The Alacalufan languages or Kawesqaran languages are a small language family of South America. They have not been definitely linked to any other American language family.[1][2]
Languages
Early vocabularies show that Alakaluf was three languages, with an extinct Southern Alakaluf (vocabularies in Fitz-Roy 1839 and Hyades & Deniker 1891) and Central Alakaluf (vocabularies in Borgatello 1928, Marcel 1892, and Skottsberg 1913) in addition to the critically endangered northern variety, Kawésqar.[3]
Based on alleged toponymic evidence, a purported Kakauhua language has sometimes been included in the Alacalufan family.[citation needed]
Guaicaro may have been a dialect of Central Alakaluf or Kawesqar.
Chono, Caraica (Karaika), and Poya may also belong.
Vocabulary
Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items.[5]
gloss
Northern Alcaluf
Southern Alcaluf
Kaueskar
tongue
lekél
paileaf
kalaktás
hand
palkár
yukebe
terwá
water
karkasa
arrét
chfalai
moon
dzyakapés
yakapech
kapánuk
dog
salki
shalki
kyurro
fish
xawoel
orol
keuwako
canoe
peler
cherru
kaief
References
^Campbell, L. (1997). American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America. Oxford Studies in Anthropological Linguistics 4. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
^Adelaar, W. F. H., & Muysken, P. C. (2004). The Languages of the Andes. Cambridge Language Surveys. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
^Viegas Barros (1990, 2005), cited in Hammarström (2015) Ethnologue 16/17/18th editions: a comprehensive review: online appendices
