Mochoü (known as Motozintleco in older sources) is a Mayan language spoken by the Mochoü people of Chiapas, Mexico. A source stated that it was known as Qatokü (from Qa-our and Tookü-language: our language), although this name has not received wide acceptance among the native speakers and the language, which is known as Mochoü by both the Mochoü people and the Mexican government. Mochoü has a dialect called Tuzantec (Muchuü) spoken in Tuzantan, Chiapas. Alongside Jakaltek, Qüanjobüal, Chuj and Tojol-Abüal, the Mochoü language is part of the Qüanjobalan group from the western branch of Mayan languages. There are 20 Mayan languages in total, nearly all are spoken in the southernmost regions of Mexico, especially Chiapas and the three states of the Yucatán Peninsula.
With about 124 speakers as of 2020, Mochoü is considered an endangered language. The Tuzantec dialect is moribund, with fewer than 5 speakers as of 2011. Educational programs in Mochoü are helping to preserve the language among youth and the process of teaching and learning the language in indigenous schools.
The two dialects of Mochoü are spoken in two different villages: the Tuzantec dialect in Tuzantán (a town near Huixtla, Chiapas), and the Mochoü dialect in Motozintla. Historically, the two groups descend from a single population living in the region of Belisario DomÃÂnguez about 500 years ago. According to local legend, the split and migration was caused by a plague of bats. Speakers have also been reported in the nearby towns of Tolimán, Buenos Aires, and Campana. Palosaari (2011) describes the Motozintlec dialect.
Unlike most Mayan languages, Mochoü is tonal. Stress is regular and at the last syllable.
In Mochoü, Proto-Mayan *j [x] and *h [h] have merged to /j/ in Motozintleco, while Tuzanteco preserves this distinction.
Pronunciation rules change compared to modern Spanish, as ñ becomes an "ng" sound like in sing, and glottalization becomes important for many consonants.
According to the established in the written norm, the Mochoü alphabet consists of 30 letters, 25 consonants and 5 vowels that represent all the phonemes of the language. The official name of the Mochoü alphabet is Tsüibtookü Mochoü.
The official Writing Norm of the Mochoü Language (In Mochoü: , Spanish: ) was published in 2011 by the Instituto Nacional de Lenguas IndÃÂgenas, it is mainly used for indigenous education. It established official alphabet, grammar rules and other linguistic aspects.