Araucanian languages

Araucanian
Geographic
distribution		Andes of Chile, Argentina
Linguistic classificationOne of the world's primary language families
Subdivisions
Language codes
Glottologarau1255

The Araucanian languages (/ˌærɔːˈkeɪniən/ ARR-aw-KAY-nee-ən) are a small language family of indigenous languages of the Americas spoken in central Chile and neighboring areas of Argentina. The living representatives of this family are Mapudungun (ISO 639-3: arn) and Huilliche (ISO 639-3: huh), spoken respectively by the Mapuche and Huilliche people. These are usually considered[by whom?] divergent dialects of a single language isolate.[citation needed]

Demographics

It is estimated that there are approximately 200,000 Mapudungun speakers in Chile and 40,000 speakers in Argentina.[citation needed] Huilliche is the native language of a few thousand Chileans.[citation needed]

Language contact

Jolkesky (2016) notes that there are lexical similarities with the Kunza, Mochika, Uru-Chipaya, Arawak, Pano, Cholon-Hibito, and Kechua language families due to contact.

Internal classification

Mason (1950)

Internal classification of Araucanian languages by Mason (1950):

  • Araucanian
    • North
      • Picunche
      • Mapuche
      • Pewenche
        • Rankel(che)
      • Moluche
    • South
      • Wiliche (Huilliche)
        • Wiliche
          • Serrano
          • Pichi-Wiliche
        • Manzanero
      • Veliche (Chilote)
      • Chikiyami (Cuncho)
      • Leuvuche
    • East
      • Taluhet (Taluche)
      • Divihet (Diviche)

Jolkesky (2016)

Internal classification by Jolkesky (2016):

(† = extinct)

Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for Mapuche (Araucanian) language varieties.

glossMapuchePicunchePehuencheHuilicheChiloteRanquelche
one kiñekiñekiñekiñekengekiñe
two epuepueepuepuepoepú
three külakelakelakilakölakʔla
head longkolonkorlonkolonkó
hand kũkúükuüghechukeñeu
water kokokokokugo
sun antuantüanteanteánteant'ü
moon kuyenküyénküyenkiyenkiénkiyet
maize voewawawakáwa
bird gunúnüñemküñümgiñumtrarú
dog thehuathewathewatrehuacheuá
jaguar nahuelnahuelnawelnahuelnaue

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ "Araucanian". Oxford English Dictionary (online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  2. 1 2 Jolkesky, Marcelo Pinho De Valhery. 2016. Estudo arqueo-ecolinguístico das terras tropicais sul-americanas Archived 2021-04-18 at the Wayback Machine. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Brasília.
  3. ↑ Mason, John Alden (1950). "The languages of South America". In Steward, Julian (ed.). Handbook of South American Indians. Vol. 6. Washington, D.C., Government Printing Office: Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 143. pp. 157–317.
  4. ↑ Loukotka, Čestmír (1968). Classification of South American Indian languages. Los Angeles: UCLA Latin American Center.