Jump to content

Kamëntšá language

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Camëntsëá language)
Kamëntšá
Coche
Native toColombia
RegionPutumayo Department
EthnicityKamëntšá people
Native speakers
4,000 (2008)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3kbh
Glottologcams1241
ELPCamsá
Location of the Kamëntšá language speakers.

Kamëntšá is a language isolate and native language of the Kamëntšá people who primarily inhabit the Sibundoy Valley of the Putumayo Department in the south of Colombia.

Classification

[edit]

Kamëntšá appears to be a language isolate. Researchers have tried connecting it to the Chibchan languages without success. Fabre reports that the Kamëntšá are descended, at least in part, from the Quillasinga, whose language is unattested.[2]

Language contact

[edit]

Jolkesky notes that there are lexical similarities with the Choco languages due to contact.[3]

Varieties

[edit]

Mason lists the following names as Coche (Mocoa) varieties.[4]

  • Sebondoy
  • Quillacinga
  • Patoco

Phonology

[edit]

Consonants

[edit]
Consonants[5]
Bilabial Alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar
Stop voiceless p[a] t k
voiced b d g
prenasal ⁿd ᵑg
Affricate voiceless t͡s ʈ͡ʂ t͡ʃ
prenasal ⁿdʒ
Fricative voiceless ɸ[a] s ʂ ʃ x
voiced ʒ[a]
Trill r[a]
Nasal m n ɲ
Lateral l ʎ[a]
Approximant j w
  1. ^ a b c d e Only in loanwords

Howard and O'Brien call the retroflex phonemes in the above table retroflex, while Huber & Reed use the alveolo-palatal symbols. More specifically, Howard uses ⟨tṣ⟩ and ⟨ṣ⟩,[5] O'Brien uses ⟨tʂ⟩ and ⟨ʂ⟩,[6] and Huber & Reed use ⟨tɕ⟩ and ⟨ɕ⟩.[7]

Vowels

[edit]

Huber & Reed, Howard, and O'Brien all analyze six vowel phonemes in Kamëntšá: /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/, and /ɨ/.[7][8][9] O'Brien notes that /ɨ/ has a limited distribution and is rarely found at the beginnings of words,[10] and that [i] in many cases may be an allophone of /e/ before palatal consonants.[11] Howard found that /i/ and /e/ fluctuate in some morphemes, as do /u/ and /o/.[12]

Vowels[9]
Front Central Back
Close i ɨ u
Mid e o
Open a

Grammar

[edit]

Kamëntšá is a polysynthetic language with prefixes and suffixes.[13] It also has dual number, which is unusual for languages around it.[14][13]

Vocabulary

[edit]

Huber & Reed's book provides a comparison between 68 indigenous languages of Colombia.[15] The following table provides the order of words in the book, along with glosses in English and Spanish. The Kamëntšá words follow their orthography, i.e., using ⟨tɕ⟩ and ⟨ɕ⟩ instead of ⟨ʈʂ⟩ and ⟨ʂ⟩.

no. English gloss Spanish gloss Camsá notes
001 tongue lengua bitʃtá-xa
002 mouth boca wajá-ɕa
003 lip labio wajatsebiá-ɕa
004 tooth diente xuatsá-ɕe
005 nose nariz tsxá-ɕe
006 eye ojo bɕnɨ-bé
007 ear oreja matskuá-ɕe
008 head cabeza bestɕá-ɕe, betɕá-ɕe
009 forehead frente xuentsɨɕá-ɕe
010 hair cabello stxɨnɨ́-xa
011 chin mentón kumbambɨ́-ɕa
012 beard barba wangɨtsboboʃɨ́-xua
013 neck cuello tamoɕá-xa
014 chest pecho kotʃá-xa
015 woman’s breast teta, seno, pechos tʃótʃo
016 abdomen vientre, abdomen wabsbiá
017 back espalda stɨtɕá-xa
018 shoulder hombro tantɕá-xa
019 arm brazo buakuá-tɕe
021 elbow codo ʃɨmia-bé
022 hand mano kukuá-tɕe
023 finger dedo de la mano ntɕabuá-bxa
024 fingernail una ngétsebia-ɕe
025 leg pierna mɨntxá-xa
027 knee rodilla ntsamiá-ɕe
028 shin espinilla ɕɨbxá-xa
029 foot pie ʃekuá-tɕe
030 toe dedo del pie xɨntɕá-bxa
031 skin piel bobátʃe
032 bone hueso betá-ɕe, betá-bxa
033 blood sangre buíɲe
034 heart corazón ainána
035 lungs pulmones béxnatse
036 penis pene lótɕe
037 vulva vulva salápo
038 man hombre entɕá (jentɕá)
039 male varón bojabása
040 woman mujer ʃembása
041 people gente entɕánga
042 husband marido, esposo bojá
043 wife marida, esposa ʃéma
044 father padre taitá, bébta
045 mother madre mamá, bebmá, máma
046 baby, infant criatura ɕeɕóna, (ɕoɕóna)
047 old man viejo bɨtsanań
048 water agua bújeʃe, béxa-je
049 river río béxa-ke, bʃáxa-je
051 lake lago wabxaxóna-je
052 swamp pantano xatɨʃáɲe
053 spring of water fuente, ojo de agua obaxtʃkaníɲe
054 waterfall caída de agua buatʃkɨkxaníɲe
055 rapids catarata, raudal bʃawenaníɲe
056 flame, fire candela, fuego íɲe, níɲe
057 ash ceniza xatinjá
058 charcoal carbón enaxomá-ɕe
059 smoke humo ngóna
060 firewood leña niɲá
061 sky cíelo sel-óka Spanish loanword
062 rain lluvia wabténa
063 wind viento bínjia
064 sun sol ʃínje
065 moon luna xuaʃkóna
066 star estrella estrelja-téma Spanish loanword
067 day día bɨnɨ-té, té
068 night noche ibéta
069 thunder trueno waxuesajá
070 lightning relámpago tkuínje
071 rainbow arco iris tsɨbkuákuatxo
072 earth, soil tierra bʃántse
073 stone piedra ndɨtɕ-bé
074 sand arena kaskáxo Spanish loanword
075 house casa jébna
076 roof techo thɨxnaɲe, bonxanána
077 door puerta bɨɕá-ɕe
078 seat, stool banco tɕenɨ́-ɕe
079 mat estera txuá-ʃe
080 hammock hamaca uxonjanɨ́-ʃa
081 bed catre, cama de barbacoa xutsnɨ́-ʃa
082 cooking pot olla matbá-xa
083 cultivated clearing roza, sementera xaxáɲe
084 village caserío pueblo-téma Spanish loanword
085 path, trail camino, sendero, trocha benátʃe
086 fish net red ataʒajɨ́-ʃa Spanish loanword
087 fish hook anzuelo ansuelɨ-bxuá Spanish loanword
088 axe hacha tatɕnía Spanish loanword
089 knife cuchillo kutʃiljɨ-bxa Spanish loanword
090 canoe canoa kanoú-ɕe
091 paddle remo ʒem-bé Spanish loanword
092 club porra, macana ngarot-bé Spanish loanword
093 spear lanza lantsɨ́-ʃa Spanish loanword
094 bow arco de cazar arkú-bxa Spanish loanword
095 arrow flecha pletʃɨ-bxuá Spanish loanword
096 blowgun cerbatana . xuesanɨ-ɕa
097 tapir danta bɨtsijá
098 jaguar tigre tígre Spanish loanword
099 puma león, puma león Spanish loanword
100 armadillo armadillo armadiljo-bé
101 dog perro kéɕe
102 deer venado biángana, móngoxo
103 bat murciélago tʃimbiláko
104 otter nutria salado-bé
105 cebus monkey (Cebus capucinus) capuchin, machín komendéro Spanish loanword
110 spotted cavy paca, guagua mɨmaɕe
113 tortoise tortuga tortúga-ɕe Spanish loanword
115 collared peccary saíno saín kótɕe Spanish loanword
117 agouti agutí entsóje-ɕe
118 rat rata ʒáta-tɕe Spanish loanword
119 cat gato meséto
120 mouse ratón ʃiéna
121 tail cola waskuatɕi-xuá
122 snake serpiente, culebra mɨtɕkuáje
123 anaconda, water boa mapana amarón
126 toad sapo sápo Spanish loanword
127 bird pájaro ʃlóbtɕe
128 hummingbird picaflor, colibrí ngɨntsiána
130 toucan tucán pikúdo
131 parrot loro ʃatúo, ʃatú
133 buzzard gallinazo ngaljináso Spanish loanword
134 curassow pavo tʃúmbo
135 owl lechuza, buho koskúngo
136 guan pava de monte kukuána
137 hen gallina tuámba
138 fish pescado beóna
140 bee abeja txowána
141 fly mosca ʃatsɨbiána
142 flea pulga nzantsána
143 louse piojo mɨtsána
144 mosquito zancudo ʃɨngna-bxa
146 ant hormiga xuána
147 spider arana báxna, batʃná-ɕe
148 jigger flea nigua, pigue tsɨtxóna
149 bush, jungle monte txá-ɲe
150 open grassland pajonal, sabana xatʃáɲe
151 hill cerro, loma batsxáɲe
152 tree árbol betíje, betijé-ʃe
153 leaf hoja tsbuaná-tʃe
154 tree leaf hoja de árbol tsbuaná-tʃe
155 flower flor wantɕebxú-ʃa
156 fruit fruta ʃaxuan-bé
158 root raíz tbɨtɨ́-xa
159 seed semilla xénaje
160 stick palo niɲɨ́-ɕe
161 grass hierba ʃákuana
162 corn, maize maíz mátse
163 manioc yuca bʃendɨ́-ɕe
165 tobacco tabaco tbáko Spanish loanword
166 cotton algodón tongéntse-ʃe
167 gourd calabazo poro taus-bé
168 yam ñame tʃaná
169 sweet potato camote mijá
170 achiote achiote, bija mandorɨ́-ʃa
171 chili pepper ají tsɨtɕá
173 Banisterium, hallucinogenic vine ayahuasca, jajé biaxíje
174 plantain plátano blandɨ́-tɕa Spanish loanword
178 cane caña brava ɕɨ́-ɕe
179 salt sal tamó
180 chicha chicha, masato bóko-ye
181 one uno kánje
182 two dos úta
183 three tres únga
184 four cuatro kánta
185 five cinco ʃátʃna
190 ten diez bnɨ́tsan
191 first primero natsána
192 last último ústonoje
193 rattle sonajero, maraca marakɨ́-ʃe Spanish loanword
194 drum tambor ɕɨnxana-bé
195 cushma cushma ʃabuanguanɨ-xuá
196 ear ornament orejera, arete wamatsaxonjanɨ́-ʃa
197 mask máscara xobɨ́tsanɨ-ɕe
198 healer, shaman curandero tatɕmbuá, jobá
199 chief cacique, curaca, capitán utabná, mandádo Spanish loanword
200 I, me, my yo, mí usted átɕe
201 you (singular) usted áka
202 he él tʃá
203 she ella tʃá
204 we inclusive nosotros inclusivo bɨ́nga
206 you plural ustedes tɕingabtánga
207 they ellos tʃɨ́nga
208 my hand mi mano átɕ-be kukuá-tɕe
209 your (sg.) hand tu mano ák-be kukuá-tɕe
210 his hand su mano tʃá-be kukuá-tɕe
211 our hands nuestras manos bɨng-be kukuá-tɕe
213 their hands sus manos (de ellos) tʃɨ́ng-be kukuátɕe
214 my bow mi arco átɕ-be arkú-bxa Spanish loanword
215 your bow tu arco ák-be arkú-bxa
216 his bow su arco (de él) tsá-be arkú-bxa
217 our bow nuestro arco bɨ́ng-be arkú-bxa
219 their bow su arco (de ellos) tʃɨ́ng-be arkú-bxa
220 big grande bɨ́ts
221 small, little pequeño báse, bíntʃe
222 cold frío ʃék-bana
223 hot caliente ntɕníɲe
224 good bueno tɕábe, tɕabá
225 bad malo baká, bákna sóje
226 white blanco bxántse
227 black negro btsénga
228 go! vaya, ve! m-ó-tsa
229 come! ven! m-á-bo
230 eat! come! m-ó-se
231 drink! bebe! m-o-bɕé
232 sleep! duerme! m-o-tsámana
233 crown of head corona tʃinʃ-óka
234 front teeth, incisors dientes delanteros incisivos btɨɕá-ɕe
236 long hair pelo largo bɨ́n stxɨná-ʃe
237 the neck region garganta y cuello bexɨ́ngua-xa
238 Adam’s apple nuez de la garganta tamoɕtxon-bé
239 upper back espalda, parte superior stɨtɕá-xa
241 wrist muñeca ʃɨmia-bé
242 lower leg pierna inferior ɕɨbxá-tɕe
243 body hair el pelo del cuerpo bobo-ʃɨ́-xa
244 stomach estómago wabsbiá
245 intestines intestinos tʃuntʃuljɨ-xua-ngá
246 old woman viejita wela-xéma
247 clouds at rest nubes quietas xantɕetɨ́-ʃe
249 cultivated clearing roza, sementera de maíz taɕxá-ɲe
250 stream quebrada báse béxa-je
251 pebbles piedrecillas ndɨtɕmé-ʃe
252 huge rocks rocas grandes peɲí-ɕe Spanish loanword
253 path, trail camino, sendero, trocha axʃatʃnɨxní-ɲe
255 shelter rancho tambo-téma
256 this este kém
257 that eso, ese, aquel tʃɨ́
258 who quién ndá, ndmuá
259 what que ndajá
260 not no ndóɲe
261 all todos njćtska
262 many muchos bɨtská, bá, bá-nga
263 long largo bɨ́n
264 bark corteza xubobá-ʃe
265 flesh carne mɨntɕéna
267 grease, animal fat grasa minjiká Spanish loanword
268 egg huevo ʃɨmnɨ-bé
269 horn cuerno tsɨtxoní-ɕe
270 feather pluma plumɨ-bxuá Spanish loanword
271 elaw, nail uña, garra ngétsebia-ɕe
272 belly barriga wabsbiá
273 liver hígado bekotʃká
274 drink beber xatmuána, xobɕiána
275 eat comer xasána
276 bite morder xaxantsána
277 see ver xinjána
278 hear oir xowenána
279 know saber xtsetatɕmbuána
280 sleep dormir xómanana
281 die morir xóbanana
282 kill matar xóbana
283 swim (not bathe) nadar xatʃbabána
284 fly volar xongébxuana
285 walk andar xtsanána
286 come venir xabána
287 lie down acostarse xtsexáxonana
288 sit down sentarse xotbemána
289 stand ponerse en pie, de pie xotsajána
290 give dar xatɕetajána
291 say decir xajanána
292 burn quemar, arder xtsejiɲána
293 mountain montaña xáɲe
294 red rojo buángana
295 green verde ngɨ́bʃna
296 yellow amarillo tsɨɕijána
297 full lleno xútxena
298 new nuevo tsɨ́m
299 round redondo -bé
300 dry seco boxóxo, buaʃána
301 name nombre wabáina
302 how cómo ntɕámo
303 when cuándo ntséko, ntséko ora
304 where donde ndm-óka, ndaj-éntɕe
305 here aquí mu-éntɕe
306 there allí tʃ-éntɕe
307 other otro ínje, injá
308 few poco batɕá, básebta
309 fog neblina xantɕetɨ́-ʃe
310 flow fluir xtsobuána
311 sea mar már béxa-je
312 wet mojado btʃékuana
313 wash lavar xáxabiana
314 worm gusano tsɨkɨmiána
315 wing ala xuatɨngmiá-ʃa
316 fur piel peluda bobo-ʃá, bobó-ʃe
317 navel ombligo wamɨʃtɨtɨ́-ɕa
318 saliva saliva jebuá-je
319 milk leche létɕi-je Spanish loanword
320 with con -ka, -btaka
321 in en -óka, -íɲe, -éntɕe
322 at en, lugar definido -óka
323 if si -se, -sna
324 ice hielo jélo Spanish loanword
326 freeze helarse xtseʃekbána
327 child niño báse-tema
328 dark oscuro ibéta
329 cut cortar kutʃú-j
330 wide ancho tɨntɕá
331 narrow estrecho, angosto báse tɨntɕá
332 far lejos bɨn-óka
333 near cerca béko-ɲe
334 thick grueso xoʃá
335 thin delgado báse xoʃá
336 short corto béko
337 heavy pesado teʃut-, úta
338 dull embotado ndɨ-ngmɨtʃɨ́-bxa
339 sharp afilado bɕá-xa, ngmitʃɨ́-bxa
340 dirty sucio tsénga, tsengá
341 rotten podrido xanguána
342 smooth liso bɨngɨnjána
343 straight recto nderítʃe
344 correct correcto tɕabá
345 left izquierdo waɲikuaj-ói-ka
346 right derecho katʃbi-ói-ka
347 old viejo tángua
348 rub frotar xanɨtxuána
349 pull jalar, arrastrar xuasxanána
350 push empujar xatsɨntɕána
351 throw botar, tirar xutɕenána
352 hit golpear xuénanana
353 split hender xaʃtɨtɕána
354 pierce punzar, chuzar xangɨsɨtxuána
355 dig cavar xaxutxuána
356 tie atar xabátsikana
357 sew coser xuaxonajána
358 fall caer xotsatɕána
359 swell hinchar xabʃatʃána
360 think pensar xenóxuabojana
361 sing cantar xabérsiana Spanish loanword
362 smell oler xongɨtsetɕiána
363 vomit vomitar xáʃkonana
364 suck chupar xobkuakuajána
365 blow soplar xangowána
366 fear temer xtsawatxána
367 tighten, squeeze apretar, exprimir xatɨbána
368 hold sostener xotbajána
369 down abajo tsɨtx-óka
370 up arriba tsbanán-oka
371 ripe maduro bótʃena
372 dust polvo polbɨ́-ʃe Spanish loanword
373 alive vivo ainá
374 rope cuerda biá-xa
375 year año wáta

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Kamëntšá at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Fabre 2020, p. 676.
  3. ^ Jolkesky 2016.
  4. ^ Mason 1950, p. 187.
  5. ^ a b Howard 1972, p. 78.
  6. ^ O'Brien 2018, p. 41.
  7. ^ a b Huber & Reed 1992, p. xx.
  8. ^ Howard 1972, p. 79.
  9. ^ a b O'Brien 2018, p. 34.
  10. ^ O'Brien 2018, pp. 38–39.
  11. ^ O'Brien 2018, pp. 36–38.
  12. ^ Howard 1972, p. 84.
  13. ^ a b O'Brien 2018, p. 27.
  14. ^ Mason 1950.
  15. ^ Huber & Reed 1992, p. viii.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Campbell, Lyle (1997). American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-509427-1.
  • Fabre, Alain (2001). Kamsá, a poorly documented isolated language spoken in south-western Colombia (PDF). Linguistic Perspectives on Endangered Languages. Helsinki. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-03-31.
  • Fabre, Alain (2020-06-20) [2005]. "Diccionario etnolingüístico y guía bibliográfica de los pueblos indígenas sudamericanos: KAMSÁ" (PDF). Electronic. OCLC 934761027. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-10-07. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  • Howard, Linda (1972). "Fonología del camsá" (PDF). Sistemas fonológicos de idiomas colombianos (in Spanish). Vol. I. pp. 77–92. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-12-29.
  • Huber, Randall Q.; Reed, Robert B. (1992). Vocabulario comparativo: Palabras selectas de lenguas indígenas de Colombia [Comparative vocabulary: Selected words in indigenous languages of Colombia] (PDF). Bogotá: Summer Institute of Linguistics. ISBN 958-21-0037-0. Archived from the original on 2023-10-14.
  • Jolkesky, Marcelo Pinho de Valhery (2016). Estudo arqueo-ecolinguístico das terras tropicais sul-americanas (Ph.D. dissertation) (2 ed.). Brasília: University of Brasília.
  • Kaufman, Terrence (1990). "Language History in South America: What We Know and How to Know More". In Payne, D. L. (ed.). Amazonian Linguistics: Studies in Lowland South American Languages. Austin: University of Texas Press. pp. 13–67. ISBN 0-292-70414-3.
  • Kaufman, Terrence (1994). "The Native Languages of South America". In Mosley, C.; Asher, R. E. (eds.). Atlas of the World's Languages. London: Routledge. pp. 46–76.
  • McDowell, John Holmes (1994). "So Wise Were Our Elders": Mythic Narratives of the Kamsá. Native American Studies. Vol. 6. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 9780813160368. OL 1397564M. (Contains mythic and legendary in Camsá with interlinear morphemic glossing and English translations.)
  • Mason, John Alden (1950). "The languages of South America". In Steward, Julian (ed.). Handbook of South American Indians. Vol. 6. Washington: Smithsonian Institution. pp. 157–317.
  • O'Brien, Colleen Alena (2018). A grammatical description of Kamsá, a language isolate of Colombia (PDF) (phd thesis). University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. hdl:10125/62512.