The internal classification of Mixtec is controversial. Many varieties are mutually unintelligible and by that criterion separate languages. In the 16th century, Spanish authorities recognized half a dozen lenguas comprising the Mixtec lengua. (See #Classical Mixtec.) It is not clear to what extent these were distinct languages at the time. Regardless, the colonial disintegration of the Mixtec nation and resulting isolation of local communities led to the rapid diversification of local dialects into distinct languages. Below are some attempts at Mixtec classification by various scholars.
Geographic divisions
Josserand (1983:106) lists 5 major geographic (not linguistic) divisions of Mixtec, which together cover a total of about 25,000 square kilometers. Enclaves of Amuzgo, Trique, Cuicatec, Ixcatec, and Chocho speakers are scattered nearby.
Puebla Mixtec
Guerrero Mixtec
Mixteca Baja
Mixteca Alta
Mixteca de la Costa
Colonial divisions
De los Reyes, in his Arte de Lengua Mixteca (1593), spoke of half a dozen lenguas in the Mixtec lengua. To these, his contemporaries added the dialects of Guerrero:
the lengua of Teposcolula, including the major communities of Tamazulapan, Tilantongo, Texupa, and Mitlatongo (Jiménez-Moreno: Tepozcolula–Tilantongo; the prestige dialect chosen by de los Reyes) the lengua of Yanhuitlán, incl. Coixtlahuaca, Xaltepec, and Nochixtlán (Jiménez-Moreno: Yuanhuitlán–Cuilapan) the lengua of Tlaxiaco and Achiutla (the prestige dialect chosen by Hernández) the lengua of the Mixteca Baja the lengua of Cuilapa and Guaxolotitlán in the Valley of Oaxaca (Jiménez-Moreno: Cuauhxochpan–Cuyamecalco) the lengua of the Mixteca de la Costa the Mixtec of Guerrero
Josserand found that native mundane writing of the colonial era corresponded well to de los Reyes; based on phonological and orthographic consistencies, she divides the dialects into five groups, as follows: the Baja area around Huajuapan (though there were multiple varieties in Baja, more than de los Reyes recognized) the Oaxaca Valley around Cuilapan, closely related to the next the northeastern Alta around the Valley of Nochixtlan, including Yanhuitlan and Coixtlahuaca the eastern Alta around the Valleys of Teposcolula and Tamasulapa the western Alta around the Valley of Tlaxiaco, Achiutla, and Chalcatongo
Holland (1959) The following classification is given by William R. Holland (1959), as cited in Josserand (1983:134-135). This preliminary classification is a glottochronological study of the dialects of 22 Mixtec and 4 Cuicatec towns.
Zone 1: Ixtayutla, Mechoacán, Jamiltepec, Huazolotitlán, Pinotepa Nacional
Zone 2: Ixtayutla, Mechoacán, Jamiltepec, Pinotepa de Don Luis, Pinotepa Nacional, Atoyac, Tlacamama Zone 3: Santo Tomás Ocotepec, Santa Lucía Monte Verde, San Miguel el Grande, San Esteban Atatlahuca Zone 4: San Rafael Guerrero Zone 5: Juxtlahuaca Zone 6: Santa María Peñoles, Huitepec Zone 7: Peñoles Zone 8: Jocoticpac / Jocotipac Zone 9: Cuyamecalco Zone 10: San Juan Coatzospan Zone 11: Chigmecatitlán, Santa Catarina Tlaltempan
Holland (1959) also gives 3 areal groupings for these zones.
Costa: Zones 1, 2
Alta: Zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Baja: Zones 8, 9, 10, 11
However, Josserand (1983) states that these groupings are based on flawed methodologies, including a faulty conception of the geographical layout of the Mixteca. Many towns that Holland listed as Baja are in fact Alta, and vice versa.
Arana (1960) The following classification is given by Evangelina Arana-Osnaya (1960:257), as cited in Josserand (1983:137).
Group 1: Chigmecatitlán, Tlaltempan
Group 2: Cuyamecalco, San Juan Coatzospan
Group 3a: Huitepec, Peñoles, Santa María Peñoles, San Juan Tamazola
Group 3b: Cuilapan; probably also Xoxocotla and other towns - where Mixtec is now no longer spoken Group 4a: San Miguel el Grande, San Esteban Atatlahuca, Santo Tomás Ocotepec, Jocoticpac; San Rafael in Guerrero Group 4b: Mechoacán, Jamiltepec, Pinotepa de Don Luis, Ixtayutla, Huazolotitlán, Tlacamama, Pinotepa Nacional, Atoyac
Mak & Longacre (1960) Cornelia Mak and Robert Longacre (1960) is the first reconstruction of Proto-Mixtec, which is the ancestor of Mixtec proper as opposed to Mixtecan. Below is a classification inferred from Mak & Longacre (1960) by Josserand (1983:142). 9 groups and a total of 28 towns are given.