Quechuan languages

Spoken in

Que

Quechua is a group of closely related indigenous language varieties spoken in the Andes region of South America. There are different opinions about how you should here from a single dialect highly differentiated language or a language family of several languages , and if so how many, speak; this is also depending on whether one starts from said inherent structural or socio- linguistic and wider identitarian criteria.

Different variants Quechua were spoken, among other languages also in the culture of the Incas, but also in vorinkaikischen cultures, with the end of the Incas, a variant ( " classic Quechua " ) served as a lingua franca in many parts of the Andean region.

5.1 use in the school

6.1 vowels
6.2 consonants
6.3 Influence of the Spanish

7.1 letters of the official Quechua alphabet

8.1 noun
8.2 pronouns
8.3 Adjectives
8.4 Adverbs
8.5 Number of words ( Numerals )
8.6 verbs
8.7 particles
8.8 evidentiality
8.9 questions
8:10 negation
8:11 subordinate clauses

Glottonym

The word itself Quechua ( Quechua depending on the dialect and spelling: Qhichwa, Qichwa, Qiĉwa or Qheswa ) referred to in Quechua "valley" or altitude including its inhabitants. The Quechua - speakers themselves call their language Runa Simi or Runasimi (of runa "man" and simi " mouth, word, speech ," meaning " human language "). In some Quechua texts ( " Quechua " ) the name or Qhichwa Simi Simi Qheswa used.

Linguistic relationship

A genetic relationship of the Quechua languages with languages outside this group has not been established.

Due to the large common vocabulary with the Aymara Quechua and Aymara were placed in a common language family ( Quechumaran ) ( the Aru languages or ). Recent studies ( comparative linguistics ) point out, however, that the common vocabulary is due to mutual borrowings due to the thousands of years of contact.

Dissemination

The language of Quechua space extends from the south of Colombia over large parts of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to the north of Chile and Argentina. The largest share of the speakers has thereby Peru, followed by Bolivia and Ecuador, while only small minorities speak the language in the other countries.

Today, Quechua is probably more than 7 million speakers (although the estimates vary greatly ), the most widely spoken indigenous language of South America and thus increases in South America in terms of number of speakers Rank 3 behind Spanish and Portuguese one.

For the most part of the linguistic region, namely Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia, are census data for number of speakers before (Peru: 1993, Bolivia: 2001, Ecuador: 2001). For Colombia, Argentina and Chile, such data are completely lacking; there are only estimates, which as mentioned above, vary greatly. The census results is to be noted that preschoolers are not recognized. At least in Peru and Ecuador, the actual number of speakers is likely to be significantly higher than those recorded by the census figures. In Peru, the widespread multilingualism in 1993 not taken into account by was only asked for the mother tongue. In addition, the decline in the number of speakers compared to the 1981 census, is so drastic that it must be explained, inter alia, that persons who reported in 1981, Quechua to dominate in 1993 called Spanish as their native language. In Ecuador, in 2001 only about 500,000 Quechuasprachige ( one-and two -language ) were counted. All estimates quoted in the literature, however, are significantly higher. In censuses and surveys have long been a tendency is observed not specify the knowledge of a perceived as inferior language ( underreporting ). However, it must also be noted that a significant part of the speaker itself uses for different reasons in everyday Spanish. In particular, the Quechuasprecher in the big cities are unlikely to use the language.

The distribution of the speaker to the countries:

Peru: 3.2 million ( according to the census of 1993 estimates to over 6 million )
Bolivia: 2.1 million (according to 2001 census; estimates to more than 3 million )
Ecuador: 500,000 (according to the 2001 census, with estimates up to about 2 million )
Argentina: 50000-120000 (estimates)
Colombia: 5,000-20,000 (estimates)
Chile: a few
Brazil: unknown

Quechua is next to Spanish and Aymara official language in Bolivia and Peru, in the latter, however, under the Constitution, only in the " areas where they predominate [ Quechua and Aymara ] ". In Ecuador, Kichwa (as well as the other indigenous languages) official language " in its territories ."

In most major universities in the Spanish-speaking South America Quechua is taught as a foreign language.

Varieties

Overview

The varieties of Quechua form a dialect continuum. They can be divided into two major groups, which are named after the Peruvian linguist Alfredo Torero as Quechua I and Quechua II. The division into the main branches Quechua I ( Waywash ) and Quechua II ( Wampuy ) and the division of the Quechua II into three sub- branches ( Quechua II a, Quechua II b and Quechua II c) goes to each independent investigations of Alfredo Torero and Gary Parker the 1960s back.

Quechua I ( Waywash ) is spoken in most of the Quechua-speaking areas of central and northern Peruvian Andes. The main dialects are Ankash ( Ancashino ) ( in the department of Ancash ), Shawsha in the province Jauja ( in the department of Junín ) and Wanka ( Huanca ) in the provinces of Concepción and Huancayo ( also in the department of Junín ), and there are various dialects in the departments Huánuco ( Huallaga Quechua ), Cerro de Pasco, Tarma (Northern Junín - ) and in the north of the department of Lima ( dialect Yaru ).

Quechua II ( Wampuy ) includes all spoken in southern Peru and in Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia varieties and a small part of the varieties of the rest of Peru. It is divided into three sub-groups. The Yunkay group ( Quechua II a) comprises the relatively few varieties of Quechua II in the central and northern Peru (subgroup Kashamarka - Kanaris in the departments of Cajamarca and Lambayeque and the dialects of Yauyos in the department of Lima, which are almost extinct), the Chinchay group ( b Quechua II, also known as the northern Quechua ) the varieties of Ecuador and Colombia ( Kichwa ), who have taken a unique language development, as well as some dialects of northern Peru ( Kichwa language islands in Amazonia ). The Southern Quechua ( Quechua II c ) includes all varieties of southern Peru ( dialects Chanka in the departments of Ayacucho, Huancavelica and Apurimac and the northern Qusqu - Qullaw in southern Apurimac and the departments of Cusco and Puno ), Bolivia, Argentina and Chile.

Differences between the two main groups exist in many parts of the grammar and vocabulary, so that communication between native speakers of varieties of Quechua I and Quechua II is hardly possible without knowledge of other varieties. The varieties of Quechua I also greatly differ despite their low distribution area among themselves, while the Quechua II is relatively uniform in comparison. The differences between the dialects of southern Quechua II in Peru and Bolivia, numerically comprise the largest group of Quechuasprecher, are relatively small and confined mainly to the area of phonetics.

The kingdom language of the Inca Empire, the language of most preserved older written documents and the language of the majority of modern publications in Quechua from Peru and Bolivia, based on these southern dialects of Quechua II Many other varieties of Quechua are, however, only in modern linguistic literature been described.

Classification

SIL International lists the following 46 languages with appropriate language codes ( the third level is not from SIL, but Alain Fabre ):

Quechua languages ( 46) Quechua I = Waywash (17 ) Wanka Quechua ( Quechua Huanca ) Quechua, Huaylla Huanca [ RLD ] (Peru ): Waylla Wanka, Waycha Wanka
Quechua, Jauja Huanca [ qxw ] (Peru ): Shawsha Wanka

Quechua, Ancash Corongo [ qwa ] (Peru )
Quechua, Huaylas Ancash [ QWH ] (Peru )
Quechua, Ancash Sihuas [ qws ] (Peru )
Quechua, Ancash Chiquián [ QXA ] (Peru )
Quechua, Northern Conchucos Ancash [ qxn ] (Peru )
Quechua, Southern Conchucos Ancash [ qxo ] (Peru )

Quechua, Panao Huánuco [ QXH ] (Peru )
Huallaga Huanuco Quechua ( Huallaga Quechua ) [ qub ] (Peru )
Quechua, Ambo - Pasco [ QVA ] (Peru )
Quechua, Huamalíes - Dos de Mayo Huánuco [ QVH ] (Peru )
Quechua, Margo - Yarowilca - Lauricocha [ qvm ] (Peru )

Quechua, North Junin [ QVN ] (Peru )
Quechua, Yanahuanca Pasco [ qur ] (Peru )
Quechua, Santa Ana de Tusi Pasco [ qxt ] (Peru )
Quechua, Cajatambo North Lima [ XRF ] (Peru )
Tomás-Alis/Huancaya-Vitis ( spun off from SIL Yauyos [ qux ] )

Quechua II a = Yunkay ( 5) Yunkay - Quechua Lima (also called " Quechua III " ) Pacaraos - Quechua [ qvp ] (Peru ) (provided by some to Quechua I)
Yauyos - Quechua [ qux ] (Peru ): Apuri - Chocos - Madean - VINAC, Cacra - Hongos, Tana Lincha, Laraos
Quechua, Chincha [ qxc ] ( Peru) ( with Huacarpana, Yauyos province )

Cajamarca Quechua [ qvc ] (Peru )
Lambayeque Quechua ( Inkawasi - Kanaris ) [ Quf ] (Peru )

Chachapoyas Quechua [ quk ] (Peru )
Kichwa of northern Peru (Peru ) Quechua, Napo Lowland [ QVO ] (Peru )
Quechua, Southern Pastaza [ QuP ] (Peru )
Quechua, San Martín [ qvs ] ( Peru) ( Lamas Quechua, with the Ucayali Quechua )

Inga [ inb ] (Colombia ): See Inga Kichwa
Inga, Jungle [ inj ] (Colombia ): See Inga Kichwa
Quichua, Tena Lowland [ quw ] (Ecuador)
Quichua, Northern Pastaza [ ADT ] (Ecuador)
Quichua, Calderón Highland [ qud ] (Ecuador)
Quichua, Chimborazo Highland [ QUG ] (Ecuador)
Quichua, Imbabura Highland [ QVI ] (Ecuador)
Quichua, Loja Highland [ qvj ] (Ecuador): Saraguros
Quichua, Salasaca Highland [ qxl ] (Ecuador)
Quichua, Cañar Highland [ QXR ] (Ecuador)

Chanka - Quechua ( Ayacucho Quechua, Quechua Ayacuchano ) [ quy ] (Peru )
Qusqu - Qullaw - Quechua ( Quechua Cusco - Collao ) Quechua, South Bolivian [ quh ] (Bolivia ): see Quechua in Bolivia
Quechua, North Bolivian [ qul ] (Bolivia ): see Quechua in Bolivia
Cusco Quechua [ Quz ] (Peru )
Quechua, Eastern Apurimac [ QVE ] (Peru )
Quechua, Puno [ qxp ] (Peru )
Quechua, Arequipa La Unión [ QXU ] (Peru )
Quechua, Chilean [ CQU ] (Chile)

Word examples

Language or language family - How many written languages ?

The dispute whether it is the Quechua is a language with many different dialects or a language family, and how many languages includes this language family, where appropriate, has emerged when it became clear through the field research of the 20th century that the varieties of Quechua sometimes significantly differentiated from each other.

The assessment of this issue is also depending on whether one assumes spoke inherent structural or socio- linguistic and wider identitarian criteria and what position one takes on the codification of standard varieties of Quechua. There is this very different points of view that all of the position of the Academia Mayor de la Lengua Quechua in Cusco that there was only one language Quechua and all the speakers the same today Quechua of Cusco (ie no compensation variant such as the Southern Quechua ) with should accept its regional, newly created special features as a written language, to the position of the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL International) range, which distinguishes 46 distinct languages within the Quechua language family.

Due to the fact that speaker as of Wanka and Qusqu - Qullaw can not communicate in their own languages , the A -language is argued by very few. With his conception, so closely related to each other dialects such as " Quechua, Cusco " [ Quz ] and " Quechua, Eastern Apurimac " [ QVE ] to separate from each other as separate languages , but also SIL International stands virtually alone since and is therefore of representatives indigenous organizations, in particular the Ecuadorian ECUARUNARI, violently attacked with accusations that it seeks, the indigenous peoples split.

The Peruvian Ministry of Education put 1975 six regional varieties of fixed and settled for these dictionaries and grammars make: Cusqueño or Cusco - Collao ( Qusqu - Qullaw ) Ayacuchano ( Chanka ) Huanca ( Vanka ), Ancashino ( Ankash ), Cajamarca and San Cañaris Martín ( Lamas Quechua ). We now know, however, that the deviations between Qusqu - Qullaw and Chanka are less than the differences about within the Ancashino between Waylla Wanka Wanka and Shawsha or between Cajamarca and Cañaris. Recent developments in the Verschriftung amount to the emergence of a few written languages .

Three written languages or orthographic regional standards with more than just local significance have established themselves more or less:

Kichwa of Ecuador ( for the whole of Ecuador, also in Colombia, of course ) - is one of Quechua II b.
Southern Quechua ( Chanka, Qusqu - Qullaw in Peru and Bolivia, in theory, Argentina) - the entire Quechua II c. In practice, there are currently three mutually very similar language variants: Chanka (Peru ), Qusqu - Qullaw (Peru ), and Bolivia.
Quechua Ancashino ( in central Peru ) - belongs to Quechua I.

All other Quechua written languages relate exclusively to Peru. Some smaller, local written language Quechua variants are at least partly already used in schools or their implementation is obvious:

Kichwa of northern Peru (San Martín, Loreto ) - belongs to Quechua II b
Cajamarca Quechua ( highly endangered variant) - belongs to Quechua II a
Inkawasi - Kanaris ( Lambayeque ) - belongs to Quechua II a ( with some elements of Quechua I)
Wanka ( in South Junín ) - belongs to Quechua I

It could also develop further written languages and standards, for example Shawsha Wanka ( Jauja; belongs to Quechua I) or Huánuco Quechua ( Quechua belongs to I). It is also possible the integration of these variants in the above standards.

History

Studies of linguists Torero and Parker in the sixties of the 20th century showed that there is the greatest abundance of variation in dialects in space Lima or were. Therefore, the origin of the Quechua language is there, in contrast to previous assumptions, surmises. In several waves during the last millennium they spread, in the area of Cuzco and Bolivia, probably even in the 15th and 16th centuries. Thus, languages of Aru - language family were (which Aymara belongs and which also originated in the Lima area have ) displaced. Already more than a thousand years, the Proto - Quechua initially split in two languages (see g central and peripheral Quechua or Quechua I and II), and later in many variants and related languages . Quechua - more specifically, probably a variant that closely resembled the present-day Ayacucho Quechua - was at least in the period before the conquest state language in the Inca Empire ( lengua general) until the 15th century, however, this was likely to have been Aymara. His greatest distribution obtained the Quechua 1500-1700, when it was spoken in many different variations between central Argentina and southern Colombia intermittently throughout the Andean region. There were, however, some areas of the Andes, where it never prevailed: as in existing today Aymara language area on Lake Titicaca and south of it, and in parts of northern Peru ( North Ancash, La Libertad, part of the Department of Cajamarca, where up to was spoken the 20th century, among other things Culli ). On the coast, Quechua was spoken especially in the Lima area, but never. Along the north coast of Peru, where variants of the Mochica lasted until the early 20th century The missionary activity favored the spread of Quechua, which in the early colonial period still held the role of " Lengua general". Only with the end of colonial rule, even more so from the time of the independent republics of Creoles ( whites) were ruled, the prestige of the language, which has since been replaced more and more from public life by the Spanish sank. Today there is a situation in which many Quechua dialects, especially in the north of Peru, are threatened with extinction and Quechua, more specifically the "big" versions Qusqu - Qullaw, Chanka ( Ayakuchu ) and Ankash, only in rural areas of the Andes south from Huancavelica to the bolivian- Argentine border, as well as in parts of Ancash (northern dialect group " Kichwa " ) in some language islands in Amazonia and the Ecuadorian Andes is a common everyday language.

Use in the school

Since the establishment of a broad-based education with the countries of Latin America was the declared goal of governments to Hispanicize the indigenous population ( castellanización ). Spanish was therefore the only language of instruction. Quechua served either as an auxiliary language to mere understanding, or it was banned in some regions even at school. Under Juan Velasco Alvarado in Peru, Quechua in connection with the ex officio of the language first introduced in schools, but this first. As a second or foreign language for Spanish speakers in Lima, where it met with strong resistance and racist reservations After the fall of Velasco's first ended virtually all Quechua - school experiments. In the early 1980s, there was a regional project to use the Quechua and Aymara in the Peruvian department of Puno, with the support of the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ ), which was, however, continued only under pressure from the German side.

Since the 1990s there at the international level Latin American countries to the so-called intercultural bilingual education ( Educación Intercultural Bilingüe ) EIB. In Ecuador and Bolivia, a few years ago in Peru, the EIB is at the primary level has become an integral part of the educational system, but so far without also supplying only the indigenous people everywhere. She is currently limited yet - apart from exceptions - on the rural Quechua and aymarasprachige population and does not relate in a reverse manner, the Spanish-speaking or cities with a. This also applies to the further promotion of the Quechua language as equal in the middle and high school. In fact, the Quechua can be successful in school only if its use in modern professional life is necessary and self-evident. In many cases, there should be reservations of parents who fear that their children do not learn enough Spanish ( which they later need or work) if they are literate in their native language. Scientific studies show that the opposite is the case. This actual better student success as well as the subjective feeling better have made such reservations silent part.

In the EIB in the first grade reading and writing is taught only in the indigenous language. In the second school year comes to learning the Spanish spelling. From the third year, the proportion of Spanish-language teaching is increasing, and the subjects are taught both in Quechua and Spanish. Intercultural teaching in regard to the be that it is aligned with content on the indigenous culture and additionally aspects of European ( "white" ) culture to be learned, so there is no simple "translation " of the traditional Euro -centric approach to education is.

Initial approaches to bilingual education in Latin America were geared primarily to an optimization of the Spanish learning. However, the EIB should aim, above all enhance the Quechua language as the indigenous culture and thus to secure their inventory. In some cases, it is also about re-learning the Quechua, such as at the Quechuas Lamistas in Peru or the Saraguros in Ecuador.

In Ecuador, there are a number of bilingual schools with Kichwa, which are managed autonomously by the indigenous communities.

In Bolivia, the " Board of Education of the Quechua Nation" ( Consejo Educativo de la Nación Quechua, CENAQ ) is responsible at national level for the Quechua lessons. The Bank recorded here so far about half of the Quechua population.

In Peru have now - in addition to other indigenous languages - developed on behalf of the Ministry of Education school materials in the official spelling for the following variants of Quechua, which are also used in the EIB:

Qusqu - Qullaw ( Quechua Cusco - Collao )
Chanka ( Quechua Ayacuchano )
Quechua Ancashino
Inkawasi - Kanaris ( Quechua de Lambayeque )
Lamas Quechua ( Quechua de San Martín )

The EIB's introduction to other Quechua variants, including in their existence threatened as Wanka and Cajamarca Quechua, is still pending.

In Argentina, there is so far - despite many discussions about - no EIB Quechua in public schools.

Sound system ( phonology )

Among the various Quechua variants there are some significant differences in phonology. First, the ratios in the most common variant Qusqu - Qullaw be ( spoken in Cusco, Puno, Apurimac and parts of Bolivia ) described, following differences with other variants.

Vowels

Quechua has only three vowels in terms of phonemes: [a ], [i ] and [u ] (similar to classical Arabic). Monolingual speak this generally made as [ æ ɪ ʊ ], although they may also like the Spanish vowels [ aiu ] are pronounced. In proximity to the uvular consonants [q ], [ q ' ] and [ qh ] they are spoken more like [ ɑ ], [ ɛ ] and [ ɔ ]. This only caused by the uvular allophones have been played in the now no longer official five -vowel spelling with "e" and "o", which resulted in borderline cases to considerable confusion. Today is therefore only ", u a, i " is written (except in loanwords ).

Consonants

The letters of the alphabet official now in Peru conformity with the International Phonetic Alphabet, apart from the palatals [ tʃ ɲ ʎ j], which are written as "ch ñ ll y".

The plosives and fricatives are always voiceless; Voicing is not phonemic in the root vocabulary of Quechua. In the variant Qusqu - Qullaw - in contrast to all other Quechua variants, however, as in Aymara, from whence this specificity probably originates - everyone has plosive three forms: simple, ejektiv and aspirated ( breathed ), for example:

In all of central and northern variants of Quechua ( the Department of Junín north ), there is also the postalveolar fricative [ ʃ ] (written "sh ", by linguists and [ š], corresponds to the German sch), in the southern variants with [s ] has collapsed. The sound [ ʃ ] also appears in some areas of the Qusqu - Qullaw again, there has, however, from [ tʃk ] (" chk " ) and [ sj ] (" sy " ) developed ( as he is also reproduced in the official alphabet ) and thus has nothing etymologically According Quechua [ ʃ ] to do with the original.

In the dialects of Junín, Cajamarca and Lambayeque there's also the retroflex [ ĉ ] (pronounced like an English "tr" ), an original Quechua sound which collapsed in the other variants with [ tʃ ] (" ch" ) is.

Impact of the Spanish

About 30% of the modern Quechua vocabulary derived from Spanish, and some Spanish sounds (eg f, b, d, g ) are likely to have received phonemic character, even in monolingual Quechua speakers. The same applies increasingly to distinguish the vowels ou and ei in Spanish loan words ( for example: check from Spanish caro = "expensive", Quechua karu = "wide" ).

Writing and spelling

Before the arrival of Europeans there was no alphabet for Quechua. The extent to which the time of the Inca Empire common Quipu ( Khipu, knotted cords ), which represented primarily inventories of stock bearings or the like, as a preform of a whole-word Scripture can be understood is controversial.

Since the Spanish colonial period, the Latin alphabet was used to reproduce the Quechua, with the phonetic value of the letters at first mostly oriented on the Spanish model. 1560 Domingo de Santo Tomás wrote the first grammar for a Quechua variant on the coast at Lima, on the basis of long time been taught at the University of Lima. 1607 and 1608 published Diego González Holguín dictionary and grammar for the Quechua ( called by him " Quichua " ) from Cuzco, which were decisive for the subsequent colonial Quechua texts.

A standardized spelling did not exist until the 20th century. It was written by Spanish orthography, which reproduced the phonetic values of the Quechua only very imperfectly. During the 20th century several competing designs were submitted for the Quechua spelling in Latin letters.

In 1975, the Government of Peru presented by Juan Velasco Alvarado, an official alphabet ( Alfabeto Oficial ) with six regional variants determine which w as new letters among others, k and q are contained, so that the sounds of Quechua [w ], [ k] and [q ] could be accurately reproduced for the first time. Breathy plosives were expressed by appending h, ejective plosives by appending an apostrophe. Essentially, this alphabet is valid until today. However, were in line with the Spanish spelling nor the five vowels a, e, i, o, u used. This form of the alphabet is today promoted by the Academia Mayor de la Lengua Quechua ( AMLQ ) in Cusco. Bolivia a very similar official standard was developed in parallel, but in which "j" has been used instead of " H" as well as "k" and "q" on the end of a syllable. In Argentina, established two different spellings: the and of Tucumán / Jujuy of Santiago del Estero.

The official spellings of Peru and Bolivia were matched to one another in the eighties, as well as the 5 -vowel spelling was officially in both countries in 1985 replaced by the 3 -vowel notation because this is the phonology of Quechua closer. Instead of " e" and " o", which only in the vicinity of "q " occurred, is now written "i " or " u". As a difference between the two countries remains the symbol for the phonetic value of [h ], which is reproduced in Peru with "h" and Bolivia with "j ". In Ecuador, based on Spanish orthography was also replaced by an ajar to Peru and Bolivia notation, with the phonetics of the Ecuadorian Kichwa deviates significantly from Peru and Bolivia. In Argentina, however, there is a transfer of the new Quechua alphabet yet.

The modern Quechua spelling until today, criticized by some institutions, including the AMLQ and representatives of SIL International, arguing that the official alphabet for persons who can read and write in Spanish learned, is more difficult to comprehend. The However, where that modern spelling reflects the Quechua phonology perfect, and reference is made to studies which show that literacy in Quechua with the 5- vowel system later even leads to stronger reading difficulties in Spanish than in literacy with the three -vowel system.

It should be noted that in public, especially in geographical names and older, based on the Spanish orthography spellings are still common today. So better-known names such as Wayna Pikchu, Saksaywaman and Qurikancha as Huayna Picchu, Sacsayhuaman and Coricancha or Qorikancha be written.

The Peruvian linguist Rodolfo Cerrón Palomino, who speaks Wanka Quechua as their first language, suggests a uniform spelling standard available for all Southern Quechua dialects ( ie very southern Peru from Huancavelica southwards, Bolivia and Argentina), he Southern Quechua ( Quechua sureño ) calls it. This standard is now accepted by many institutions in Peru. It contains original structures of the two most used dialects: Chanka ( Ayakuchu, Quechua ayacuchano ) and Qusqu - Qullaw ( spoken from Cusco to the south, Bolivia and Argentina). Examples:

Letters of the official Quechua alphabet

The official since 1985 Quechua alphabet in Peru in general, the following 18 letters come for the inherited Quechua vocabulary as well as borrowings from Aymara apply: A, ch, h, i, k, l, ll, m, n, n, p, q, r, s, t, u, w, y.

In Qusqu - Qullaw following additional letters are used (also for Aymara loanwords ), giving a total of 28 characters: chh, ch ', kh, k', ph, p ', qh, q', th, t '.

In Bolivia, "j " stands in place of " h".

In the northern and central variants, there is also the sh [ š] ( IPA: [ ʃ ] ). In the variants of Junín, Cajamarca and Lambayeque, there is also the circumflex ( unofficially "tr " is written ) to give 20 characters.

The letters e and o are not used for ancestral Quechua words, since it is allophones of i and u is that, qh adjacent to q, q ' occur in the corresponding sounds.

The following letters are (not from the Aymara ) is used only in loanwords from Spanish and other languages: b, d, e, f, g, o

Only in own name or directly acquired Spanish expressions occur: c, v, x, z; j ( in Peru, in Bolivia it is in place of h).

Grammar

Quechua is an agglutinative language such as Turkish and Finnish, ie the meaning of a word is adjusted by appending syllables (suffixes ) to an unchanging root word, not by diffraction ( change of the whole word according to time, person, gender and case ), such as in German.

The order of the suffixes is strictly regulated, as the example of the word chakra (field ) illustrates:

The meaning of "small" is pressed out by adding the suffix -cha.
The property display "my" is achieved by adding the suffix -y.
The plural is obtained by adding the suffix - kuna.
The phrase " my little boxes " is therefore in Quechua: chakrachaykuna.

Like most agglutinative languages is the Quechua language of the type SOP ( subject-object - predicate ), ie normally a sequence of words is considered as in this sentence:

Noun

The noun in the Quechua knows two numbers: singular and plural. The latter is expressed by appending - kuna. Its use is not mandatory and is omitted in clear cases often.

The noun " declined " through a series of suffixes to be used in place of prepositions. These include -p ( a) ( genitive ), - ta ( accusative ), nta ( "with" ), you ( " you"), manta [ Quechua I: - piqta ] (" of, from " ), - paq ( " for" ), -pi [ Quechua I: - CAW ] (" in " ), -wan ( "with" ). These suffixes are, for example, also be very productive in that they form adverbs ( chaypi, there; kunanmanta, from now on, ...).

The function of the definite article is part of sg " Topic Marker" qa taken: runaqa = the man.

By lining nouns very simple and often compound words are formed, the prefixed noun is the attribute: hatun = great, Yachay = knowledge, learning, wasi = house, hatun Yachay wasi = College, University.

The Quechua knows no grammatical gender, but in some cases, the natural gender plays a role: as, for example, Churi always the child of a man, wawa, the child of a woman. It is similar in siblings names.

Pronoun

Ñuqayku (exclusive)

In Quechua, there are seven personal pronouns. For the first person plural ( "we") Quechua has two distinct pronouns ( inclusive and exclusive we ). One that included, is used when the speaker with the addressee includes ("we and you ", " me and you "). The exclusive pronoun is used when the called party is not involved ("we without you ").

Ownership or membership is expressed by possessive suffixes in Quechua:

Wasi = house; wasiy = my house; wasiyki = your house; = wasin his / her home; wasinchik = our ( and your ) house; wasiyku = our ( not your ) house; wasiykichik = your house; wasinku = her house.

The genitive -p ( a) calls in the accompanying noun that expresses possession, a possessive ending: intip churin = Son of the Sun.

The most important demonstrative pronoun ( with adjective function) in Quechua are kay ( this), chay ( the ) and wak ( that).

Adjectives

The adjectives are in Quechua before the nouns. There is no grammatical gender, and they are not mitdekliniert with the nouns.

Adverbs

Adverbs are sometimes formed firstly by adding- ta also - lla to an adjective: allin - allinta ( "good"), utqay - utqaylla ( " quickly, quickly "). On the other hand forming it by suffixes to demonstratives: chay ( "that" ) - chaypi ( "there" ), kay ( "this" ) - kayman ( " here "). In addition, there are numerous independent adverbs. Striking here is that the adverb qhipa both " behind " and "future", ñawpa against " front" and " past " means. Spatial and temporal concepts of adverbs in Quechua are therefore - as in Aymara - exactly the reverse link as in European languages .

Number words ( Numerals )

Cardinal numbers. ch'usaq ( 0), huk ( 1), Iskay ( 2), Kimsa ( 3), tawa ( 4), pichqa ( 5), suqta (6 ), qanchis ( 7), pusaq ( 8), isqun (9 ), Chunka (10) Chunka hukniyuq (11) Chunka iskayniyuq (12) Iskay Chunka (20) Pachak (100) waranqa (1000), hunu ( 1 million ), lluna (1 000 000 000 000).
Ordinals ñiqin by adding the word to the corresponding cardinal number formed (for example Iskay ñiqin = " second "). Instead of huk ñiqin ( "first" ) but can also ñawpaq be told what also " foremost, oldest " means.

Verbs

The infinitive is formed by the suffix- y ( much'a = " kiss "; much'a -y = " kiss "). The imperative singular is the same; plural - ychik is attached. The infix -wa- suppressed " I / me " from ( Much'ay! = " Kisses!, Much'away! =" Kiss me! ").

The endings of the verb in the indicative are:

When the subject is in the plural, the verb in the singular may be: Runakunaqa llaqtakunapim kawsan. = The people live in villages / towns.

Various Inter Fixed and suffixes are used to change the meaning, such as the causative - chi (example: wañuy = "die"; wañuchiy = " kill "); the reflexive -ku - (example: sipiy = " kill, kill "; sipikuy = " commit suicide "); the reciprocal - naku - (example: marq'ay = " embrace "; marq'anakuy = " embrace each other " ), the progressive - chka ( eg, mikhuy = "eat"; mikhuchkay = " while eating his ").

In Quechua, there is the objektivische conjugation, which means that there are different verb endings not only for various subjects, but also for different objects ( Transition). example:

For the future tense has its own verb endings of the transition.

Particles

Particles, so the words are appended to the never suffixes, there are only a few. These include, for example, the word ari ("yes" ), yaw ("hello ", " hey! " ) And certain loan words from Spanish, such as piru (from Spanish pero "but" ) and sinuqa (from sino " rather " ). The negation word mana ( "no") is not a particle, since suffixes are attached ( Manam, " no, no "; manas, manapunim "no, people say ," no way; manaraq, "not yet"; Manana, " not ").

Evidentiality

Most sentences in Quechua are marked by a Evidentialitäts suffix that indicates how sure the speaker about his statement is or where he got the information. -mi expresses knowledge from their own experience of ( Tayta Wayllaqawaqa chufirmi, "Mr Huayllacahua is Chauffeur, I know it, I 've seen it "); -si is knowledge from hearsay again ( Tayta Wayllaqawaqa chufirsi, "Mr Huayllacahua is Chauffeur, they told me "); cha - suppressed probability of ( Tayta Wayllaqawaqa chufircha, "Mr Huayllacahua is likely - or perhaps - Chauffeur "). After a vowel, s,- CH -M is added.

Ask

In Quechua, there are a lot of question words from the roots ima (what), pi ( who) may facilitate ( where) are formed by appending Nominalsuffixen. Usually a Evidentialsuffix or taq is still attached:

Decision questions are always formed with -chu.

Negation

The suffix -chu is also the negation, with mana, statements and ama in commands:

Subordinate clauses

As an agglutinative language Quechua used in place of subordinate clauses with conjunctions verbal expressions with corresponding suffixes:

In place of the German conjunctions if, when, while, because, and although the infixes / suffixes - pti - be or - stin and -spa- used ( in different subjects ) (with the same subject), with additional suffixes (eg, -qa, -m ( i ) -s ( i) and pas) can come to for shades of meaning:

A special case with respect to subordinate clauses is the Quechua in Bolivia, as it (formed from question words and bronchus ) has also connectives with which it can form also true subordinate clauses in addition to the expression given here.

Loanwords in German

The German language has a number of loan words taken from the Quechua, usually through mediation by the Spanish. Here are some examples:

Alpaca ( allpaqa, probably by Paqu, " light brown " )
Coca ( kuka )
China bark ( kina kina - )
Guano ( wanu )
Inca ( Inca )
Kondor ( kuntur )
Lama ( llama )
Mate ( mati )
Puma ( puma )
Vicuna ( wik'uña )
Cherimoya ( chirimuyu )
Molle - tree ( mulli )
Quinoa ( kinwa, kiwna )
Kiwicha ( Kiwicha )
Pampa ( Pampa )

Literary works in Quechua

See main article: Quechua literature

Huarochirí manuscript ( myths from the region Huarochirí )
Apu Ollantay (traditional Quechua - Drama )

Music in Quechua

Quechuasprachige songs are the medium through which one out of the Quechua - speaking area has the greatest chance to hear Quechua. There are a number of Peruvian, Bolivian and Ecuadorian musicians and bands that sing partly or even predominantly in Quechua. These musicians was about the Peruvian singer Yma Sumac. The Bolivian singer Luzmila Carpio even sings almost exclusively in Quechua. Hallmark of most of these musicians or music groups is that they rely on traditional Andean music forms. The other hand, breaking new ground, which was founded in 1991 Peruvian rock, blues and grunge band Uchpa, combines traditional elements with modern forms of expression and musical instruments and sings in Ayacucho Quechua. The Peruvian meditation music and folklore band Alborada sings mostly in Quechua.

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