Matacoan languages

Matacoan (also Mataguayan, Matákoan, Mataguayo, Mataco–Mataguayo, Matacoano, Matacoana) is a language family of northern Argentina, western Paraguay, and southeastern Bolivia.

Matákoan
Mataguayo
Geographic distribution	Chaco region
Linguistic classification	Mataco–Guaicuru ? Matákoan
Language codes
ISO 639-3	–
Glottolog	mata1289

Family division

Matacoan consists of four clusters of languages. The family also has a clear binary split between Wichí-Chorote and Maká-Nivaclé according to Nikulin (2019).^[1] Gordon (2005) in Ethnologue divides Wichí into three separate languages and Chorote into two languages.

• Matacoan
  • Wichí-Chorote
    • Wichí (also known as Mataco, Wichi, Wichí Lhamtés, Weenhayek, Noctenes, Matahuayo, Matako, Weʃwo. The name Mataco is common but pejorative.)
      • Vejoz (also known as Vejo, Pilcomayo, Bermejo, Wichí Lhamtés Vejoz)
      • Noktén (also known as Noctén, Wichí Lhamtés Nocten)
      • Wiznay (also known as Güisnay, Wichí Lhamtés Güisnay)
      • Matawayo (also known as Matahuayo).
    • Chorote (also known as Chorotí, Yofúaha, Tsoloti)
      • Manhui (also known as Manjuy, Iyo’wujwa Chorote)
      • Eklenhui (also known as Eclenjuy, Eklehui, Iyojwa’ja Chorote, Chorote, Choroti).
  • Maká-Nivaclé
    • Nivaclé (also known as Chulupí–Ashlushlay, Chulupí, Ajlujlay, Alhulhai, Niwaklé, Niwaqli, Churupi, Chulupe. The name Chulupí is common but pejorative.)
      • Forest Nivaclé
      • River Nivaclé
    • Maká (also known as Macá, Maca, Towolhi, Toothle, Nynaka, Mak’á, Enimaca, Enimaga)
      • Ma’ká (also known as Towolhi)
      • Enimaga (also known as Enimaa, Kochaboth)

Mason (1950)

Internal classification by Mason (1950):^[2]

• Mataco-Maca
  • Mataco
    • Mataco-Mataguayo
      • Mataco
        • Guisnay
        • Nocten (Octenai)
      • Mataguayo
        • Northern: Hueshuo, Pesatupe, Abucheta
        • Southern: Vejoz
    • Chorotí-Ashluslay
      • Chorotí (Yofuaha)
      • Ashluslay (Chulupí, Chonopí, Sukin, Sotiagay, Tapieté)
  • Macá (Enimagá, Cochaboth, Guaná, Lengua)
    • Enimagá
      • Macá (Towothli, Toosle)
    • Guentusé
    • Cochaboth-Lengua

Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Matacoan languages.^[3]

gloss	Choroti	Choropí	Suhín	Sotsiagay	Ashlusláy	Mataco	Vejoz	Nocten	Guisnai	Enimaga	Makká
head	sétek	satík	shutich		shatish	nu-xleték	litek	etek	oːn-sleták		in-hitla
tooth	sá-hue	huetseːute	tsaute		seuté	no-tsoté	no-chete	zoté	oːs-totéʔi		kon-xeti
water	inát	naːʔate	inaat	inaːat	inát	inót	guag	inat	inát	gualé	iwalü
fire	houat	itox	itox	itox	itóx	itóx	itag	ütax	etáx	feit	fat
sun	kilé	nʔkoklái	hankuklai	fünchokʔlaai	fingoklai	xuála	ixuala	ixuala	ixuála	tátla	xunnu
moon	huelä	xuékla	hiuerkla	xiwekla	huela	ihuälä	iguelach	iguelä	ivaʔedla		xuwãl
star	katés		katés	katéss	katís	katäs	katés	ketes			foʔoteki
dog	nóo	nuuːx	niuʔux	niuʔux	níu	sidnóx	signag	esinax	atsüná		nunnax
jaguar	ayä	yaáx	yáox	yáʔox	iyox	haiyüx	yag	eyax	haróx		kometenax
black	lämi	klím	klim		lim	palüx	pelag		peláx		fo

Proto-language

For a reconstruction of Proto-Mataguayo by Viegas Barros (2002),^[4] see the corresponding Spanish article. A competing theory is advanced by Nikulin and Carol^[5]

References

1. Nikulin, Andrey V. 2019. The classification of the languages of the South American Lowlands: State-of-the-art and challenges / Классификация языков востока Южной Америки. Illič-Svityč (Nostratic) Seminar / Ностратический семинар, Higher School of Economics, October 17, 2019.
2. Mason, John Alden (1950). "The languages of South America". In Steward, Julian (ed.). Handbook of South American Indians. Vol. 6. Washington, D.C., Government Printing Office: Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 143. pp. 157–317.
3. Loukotka, Čestmír (1968). Classification of South American Indian languages. Los Angeles: UCLA Latin American Center.
4. Viegas Barros, Pedro. 2002. Fonología del Proto-Mataguayo: Las fricativas dorsales. Mily Crevels, Simon van de Kerke, Sérgio Meira & Hein van der Voort (eds.), Current Studies on South American Languages [Indigenous Languages of Latin America, 3], p. 137-148. Leiden: Research School of Asian, African, and Amerindian Studies (CNWS).
5. Nikulin A, Carol J (2024). Historical phonology of Mataguayan (pdf). Berlin: Language Science Press. doi:10.5281/zenodo.13907413. ISBN 9783961104741.

Bibliography

• Adelaar, Willem F. H.; & Muysken, Pieter C. (2004). The languages of the Andes. Cambridge language surveys. Cambridge University Press.
• Campbell, Lyle. (1997). American Indian languages: The historical linguistics of Native America. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-509427-1.
• Fabre, Alain (2005) Los Mataguayo (Online version: http://www.ling.fi/Entradas%20diccionario/Dic=Mataguayo.pdf)

External links

• Proel: Familia matákoan