Matacoan languages
Encyclopedia
Matacoan is a language family
of northern Argentina
, western Paraguay
, and southeastern Bolivia
.
includes Matacoan along with Guaicuruan, Charruan, and Mascoyan within his Macro-Mapuche stock.
Joseph Greenberg
places Matacoan within a Mataco–Guaicuru grouping similar to Swadesh's Macro-Mapuche with the exception that his Mataco–Guaicuru also includes Lule–Vilela. Mataco–Guaicuru is then connected with Panoan, Tacanan, and Mosetenan in his larger Macro-Panoan phylum.
Kaufman (1990) suggests that the Matacoan–Guaicuruan–Charruan–Mascoyan–Lule–Vilela proposal deserves to be explored – a grouping which he calls Macro-Waikurúan. Kaufman's (1994) Macro-Waikurúan proposal excludes Lule–Vilela.
Language family
A language family is a group of languages related through descent from a common ancestor, called the proto-language of that family. The term 'family' comes from the tree model of language origination in historical linguistics, which makes use of a metaphor comparing languages to people in a...
of northern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, western Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, and southeastern Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
.
Family division
Matacoan consists of four clusters of languages. Gordon (2005) divides Wichí into three separate languages, and Chorote into two languages.- Wichí ( Mataco, Wichi, Wichí Lhamtés, Weenhayek, Noctenes, Matahuayo, Matako, Weʃwo. The name Mataco is common but pejorative.)
- Vejoz ( Vejo, Pilcomayo, Bermejo, Wichí Lhamtés VejozWichí Lhamtés VejozWichí Lhamtés Vejoz is a Mataco-Guaicuru, Wichí language spoken by 25,000 people in Argentina. Speakers are located in the northern states of Formosa, Salta, Jujuy and Chaco....
) - Noktén ( Noctén, Wichí Lhamtés NoctenWichí Lhamtés NoctenWichí Lhamtés Nocten is a Wichí language spoken in Argentina by 100 people and 1,911 people in Bolivia in Northcentral Tarija southwest of the Pilcomayo River valley and also in the Pirapo mountain range.-External links:*...
) - Wiznay ( Güisnay, Wichí Lhamtés GüisnayWichí Lhamtés GüisnayWichí Lhamtés Güisnay or Wiznay is a Wichí language spoken by 15,000 Wichi people in Argentina.The Wichí languages are predominantly suffixing and polysynthetic; verbal words have between 2 and 15 morphemes. Alienable and inalienable possession is distinguished. The phonological inventory is...
) - Matawayo ( Matahuayo).
- Vejoz ( Vejo, Pilcomayo, Bermejo, Wichí Lhamtés Vejoz
- Chorote ( Chorotí, Yofúaha, Tsoloti)
- Manhui ( Manjuy, Iyo’wujwa Chorote)
- Eklenhui ( Eclenjuy, Eklehui, Iyojwa’ja Chorote, Chorote, Choroti).
- NivacléNivacléNivaclé is a Matacoan language spoken in Paraguay by c.8,400 and in Argentina by 200. It is also known as Chulupí and Ashluslay, and in older sources has been called Ashuslé, Suhin, Sujín, Chunupí, Churupí, Choropí, and other variant spellings of these names...
( Chulupí–Ashlushlay, Chulupí, Ajlujlay, Alhulhai, Niwaklé, Niwaqli, Churupi, Chulupe. The name Chulupí is common but pejorative.)- Forest Nivaclé
- River Nivaclé
- MakáMaká languageMaká is a Matacoan language spoken in Paraguay by the Maká people. Its 1500speakers live primarily in Presidente Hayes Department near the Río Negro, as well as in and around Asunción.-Phonology:...
( Macá, Maca, Towolhi, Toothle, Nynaka, Mak’á, Enimaca, Enimaga)- Ma’ká ( Towolhi)
- Enimaga ( Enimaa, Kochaboth)
Genetic relations
Morris SwadeshMorris Swadesh
Morris Swadesh was an influential and controversial American linguist. In his work, he applied basic concepts in historical linguistics to the Indigenous languages of the Americas...
includes Matacoan along with Guaicuruan, Charruan, and Mascoyan within his Macro-Mapuche stock.
Joseph Greenberg
Joseph Greenberg
Joseph Harold Greenberg was a prominent and controversial American linguist, principally known for his work in two areas, linguistic typology and the genetic classification of languages.- Early life and career :...
places Matacoan within a Mataco–Guaicuru grouping similar to Swadesh's Macro-Mapuche with the exception that his Mataco–Guaicuru also includes Lule–Vilela. Mataco–Guaicuru is then connected with Panoan, Tacanan, and Mosetenan in his larger Macro-Panoan phylum.
Kaufman (1990) suggests that the Matacoan–Guaicuruan–Charruan–Mascoyan–Lule–Vilela proposal deserves to be explored – a grouping which he calls Macro-Waikurúan. Kaufman's (1994) Macro-Waikurúan proposal excludes Lule–Vilela.
Links
- Ethnologue: Mataco–Guaicuru, Mataco
- Proel: Familia matákoan