The Ayapaneco language, spoken for centuries in what is now Mexico, is on the brink of extinction. Only two fluent speakers remain: Manuel Segovia, 75, and Isidro Velazquez, 69, who live 500 metres apart in the village of Ayapa, Tabasco. Despite their proximity, they refuse to speak to each other.
Linguistic anthropologist Daniel Suslak from Indiana University, who is compiling a dictionary of Ayapaneco, says the two men have never enjoyed each other's company. Segovia can be 'a little prickly', while Velazquez is 'more stoic' and rarely leaves home. Segovia denies any active animosity but acknowledges the language may die with him.
The decline of Ayapaneco, known to its speakers as Nuumte Oote (the True Voice), was accelerated by Spanish-only education policies in the mid-20th century, which prohibited indigenous children from speaking their native languages. Urbanisation and migration from the 1970s further dispersed the speaker community.
The National Indigenous Language Institute plans classes to pass on the language, but previous attempts failed due to lack of funding and interest. Segovia bought pencils and notebooks himself, but students stopped attending. The dictionary, due later this year, will include both men's versions of the language, as they disagree on details.
Ayapaneco is one of 68 indigenous languages in Mexico, with 364 variations. While several are endangered, Ayapaneco is the most extreme case. Other critically endangered languages worldwide include Ter Sami (two speakers in Russia), Kayardild (four in Australia), Lengilu (four in Indonesia), and Mabire (three in Chad).
