of the Zapotec territory. Orozco y Berra expressed
the same opinion in regard to the language as that subsequently
given by Berendt, above mentioned. Pimentel was inclined to place
it in the Zapotecan family, and this is the opinion of Belmar; but
with our present imperfect knowledge of the language it is best to
make it the type of a distinct stock or family.
Zapotec
The Zapotec group held a large area east of the Mixtec territory,
including what is known as the Valley of Oaxaca. What Professor
Starr means by saying ''east and west of the old Mixtec territory"
(45) is not clear. Clavigero (i, 6). says, ''to the east of the Mixtecas
were the Zapotecas. " "The Zapotecas," says WiDiams (226), "con-
stitute the greater part of the population of the southern division of
the Isthmus [of Tehuantepec]. " According to Shufeldt (125,
133-134) the Zapotec tribe inhabits the Pacific plains and the elevated
table-lands from Tarifa to Petapa. The area given by Orozco
y Berra on his map may be accepted, therefore, as correct.
As the Zapotec language is well known and is taken as the basis of
comparison, it is necessary only to name the dialects which are men-
tioned by dift'erent writers. These are:
Zapotec Netzecho, which, according to
Villa-Senor y Sanchez (ii, 191-198),
appears to have been the principal one
Zapotec Zaachilla
Zapotec Ocotlan
Zapotec Etla
Zapotec Iztepec
Zapotec Cajone