Quiché: A Bilingual Analysis

The dynamics between culture and language are practically inseparable as one cannot help but influence the other. Most notably, mannerisms, norms, and a global perspective can all delegate different aspects of language onto an individual. As a bilingual American, my mind has toiled with the idea of placing both the English and Spanish language on equal terms. Yet throughout my educational career, English has been a priority and it reflects my personal experience with one language being “dominant” and the other acquiring a “subordinate role” (Yule 248). Although, a few years ago, my grandmother came to visit from Guatemala and in an instance of learning more about each other she decided to teach me a bit of Quiché. Quiché is a Mayan language and one of the most prominent in Guatemala. …show more content…
She knew a variety of words, but the numerical system was the easiest for me to memorize. Her concern was that if I ever needed to order something or pay for a particular item from an indigenous person who did not speak Spanish I would be able to do so. That same day, I vividly remember speaking to my mother in the little Quiché I had just learned and she was not impressed. Mayan languages and anything, related to indigenous culture were not well regarded in my household. Regardless, by being given the opportunity to delve into the greater cultural context of Guatemala, I aim to analyze the earliest influences of the indios, challenges the community may face, and the surrounding non-indigenous perspectives on their way of life along with the relevant linguistic components as they may appear. Overall, this paper does not aim to be a direct critique on the indigenous way of life, but instead unite various pieces of Guatemalan culture and research in order to recreate greater linguistic