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Achawa language

In today's world, Achawa language has become a topic of great relevance and interest to a wide audience. With the constant growth of technology and globalization, Achawa language has gained unprecedented importance in our daily lives. Whether we are talking about Achawa language in the field of health, politics, culture or any other aspect of society, its impact is undeniable. In this article, we will explore the topic of Achawa language in depth, examining its implications, challenges and opportunities in today's world. From its origins to its future projections, Achawa language is a topic that deserves to be explored in depth to better understand its influence on our lives.

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Achagua
Achawa
Native toColombia
RegionMeta Department
EthnicityAchagua people
Native speakers
(250 cited 2000)[1]
Arawakan
Dialects
  • ?Ponares †
Language codes
ISO 639-3aca Achagua
Glottologacha1250  Achagua
pona1251  Ponares
ELPAchagua
Achagua is classified as Severely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger.

Achagua, or Achawa (Achagua: Achawa), is an Arawakan language spoken in the Meta Department of Colombia, similar to Piapoco. It is estimated that 250 individuals speak the language, many of whom also speak Piapoco or Spanish.[1]

"Achagua is a language of the Maipurean Arawakan group traditionally spoken by the Achagua people of Venezuela and east-central Colombia."[2]

A "Ponares" language is inferred from surnames, and may have been Achawa or Piapoco.

There is 1–5% literacy in Achagua.[1]

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Dental/
Alveolar 		Retroflex Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive/
Affricate 		voiceless p t tʃ k
voiced b d
Nasal m n
Fricative s̪ ʝ h
Trill r
Approximant w ɭ
  • /n/ is realized as [ɲ] when preceding palatal consonants.
  • /k/ is palatalized [kʲ] when preceding /i/.
  • Sounds /b, d/ are preglottalized [ˀb, ˀd] within accented syllables or after accented syllables.
  • /b/ is realized as [β] when occurring intervocalically.
  • /w/ is realized as [β] when preceding /i/.
  • /s̪/ is realized as [ʃ] when preceding /i/.
  • /ʝ/ is heard as an affricate [dʒ] in word-initial positions. It can also be realized as a glide [j] freely in intervocalic positions.
  • /ɭ/ can be heard as a flap [ɾ] in free variation before /i/.[3]

Vowels

Front Central Back
High i u
Mid e o
Low a

List of words

English Spanish Achagua Ref.
One Uno Báque [4]
Two Dos Chámai
Three Tres Matálii
Four Cuatro Kuátru
Five Cinco Abakáahi
Black Negro Kachajulai
Canoe Canoa Íida
Dog Perro Áuli
Father Padre Nusálihina
Man Hombre Washiaáli
Moon Luna Quéerri
Mother Madre Nutúwa
Sun Sol Cáiwia
Water Agua Shiátai
White Blanco Kabalai

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Achagua at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Neira, Alonso de. "The Art and Vocabulary of the Achagua Language". World Digital Library. Archived from the original on 2013-06-05. Retrieved 2013-05-23.
  3. ^ Lozano, Miguel Ángel Meléndez (2000). Esbozo grammatical de la lengua achagua. Lenguas indígenas de Colombia: una visión descriptiva: Santafé de Bogotá: Instituto Caro y Cuervo. pp. 625–640.
  4. ^ "Achagua Words". native-languages.org. Retrieved 2025-03-31.


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