Achagua language

Achagua
Achawa
Native toColombia
RegionMeta Department
EthnicityAchagua people
Native speakers
(250 cited 2000)[1]
Arawakan
Dialects
  • ?Ponares †
Language codes
ISO 639-3aca
Glottologacha1250  Achagua
pona1251  Ponares
ELPAchagua
Achagua is classified as Severely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger.

Achagua, or Achawa (Achagua: Achawa), is an Arawakan language spoken in the Meta Department of Colombia, similar to Piapoco. It is estimated that 250 individuals speak the language, many of whom also speak Piapoco or Spanish.[1]

"Achagua is a language of the Maipurean Arawakan group traditionally spoken by the Achagua people of Venezuela and east-central Colombia."[2]

A "Ponares" language is inferred from surnames, and may have been Achawa or Piapoco.

There is 1–5% literacy in Achagua.[1]

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Dental/
Alveolar 		Retroflex Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive/
Affricate 		voiceless p t tʃ k
voiced b d
Nasal m n
Fricative s̪ ʝ h
Trill r
Approximant w ɭ
  • /n/ is realized as [ɲ] when preceding palatal consonants.
  • /k/ is palatalized [kʲ] when preceding /i/.
  • Sounds /b, d/ are preglottalized [ˀb, ˀd] within accented syllables or after accented syllables.
  • /b/ is realized as [β] when occurring intervocalically.
  • /w/ is realized as [β] when preceding /i/.
  • /s̪/ is realized as [ʃ] when preceding /i/.
  • /ʝ/ is heard as an affricate [dʒ] in word-initial positions. It can also be realized as a glide [j] freely in intervocalic positions.
  • /ɭ/ can be heard as a flap [ɾ] in free variation before /i/.[3]

Vowels

Front Central Back
High i u
Mid e o
Low a

Vocabulary

[4][better source needed]
English Spanish Achagua
One Uno Báque
Two Dos Chámai
Three Tres Matálii
Four Cuatro Kuátru
Five Cinco Abakáahi
Black Negro Kachajulai
Canoe Canoa Íida
Dog Perro Áuli
Father Padre Nusálihina
Man Hombre Washiaáli
Moon Luna Quéerri
Mother Madre Nutúwa
Sun Sol Cáiwia
Water Agua Shiátai
White Blanco Kabalai

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Achagua at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Neira, Alonso de. "The Art and Vocabulary of the Achagua Language". World Digital Library. Archived from the original on 2013-06-05. Retrieved 2013-05-23.
  3. ^ Lozano, Miguel Ángel Meléndez (2000). Esbozo grammatical de la lengua achagua. Lenguas indígenas de Colombia: una visión descriptiva: Santafé de Bogotá: Instituto Caro y Cuervo. pp. 625–640.
  4. ^ "Achagua Words". native-languages.org. Retrieved 2025-03-31.

Content Disclaimer

Informasi ini disarikan dari Wikipedia dan disajikan kembali untuk tujuan edukasi. Konten tersedia di bawah lisensi CC BY-SA 3.0. Kami tidak bertanggung jawab atas ketidakakuratan data yang bersumber dari kontribusi publik tersebut.

  1. The information displayed on this website is sourced in part or in whole from Wikipedia and has been adapted for the purpose of restating it. We strive to provide accurate and relevant information, however:
  2. There is no guarantee of absolute accuracy. Wikipedia is an open, collaborative project that can be edited by anyone, so information is subject to change.
  3. It is not intended to constitute professional advice. The content displayed is for informational and educational purposes only. For important decisions (e.g., medical, legal, or financial), please consult a professional.
  4. Content copyright. Wikipedia is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA). This means that content may be reused with appropriate attribution and shared under a similar license.
  5. Responsible use. Any risk arising from the use of information from this website is entirely the responsibility of the user.