Eastern Jicaque) was thought to be a language isolate, i.e., there existed no knowledge as to its possible genetic affinities.

[2] In 1977, David Oltrogge[3] proposed to link Tol to the extinct Subtiaba language of Nicaragua, and also to Chontal of Oaxaca, also known as Tequistlateco.

This indirectly amounted to a mere sub-classification, since all of the three languages in question were part of the proposed Hokan stock.

A couple of years later, Campbell and Oltrogge[4] published a reconstruction of Jicaquean phonemes, based on the available information on Western and Eastern Jicaque.

In that same paper they expressed strong doubt in the Hokan affiliation of Tol and mild enthusiasm regarding the possible link to Chontal of Oaxaca, but stressed that much more information was needed to be able to say anything reasonable.