For readers who are already well versed in the Mayan writing system, the 14 studies here treat the orthographic mechanisms and grammar of the script, which are not discussed by the standard introductory texts. Taking advantage of the phonetic decipherment of the Maya script, which began in the 1980s, they explore such aspects as the languages of the Dresden Codex, the representation of the glottal stop, passive voice, and the grammar of the half-period glyph. A final chapter analyzes the Arte de la lengua Ch'olti by Fray Francisco Morán. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)