This paper uses the following abbreviations: SLQZ = San Lucas Quiaviní (Munro and Lopez 1 1999), MZ = Mitla Zapotec (Briggs 1961, Stubblefield and Stubblefield 1991), SAV = Santa Ana del Valle (my field notes), SDZ = San Dionico Ocotepec Zapotec (my field notes), IZ = Isthmus Zapotec (Pickett 1971). Examples use the orthographic conventions of the original sources. I thank Louise Burkhart, John Justeson, Pamela Munro, Natalie Operstein, Lisa Sousa, David Tavárez, Kevin Terraciano, and Joseph Whitecotton for discussion of some the ideas in this talk, though none of them necessarily agree with all my conclusions. 1 Phonological distinctions in early Zapotecan manuscripts (especially fortis/lenis) George Aaron Broadwell University at Albany, State University of New York 1 Introduction 1 Five early Zapotec manuscripts: a.) Juan de Córdova’s Spanish-Zapotec dictionary (1578) b.) The Pedro de Feria doctrina (1567) c.) Martínez (1633) Manual breve y conpendioso para a aprender la lengua zapoteca y administrar en caso de necessidad. d.) Junta Columbina. 1893. Vocabulario castellano-zapoteco. México: Secretaría de Fomento. e.) The Tilcaxete manuscript (1793)