Proto-Quechuan
Reconstruction ofQuechuan languages
RegionCentral Peru
Erabefore 500 BC

Proto-Quechuan language is the hypothetical mother tongue or proto-language that would have given rise to the various languages of the Quechuan languages. This proto-language is reconstructed based on evidence from modern Quechuan languages, as well as records of ancient forms.

Development

Proto-Quechuan was likely spoken in the central region of ancient Peru according to Alfredo Torero. It then expanded southwards to replace Aymara. At the beginning of the fifth century, the proto-Quechua would have crossed the mountain range to settle in the central highlands (Valle del Mantaro), then proto-Aymara-speaking, producing the division between Quechua I (to the east) and Quechua II.[1]

Phonology

The syllables of the Quechua languages are composed of at least one vowel as nucleus. As a general rule, the syllables allow a consonant in position of onset and coda (beginning and end of syllable, respectively).

Three vowel phonemes are distinguished: a vowel open /a/ and closed rounded vowel /u/ unrounded /i/. The precise pronunciation of these vowel phonemes varies with their phonetic environment. The vicinity of a uvular consonant produces more centralized allophones such as [ɑ], [e], [ɛ], [o], [ɔ] and that of the semiconsonant palatal approximant /j/ also causes an overtaking of /a/ to [æ]. As for the consonants, Proto-Quechua would have had three nasal consonant /m, n, ɲ/ four occlusive /p, t, k, q/, two affricates /t͡ʃ, ʈ͡ʂ/, three fricatives /s, ʂ, h/, two approximants /j, w/ and two or three liquid /ʎ, ɾ, (l)/.

Consonant phonemes of Proto-Quechuan
Bilabial Alveolar Post-alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar Uvular Glottal
Nasal m n ɲ
stop p t k q
Affricate t͡ʃ ʈ͡ʂ
Fricative s ʂ h
Approximant j w
Lateral (l) ʎ
Tap ɾ

Phonetic correspondences

The following table shows the numerals in Proto-Quechuan and its evolution in different modern Quechua languages:

GLOSS PROTO-
QUECHUAN
Quechua I Quechua II
HuaylasHuánucoHuancaPacaraos Cajamarca ImbaburaSalasacaTena AyacuchoCuzcoBolivianSantiagueño
'1' *suk hukhukhuk, sukhuk suχ ʃuxʃuhʃuk hukhuxuxsuk
'2' *iʂkaj iʃkajiʃkajiʃkajiʃkaj iʃkaj iʃgajiʃkiiʃki iskajiskajiskajiʃkaj
'3' *kimsa kima, kimsakimsakimsakima kimsa kinsakinsakinsa kimsakinsakinsakimsa
'4' *ʈʂusku ʧuskuʧuskuʈʂuskuʈʂusku ʈʂusku ʧuskuʧuskuʧusku tawatawatawataa
'5' *piʧqa piʦqapiʧɢapiʧʔapisχa piʧqa piʧapiʧkapiʧka piʧχapʰisqapʰiʃqapiʃqa
'6' *suqta huqtasuχtasuʔtahuχta suχta suktasuktasukta suχtasuqtasuhtasuqta
'7' *qanʈʂis qanʧisɢanʧisʔanʈʂisʁanʈʂis qanʈʂis kanʧiskanʧiskanʤis χanʧisqanʧisqanʧisqanʧis
'8' *pusaq puwaqpusaχpusaːpuwaχ pusaχ pusaxpusahpusak pusaχpusaqpusahpusaq
'9' *isqun isqunisɢunisʕunisʁun isqun iskuniskuniskun isχunisqunhisqʼunisqun
'10' *ʈʂunka ʧuŋkaʧuŋkaʈʂunkaʈʂuŋka ʈʂuŋga ʧuŋgaʧuŋgaʧuŋga ʧuŋkaʧunkaʧuŋkaʧuŋka

References

  1. Torero Fernández de Córdova, Alfredo (1984). "El comercio lejano y la difusión del quechua. The case of Ecuador". Revista Andina. No. 4. p. 367.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.