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Kawesqar language
Kawesqar is an Alacalufan language spoken in southern Chile by the Kawesqar 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 on Wellington Island, off the southwestern coast of Chile.
Phonology
Vowels
Consonants
Writing System
The alphabet in use is as follows [*]: a, ae, 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
Kawesqar 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
See also
Alacaluf
Bibliography
Aguilera Faundez, Oscar (2001): Gramatica de la lengua kawesqar. Temuco: Corporacion de Desarrollo Indigena.
Clairis, Christos (1987): El qawasqar. Linguistica fueguina. Teoria y descripcion. Valdivia: Universidad Austral de Chile [Anejo de Estudios Filologicos 12].
Pieter C. Muysken. 2004. The Languages of the Andes. Cambridge Language Surveys. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
External links
SerIndigena - Territorio Kawesqar
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Kawesqar language
