Joanna Hofer

Sources

An AI looking through reference books in the library.

Image by ChatGPT 4

Large language models (LLMs) trained on vast amounts of data and built for linguistic analysis are well suited to extract and analyze key elements of obscure languages. If the hype is true, given the proper direction, an LLM or AI should be able to manage the complexity of extracting the Todos Santos Cuchumatán dialect of Mam from the limited source materials available and providing the structure needed to reassemble the key elements of the language into a useable (and useful) conversation guide. Using the sources below, I decided to try.

Map data ©2025 Google. Source Google Maps.

Mam is a Mayan language spoken by hundreds of thousands of Indigenous people in Guatemala and southern Mexico, with a growing community in the United States. Mam comprises three major dialect clusters, each with several subdialects, some with local variants. The Todos Santos Cuchumatán dialect, according to German Wikipedia, has approximately 60,000 speakers, some of whom live in the United States, including the small town where I live.

Because there are so many dialects (approximately 22), the correct gathering and vetting of source materials posed a significant threat to the integrity and veracity of this project. Mam is a predominantly oral language, and it’s common for speakers to neither read nor write the language. I was tasked with devising creative ways to find and vet the sources I used. Fortunately, I am acquainted with a number of native speakers who I could ask for help.

Below are my sources. I used ChatGPT to vet sources based on confirmed grammars that I uploaded as training materials.

Sources

  1. “Analysis in Outline of Mam, A Mayan Language,” Dissertation by Una Canger, 1959; downloaded from escholarship.org, July 20, 2025.
  2. Antología de cuentos – Cuentos en mam, available online and vetted by ChatGPT 4 to be Todos Santos Mam.
  3. Berkeley Field Methods: Todos Santos de Cuchumatán Mam collection in the California Language Archive (CLA).
  4. Bible.com, labeled online as Quetzaltenango Mam, but analyzed by ChatGPT 4 and identified to be Todos Santos Mam. [Pending a trust rating; not sure I trust this assessment or source]
  5. Biblegateway.com, John 3.
  6. El alfabeto mam de Todos Santos by Sandra Reimer (©1980, SIL International). This is a primary-source, dialect-specific document, SIL Archives of Language and Culture, under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. [Didn’t match alphabet by Isa Pablo; I’m more inclined to place greater trust in Pablo because she is a native speaker and a more recent source @ 2021.]
  7. esv.org, the English Standard Version of the Bible, used for literal translations and comparisons to the Mam found on Bible.com.
  8. A Grammar of Mam, a Mayan Language by Nora C England, University of Texas Press, Austin, 1983.
  9. Gramatica del idioma Mam by Alonzo Lainez Ortiz, Universidad Rafael Landivar, Guatemala, 1988.
  10. K’ULB’IL YOL MAM, K’ULB’IL YOL TWITZ PAXIL, JIKYB’AB’IL QYOL, Gramática Normative Básica, Academia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala.
  11. Mam, Gramática Pedagógica by B’aayil (Eduardo Gustavo Pérez Vail), Universidad Rafael Landívar, Proyecto EDUMAYA, Guatemala, 1999.
  12. Mam Todos Santos, John 18, 28–40, ScriptureEarth YouTube channel [NOTE to self to check this with local Mam speakers].
  13. TTXOOL QYOOL MAM, Gramática Mam, by Pérez Vaíl, Eduardo Gustavo (B’aayil) & Jiménez, Odilio (Ajb’ee).Guatemala, 20 de Marzo de 1997. Guatemala: Editorial Cholsamaj; 5 separate PDFs are available online (linking here because this book is out of print, sorely needed, and this information should be publically available given the endangered nature of the language and the dearth of viable source materials, i.e., this is the only Todos Santos Grammar known to exist).
  14. “Numbers from 1–10 in Mam Todos Santos,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  15. “TASTE & SMELL-OLOR Y SABORES EN MAM TODOS SANTOS,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  16. “Medical Words in Mam 502/español /Inglés,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  17. “Aprendiendo 10 verbos en Mam Todos Santos 502/English,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  18. “Periodos de tiempo Mam 502 Español-Inglés,“ Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  19. “Frases bonitas Mam 502–Inglés,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011 , accessed on July 21, 2025.
  20. “Utensilios de cocina 🧑‍🍳/kitchen utensils Mayan Mam Todos Santos,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  21. “What is a chuj 💨? Que es un chuj? Completo en Inglés,“ Isa Pablo YouTube channel, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  22. “Partes de la cara 😀en Mam Todos Santos /Ingles,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  23. “Parte 2 :partes del cuerpo en Todos Santos Mam/English,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  24. “LOS SALUDOS EN IDIOMA MAM TODOS SANTOS 502-GREETINGS IN MAM TODOS SANTOS,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  25. “10 consumos en Mam Todos Santos,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  26. “La casa y mas ! Mam Todos Santos 502,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  27. “Animales parte 1 en Mam Todos Santos -Español-Ingles,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  28. “Animales parte 2 en Mam Todos Santos 502/español/inglés,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  29. “Feelings in Mam Todos Santos 502/sentimientos en Mam Todos Santos 502,” @ 2011, Isa Pablo YouTube channel, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  30. “El Alfabeto Todos Santos Mam/The Alphabet in Mam language 502,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  31. “Dónde vino el idioma Mam,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  32. “LA NATULALEZA EN IDIOMA MAM 502Y INGLES/ NATURE IN MAM LANGUAGE,” Isa Pablo YouTube channel, @ 2011, accessed on July 21, 2025.
  33. “IPA Phonetic Alphabet & Phonetic Symbols – **EASY GUIDE,” English with Liz YouTube Channel, accessed on July 22, 2025. [holding this; might not use this as a source]
  34. Ta Yol Mam; Txolil Ta Tsi’b’enj Te Ta Yol Mam, Norma de Escritura de la Lengua Mam, Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas (INALI), 2011. [for alphabet]
  35. Alfred’s IPA Made Easy, A Guidebook for the International Phoenetic Alphabet, by Anna Wentlent, Alfred Music, 2014.

Resources

  • Google Maps; an interim map of Guatemala
  • Google search
  • DuckDuckGo
  • Google drive
  • ChatGPT 4.0; to check source materials for Mam dialect used after verifying its adherence to Honesty and Respect modes; ongoing advice, content, and visuals; helping me fail fast
  • WordPress; hosting my portfolio and project notes
  • Grok; locating source materials
  • Google docs
  • Google drive
  • iPhone
  • Dell laptop computer
  • ChatGPT 4
  • Grok 3
  • Claude Sonnet
  • Character AI
  • Perplexity, (excellent for finding sources online)
  • Gemini
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