Mayan Language Institute: Thomas Robins Student Profile

Interview by Sydney Humphrey 

 

Thomas Robins is a PhD student at the University of Texas at Austin studying Iberian and Latin American Linguistics. His research interests center on bilingualism and language contact between Spanish and other Latin American languages such as Portuguese, Nahuatl, and the Mayan language K’iche’, and he hopes to continue conducting research as a professor after he graduates in 2027. Passionate about understanding K’iche’ culture in addition to the language, Thomas is currently in his third year of K’iche’ at the Mayan Language Institute in Guatemala, where he participates in immersive language and culture classes and lives in the home of a K’iche’ family. Although he finds opportunities to use K’iche’ in Austin as well, Thomas states that the close connections he has formed with the teachers, families, and other students here have been a major motivator for his return year after year. He attributes his extensive growth in understanding of both the language and the culture to the sincere and caring teaching approach of the program’s K’iche’ instructors. Already a certified medical interpreter in Spanish and Portuguese, Thomas plans to likewise use his K’iche’ language skills to support the K’iche’ community in the US by providing interpretation and translation services, as well as by participating in the ongoing language preservation and revitalization efforts. 

 

Why did you decide to participate in the Mayan Language Institute? 

I decided to participate in the Mayan Language Institute after being told about the program by one of my K’iche’ instructors. I was told it was the best way to be immersed in the language and culture, so I decided to participate in order to better my language proficiency. 

 

What have you learned from this experience that was unexpected? 

⁠I have learned to see the world through the lens of a new language. The way the K’iche’ language expresses certain concepts gives a new perspective of their importance and meaning. 

 

Do you think the Mayan Language Institute will have an impact on your future? How? 

The Mayan language institute will impact my future by allowing me to pursue my linguistic research with a new language and understanding of Mayan people. As it is impossible to separate language from culture, the cultural and linguistic knowledge provided by the MLI will assist me in producing better linguistic research on the language and interacting with native speakers more effectively. 

 

Share with us an anecdote from these past weeks/days. It can be something that condensed the learning experience, or a memorable experience you had with your peers, professors or the community. 

⁠A memorable experience from this year was traveling to Q’umarkaj for the first time and beholding the site of the ancient K’iche’ capital while learning about its historical and cultural importance. 

 

 

 

The Mayan Language Institute is a 6-week program to train students in either Kaqchikel or K’iche’ Maya, two of the most widely-spoken Mayan languages in Iximulew (Guatemala) today. The program is sponsored by the Stone Center for Latin American Studies at Tulane University and the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies at Vanderbilt University. Thanks to the collaboration between U.S. American faculty and Maya teachers, participants can study at the beginning, intermediate, or advanced levels of either language. The program’s highly individualized classes combine language immersion activities, lectures, one-on-one conversations, guest speakers and cultural excursions. If you are interested in learning more about the Mayan Language Institute or other Summer Programs click here.