Guatemala is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the Americas. Alongside Spanish, the official language, the country recognises more than twenty indigenous languages, most of them from the Mayan family. K’iche’ is the most widely spoken Mayan language, with about one million speakers in the western highlands, and it is the language of the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the K’iche’ Maya.
Mayan linguistics covers the structure of these languages, their history, and their present situation. Guatemala City offers access to archives, universities, and cultural organisations, while fieldwork in highland communities gives direct experience of living languages. Key topics include phonology, morphology, bilingual education, and language maintenance in the face of Spanish dominance.
Comparative material includes Guarani language studies and Creole linguistics in Dominica. Archaeological context for the Maya world is available in Mesoamerican archaeology in Honduras, and general programme guidance is in the linguistics degrees overview.

