Valley Yokuts

Valley Yokuts
Native toUnited States
RegionSan Joaquin Valley, California
EthnicityYokuts
Native speakers
20–25 fluent and semi-speakers (2007)
Yok-Utian ?
  • Yokuts
    • General Yokuts
      • Nim
        • Northern Yokuts
          • Valley Yokuts
Dialects
Language codes
ISO 639-3(included in Yokuts [yok])
Glottologvall1251
Historical distribution with dialects

Valley Yokuts is a dialect cluster of the Yokuts language of California.

Chukchansi, which is still spoken natively, has language classes and a preschool for children. It is also taught at a local elementary school. Though there are no longer any native speakers, Tachi has a Headstart language program.

Divisions of Valley Yokuts

Varieties

Valley Yokuts is sometimes considered three languages.

Yachikumne (a.k.a. Chulamni)
Chalostaca
Lakisamni
Tawalimni
Nopṭinṭe †
Chawchila †
Chukchansi
Kechayi †
Dumna †
Dalinchi †
Toltinchi †
Wechihit †
Nutunutu–Tachi
Chunut (a.k.a. Sumtache) †
Wo’lasi–Choynok †
Wowol †
Telamni †
Koyeti–Yawelmani

Of these, Yawelmani /jɑːwɛlˈmɑːni/, also known as Yowlumni, is the best known. See also Chukchansi dialect.

Grammar

deeyi 'to lead'
deeyen 'he will lead'
deyhin 'he led'
diyhatinhin 'he wanted to lead'
diyee’iy 'place where one got the lead' (subjective)
diyaa’an 'he is leading'
deydiyen 'he will lead repeatedly'
diyidyiisaahin ’anam 'they led each other repeatedly'
diyeediyic’ 'one who is leading repeatedly' (subjective)
deyday 'act of leading repeatedly' (subjective)
’ɔɔṭ’hun 'he stole' - ’ɔɔṭ’uṭ’hun 'he stole often'
’ɔɔṭ’al 'he might steal' - ’ɔɔṭ’uṭ’al 'he might steal often'

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ Golla, Victor (2007). Jones, Terry L.; Klar, Kathryn A. (eds.). "Linguistic Prehistory". California Prehistory: Colonization, Culture, and Complexity. New York: Altamira Press: 71–82. ISBN 978-0-7591-0872-1.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: periodical has ISBN (link)
  2. ↑ Northern Valley is sometimes called "Northern Foothill". However, in Gamble's 1988 classification, Foothill Yokuts is a cover term for Gashowu–Kings River, Tule-Kaweah, and Buena Vista Yokuts.
  3. ↑ Laurie Bauer, 2007, The Linguistics Student’s Handbook, Edinburgh