Editing Mayan languages (section)

===Proto-Mayan sound system===
[[Proto-Mayan]] (the common ancestor of the Mayan languages as reconstructed using the [[comparative method]]) has a predominant CVC syllable structure, only allowing consonant clusters across syllable boundaries.{{sfn|Campbell|Kaufman|1985}}{{sfn|Campbell|2015}}<ref group=notes>Proto-Mayan allowed roots of the shape {{IPA|CVC, CVVC, CVhC, CVʔC}}, and {{IPA|CVSC}} (where {{IPA|S}} is {{IPA|/s/}}, {{IPA|/ʃ/}}, or {{IPA|/x/}})); see {{harvtxt|England|1994|pages=77}}</ref> Most Proto-Mayan roots were ''monosyllabic'' except for a few disyllabic nominal roots.
Due to subsequent vowel loss, many Mayan languages now show complex consonant clusters at both ends of syllables. Following the reconstruction of [[Lyle Campbell]] and [[Terrence Kaufman]], the Proto-Mayan language had the following sounds.{{sfn|Campbell|2015}} It has been suggested that proto-Mayan was a [[Tonal Language|tonal language]], based on the fact that four different contemporary Mayan languages have tone (Yucatec, Uspantek, San Bartolo Tzotzil<ref group=notes>{{harvtxt|Campbell|2015}} mistakenly writes Tzeltal for Tzotzil, {{harvtxt|Avelino|Shin|2011}} states that the reports of a fully developed tone contrast in San Bartolome Tzotzil are inaccurate</ref> and Mochoʼ), but since these languages each can be shown to have innovated tone in different ways, Campbell considers this unlikely.{{sfn|Campbell|2015}}

{| align="center" class="wikitable" style="float: none; text-align: center"
|-
|+Proto-Mayan vowels
!rowspan=2 |
!colspan=2 | [[Front vowel|Front]]
!colspan=2 | [[Central vowel|Central]]
!colspan=2 | [[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
! <small>[[Vowel length|Short]]</small>
! <small>[[Vowel length|Long]]</small>
! <small>[[Vowel length|Short]]</small>
! <small>[[Vowel length|Long]]</small>
! <small>[[Vowel length|Short]]</small>
! <small>[[Vowel length|Long]]</small>
|-
! [[Close vowel|High]]
| {{IPA link|i}}
| {{IPA link|iː}}
|colspan=2|
| {{IPA link|u}}
| {{IPA link|uː}}
|-
! [[Close-mid vowel|Mid]]
| {{IPA link|e}}
| {{IPA link|eː}}
|colspan=2|
| {{IPA link|o}}
| {{IPA link|oː}}
|-
! [[Open vowel|Low]]
|colspan=2|
| {{IPA link|a}}
| {{IPA link|aː}}
|colspan=2|
|}

{| class="wikitable" align="center" style="float: none; text-align: center"
|+Proto-Mayan consonants
! colspan="2" |
! [[Bilabial consonant|Bilabial]]
! [[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! [[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
! [[Velar consonant|Velar]]
! [[Uvular consonant|Uvular]]
! [[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
| {{IPA link|m}}
| {{IPA link|n}}
|
| {{IPA link|ŋ}}
|
|
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Plosive]]
! {{small|Plain}}
| {{IPA link|p}}
| {{IPA link|t}}
| {{IPA link|tʲ}}
| {{IPA link|k}}
| {{IPA link|q}}
| rowspan="2" | {{IPA link|ʔ}}
|-
! {{small|[[Glottalic consonant|Glottalic]]}}
| {{IPA link|ɓ}}
| {{IPA link|tʼ}}
| {{IPA link|tʲʼ}}
| {{IPA link|kʼ}}
| {{IPA link|qʼ}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Affricate]]
! {{small|Plain}}
|
| {{IPA link|t͡s}}
| {{IPA link|t͡ʃ}}
|
|
|
|-
! {{small|[[Glottalic consonant|Glottalic]]}}
|
| {{IPA link|t͡sʼ}}
| {{IPA link|t͡ʃʼ}}
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Fricative]]
|
| {{IPA link|s}}
| {{IPA link|ʃ}}
| 
| {{IPA link|χ}}
| {{IPA link|h}}
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Liquid consonant|Liquid]]
|
| {{IPA link|l}} &nbsp; {{IPA link|r}}
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Glide consonant|Glide]]
|
|
| {{IPA link|j}}
| {{IPA link|w}}
|
|
|}