Evangelization and Language Change: A Transition from the Progressive Aspect to the Future Tense in Two Mayan Languages

Abstract

This paper revisits the role that evangelization may have played in the diachronic development of Amerindian languages, with a focus on grammatical changes. Based on an analysis of written materials dating back to the colonial period and first-hand fieldwork data, it discusses the semantic transition from the progressive aspect to the future tense that occurred similarly in the verbal systems of Q'eqchi' and Poqomchi', two Mayan languages spoken in Guatemala. Although the diachronic path is shared, the morphemes and constructions involved are clearly different in the two languages. The spread of this particular change from one language to the other is attributed to contact between their speakers that could be reinforced by the considerable number of translations of authoritative religious texts made by Dominican missionaries during the colonial period. RESUMENEste art ıculo revisa el papel que la evangelizaci on pudo haber jugado en el desarrollo diacr onico de las lenguas amerindias, con un enfoque en los cambios gramaticales. Basado en un an alisis de fuentes escritas que provienen del per ıodo colonial y en los datos de trabajo de campo, este escrito discute la transici on sem antica del aspecto progresivo al tiempo futuro que ocurri o de manera similar en los sistemas verbales de Q'eqchi' y Poqomchi', dos lenguas mayas habladas en Guatemala. Aunque la ruta diacr onica se comparte, las marcas y construcciones involucradas son claramente distintas en las dos lenguas. La difusi on de este cambio de una lengua a la otra se atribuye al contacto entre sus hablantes que pudo haber sido reforzado por un n umero considerable de traducciones de autoritarios textos religiosos que los misioneros dominicos realizaron durante el per ıodo colonial.