- Kawésqar language
language
name=Kawésqar
familycolor=American
states=Chile
region=Channel Region, westernPatagonia ,Wellington Island off south Chilean coast, 49° south, with centre in Puerto Edén.
speakers=22 or fewer
fam1=Alacalufan
iso2=sai|iso3=alcKawésqar (also known as Qawasqar [ISO 639-3] , Alacaluf, Halakwulup, Kaweskar, Alakaluf, Kawaskar, Kawesqar, Qawashqar, Halakwalip, Hekaine, Kaueskar, Aksanás) is an Alacalufan language spoken in southern
Chile by the Kawésqar people. Originally there were several distinct dialects. Kakauhua is sometimes listed as a dialect, but is usually listed as a separate language, as in ISO 639-3 and Ethnologue. The language family containing these two languages is known as Alacalufan. Only about 20 speakers remain, half of them onWellington Island , off the southwestern coast of Chile.Phonology
Vowels
Consonants
Writing System
The alphabet in use is as follows [http://www.serindigena.cl/jump/jump.cgi?www.kawesqar.uchile.cl] : a, æ, c, c', e, f, h, i, j, k, k', l, m, n, o, p, p', q, r, rr, s, t, t', u, w, x. However, there are reported to be differences between dialects, and some sounds that are not represented here.
Morphology and syntax
Kawésqar has a complex system of
grammatical tense , which includes a basic morphological contrast between future, present, immediate past, recent past, distant past, and mythological past events.Pronoun
Noun
Verb
ee also
*
Alacaluf Bibliography
* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=alc Ethnologue entry for Qawasqar]
* Aguilera Faúndez, Óscar (2001): Gramática de la lengua kawésqar. Temuco: Corporación de Desarrollo Indígena.
* Clairis, Christos (1987): El qawasqar. Lingüística fueguina. Teoría y descripción. Valdivia: Universidad Austral de Chile [Anejo de Estudios Filológicos 12] .
* Pieter C. Muysken. 2004. "The Languages of the Andes". Cambridge Language Surveys. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.External links
* [http://www.serindigena.cl/jump/jump.cgi?www.kawesqar.uchile.cl Kawésqar]
* [http://www.serindigena.cl/jump/jump.cgi?www.kawesqar.uchile.cl Lengua Kawésqar]
* [http://www.serindigena.cl/territorios/kawesqar/territorio_kawesqar.htm SerIndigena - Territorio Kawesqar]
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