Indigenous languages of the Americas languages are among those used today. Mayan languages are spoken by at least 6 million indigenous Maya, primarily in Guatemala, Mexico, Belize and Honduras. In 1996, Guatemala formally recognized 21 Mayan languages by name, and Mexico recognizes eight more. The Mayan language family is one of the best documented and most studied in the Americas. Modern Mayan languages descend from Proto-Mayan, a language thought to have been spoken at least 4,000 years ago; it has been partially reconstructed using the comparative method. Although both North and Central America are very diverse areas, South America has a linguistic diversity rivalled by
Mayan languages as Tzeltal/Tzotzil "ti' na" "door" (lit. "mouth of house"), or Kaqchikel "chi ru-pam" "inside" (lit. "mouth its-stomach"). A number of loanwords of Mayan or potentially Mayan origins are found in other languages, principally Spanish, English, and some neighboring Mesoamerican languages. In addition, Mayan languages borrowed words, especially from Spanish. A Mayan loanword is "cigar". is Mayan for "tobacco" and means "to smoke tobacco leaves". This is the most likely origin for cigar and thus cigarette. The English word "hurricane", which is a borrowing from the Spanish word is considered to be related to the name of Maya storm deity Jun