Alacalufan languages

The Alacalufan languages or Kawesqaran languages are a small language family of South America. They have not been definitely linked to any other American language family.^[1][2]

Alacalufan
Kawesqaran
Geographic distribution	Chile
Ethnicity	Alacaluf people
Linguistic classification	One of the world's primary language families
Subdivisions	Kawesqar Central Alacaluf † Southern Alacaluf † ?Guaicaro †
Language codes
ISO 639-5	aqa
Glottolog	kawe1237

Languages

Early vocabularies show that Alakaluf was three languages, with an extinct Southern Alakaluf (vocabularies in Fitz-Roy 1839 and Hyades & Deniker 1891) and Central Alakaluf (vocabularies in Borgatello 1928, Marcel 1892, and Skottsberg 1913) in addition to the critically endangered northern variety, Kawésqar.^[3]

Based on alleged toponymic evidence, a purported Kakauhua language has sometimes been included in the Alacalufan family.^{[citation needed]}

Guaicaro may have been a dialect of Central Alakaluf or Kawesqar.

Mason (1950)

Mason (1950) lists:^[4]

• Caucawe (Kaukahue, etc.)
• Enoo (Peshera)
• Lecheyel
• Yekinawe (Yequinahuere, etc.)
• Adwipliin
• Alikulip, Alakaluf, etc.
• Calen
• Taijatof

Chono, Caraica (Karaika), and Poya may also belong.

Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the "Aksanas" and "Alacaluf" languages.^[5]

gloss	Northern Alacaluf (Southern Alacaluf)	Southern Alacaluf (Central Alacaluf)	Kaueskar
tongue	lekél	paileaf	kalaktás
hand	palkár	yukebe	terwá
water	karkasa	arrét	chfalai
moon	dzyakapés	yakapech	kapánuk
dog	salki	shalki	kyurro
fish	xawoel	orol	keuwako
canoe	peler	cherru	kaief