“I hear you’re interested in Mayan dialects,” Sandy said politely. Noticing Bud’s quick scowl, she was anxious to start a conversation before another clash occurred.
“Yes, indeed,” Hutchcraft said, putting on his 134 ELECTRONIC RETROSCOPE
usual smile of superiority. “The Mayan tongue is a fascinating problem.”
“A problem?” Sandy raised her eyebrows. “How so?”
“Well, no doubt in school you learned how Latin gradually died out and changed into other languages, such as Italian, French, and Spanish. It’s the same way with ancient Mayan. Today it survives in the form of various dialects, but we don’t really know what the old language was like.”
“Don’t tell me it’s got even you baffled!” Bud needled.
“Oh, we linguists have deduced certain facts,” Hutchcraft, unruffled, replied smoothly. “For instance, we believe that the language spoken down in the Guatemalan highlands and up in the northern part of Yucatan belongs to the same branch-called Yucatec.”
“Didn’t the language change a lot when the Mayas were invaded by warlike tribes, especially the Toltecs?” Tom put in.
Hutchcraft nodded. “The invaders spoke a language called nahuatl. They added many words to the Mayan tongue, although the form and grammar of the old language probably remained pretty much the same.”
By this time, the strollers had reached the outskirts of the village. A little way beyond, Phyl noticed a huge, deep-sided pool with white limestone walls.
SIGHTSEER OVERBOARD! 135
“My goodness, what’s that?” she exclaimed. “Not a swimming pool, surely!”
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