Kamëntšá, commonly rendered Camsá or Sibundoy in old sources,Handbook of South American Indians is a language isolate and native language of the Kamëntšá people who primarily inhabit the Sibundoy Valley of the Putumayo Department in the south of Colombia.
Classification Kamëntšá appears to be a language isolate. Researchers have tried connecting it to the Chibchan languages without success. Fabre reports that the Kamëntšá are descended, at least in part, from the , whose language is unattested.
Language contact Jolkesky notes that there are lexical similarities with the Choco languages due to contact.
Varieties Mason lists the following names as Coche (Mocoa) varieties.
Sebondoy Quillacinga Patoco
Phonology Consonants
+Consonants BilabialAlveolarRetroflexPalatalVelarStop Affricate Fricative Trill Nasal LateralApproximant
Howard and O'Brien call the retroflex phonemes in the above table retroflex, while Huber & Reed use the alveolo-palatal symbols. More specifically, Howard uses and , O'Brien uses and , and Huber & Reed use and .
Vowels Huber & Reed, Howard, and O'Brien all analyze six vowel phonemes in Kamëntšá: , , , , , and . O'Brien notes that has a limited distribution and is rarely found at the beginnings of words, and that in many cases may be an allophone of before palatal consonants. Howard found that and fluctuate in some morphemes, as do and .
+ Vowels Front Central BackClose Mid Open
Grammar
Kamëntšá is a polysynthetic language with prefixes and suffixes. It also has dual number, which is unusual for languages around it.
Vocabulary Huber & Reed's book provides a comparison between 68 indigenous languages of Colombia. The following table provides the order of words in the book, along with glosses in English and Spanish. The Kamëntšá words follow their orthography, i.e., using and instead of and .
{| class="wikitable sortable" ! no. !! English gloss !! Spanish gloss !! Camsá !! notes |- | 001 || tongue || lengua || bitʃtá-xa || |- | 002 || mouth || || wajá-ɕa || |- | 003 || lip || labio || wajatsebiá-ɕa || |- | 004 || tooth || diente || xuatsá-ɕe || |- | 005 || nose || nariz || tsxá-ɕe || |- | 006 || eye || ojo || bɕnɨ-bé || |- | 007 || ear || oreja || matskuá-ɕe || |- | 008 || head || cabeza || bestɕá-ɕe, betɕá-ɕe || |- | 009 || forehead || frente || xuentsɨɕá-ɕe || |- | 010 || hair || cabello || stxɨnɨ́-xa || |- | 011 || chin || mentón || kumbambɨ́-ɕa || |- | 012 || beard || barba || wangɨtsboboʃɨ́-xua || |- | 013 || neck || cuello || tamoɕá-xa || |- | 014 || chest || pecho || kotʃá-xa || |- | 015 || woman’s breast || teta, seno, pechos || tʃótʃo || |- | 016 || abdomen || vientre, abdomen || wabsbiá || |- | 017 || back || espalda || stɨtɕá-xa || |- | 018 || shoulder || hombro || tantɕá-xa || |- | 019 || arm || brazo || buakuá-tɕe || |- | 021 || elbow || codo || ʃɨmia-bé || |- | 022 || hand || mano || kukuá-tɕe || |- | 023 || finger || dedo de la mano || ntɕabuá-bxa || |- | 024 || fingernail || una || ngétsebia-ɕe || |- | 025 || leg || pierna || mɨntxá-xa || |- | 027 || knee || rodilla || ntsamiá-ɕe || |- | 028 || shin || espinilla || ɕɨbxá-xa || |- | 029 || foot || pie || ʃekuá-tɕe || |- | 030 || toe || dedo del pie || xɨntɕá-bxa || |- | 031 || skin || piel || bobátʃe || |- | 032 || bone || hueso || betá-ɕe, betá-bxa || |- | 033 || blood || sangre || buíɲe || |- | 034 || heart || corazón || ainána || |- | 035 || lungs || pulmones || béxnatse || |- | 036 || penis || pene || lótɕe || |- | 037 || vulva || vulva || salápo || |- | 038 || man || hombre || entɕá (jentɕá) || |- | 039 || male || varón || bojabása || |- | 040 || woman || mujer || ʃembása || |- | 041 || people || gente || entɕánga || |- | 042 || husband || marido, esposo || bojá || |- | 043 || wife || marida, esposa || ʃéma || |- | 044 || father || padre || taitá, bébta || |- | 045 || mother || madre || mamá, bebmá, máma || |- | 046 || baby, infant || criatura || ɕeɕóna, (ɕoɕóna) || |- | 047 || old man || viejo || bɨtsanań || |- | 048 || water || agua || bújeʃe, béxa-je || |- | 049 || river || río || béxa-ke, bʃáxa-je || |- | 051 || lake || lago || wabxaxóna-je || |- | 052 || swamp || pantano || xatɨʃáɲe || |- | 053 || spring of water || fuente, ojo de agua || obaxtʃkaníɲe || |- | 054 || waterfall || caída de agua || buatʃkɨkxaníɲe || |- | 055 || rapids || catarata, raudal || bʃawenaníɲe || |- | 056 || flame, fire || candela, fuego || íɲe, níɲe || |- | 057 || ash || ceniza || xatinjá || |- | 058 || charcoal || carbón || enaxomá-ɕe || |- | 059 || smoke || humo || ngóna || |- | 060 || firewood || leña || niɲá || |- | 061 || sky || cíelo || sel-óka || Spanish loanword |- | 062 || rain || lluvia || wabténa || |- | 063 || wind || viento || bínjia || |- | 064 || sun || sol || ʃínje || |- | 065 || moon || luna || xuaʃkóna || |- | 066 || star || estrella || estrelja-téma || Spanish loanword |- | 067 || day || día || bɨnɨ-té, té || |- | 068 || night || noche || ibéta || |- | 069 || thunder || trueno || waxuesajá || |- | 070 || lightning || relámpago || tkuínje || |- | 071 || rainbow || arco iris || tsɨbkuákuatxo || |- | 072 || earth, soil || tierra || bʃántse || |- | 073 || stone || piedra || ndɨtɕ-bé || |- | 074 || sand || arena || kaskáxo || Spanish loanword |- | 075 || house || casa || jébna || |- | 076 || roof || techo || thɨxnaɲe, bonxanána || |- | 077 || door || puerta || bɨɕá-ɕe || |- | 078 || seat, stool || banco || tɕenɨ́-ɕe || |- | 079 || mat || estera || txuá-ʃe || |- | 080 || hammock || hamaca || uxonjanɨ́-ʃa || |- | 081 || bed || catre, cama de barbacoa || xutsnɨ́-ʃa || |- | 082 || cooking pot || olla || matbá-xa || |- | 083 || cultivated clearing || roza, sementera || xaxáɲe || |- | 084 || village || caserío || pueblo-téma || Spanish loanword |- | 085 || path, trail || camino, sendero, trocha || benátʃe || |- | 086 || fish net || red || ataʒajɨ́-ʃa || Spanish loanword |- | 087 || fish hook || anzuelo || ansuelɨ-bxuá || Spanish loanword |- | 088 || axe || hacha || tatɕnía || Spanish loanword |- | 089 || knife || cuchillo || kutʃiljɨ-bxa || Spanish loanword |- | 090 || canoe || canoa || kanoú-ɕe || |- | 091 || paddle || remo || ʒem-bé || Spanish loanword |- | 092 || club || porra, macana || ngarot-bé || Spanish loanword |- | 093 || spear || lanza || lantsɨ́-ʃa || Spanish loanword |- | 094 || bow || arco de cazar || arkú-bxa || Spanish loanword |- | 095 || arrow || flecha || pletʃɨ-bxuá || Spanish loanword |- | 096 || blowgun || cerbatana || . xuesanɨ-ɕa || |- | 097 || tapir || danta || bɨtsijá || |- | 098 || jaguar || tigre || tígre || Spanish loanword |- | 099 || puma || león, puma || león || Spanish loanword |- | 100 || armadillo || armadillo || armadiljo-bé || |- | 101 || dog || perro || kéɕe || |- | 102 || deer || venado || biángana, móngoxo || |- | 103 || bat || murciélago || tʃimbiláko || |- | 104 || otter || nutria || salado-bé || |- | 105 || cebus monkey (Cebus capucinus) || capuchin, machín || komendéro || Spanish loanword |- | 110 || spotted cavy || paca, guagua || mɨmaɕe || |- | 113 || tortoise || tortuga || tortúga-ɕe || Spanish loanword |- | 115 || collared peccary || saíno || saín kótɕe || Spanish loanword |- | 117 || agouti || agutí || entsóje-ɕe || |- | 118 || rat || rata || ʒáta-tɕe || Spanish loanword |- | 119 || cat || gato || meséto || |- | 120 || mouse || ratón || ʃiéna || |- | 121 || tail || cola || waskuatɕi-xuá || |- | 122 || snake || serpiente, culebra || mɨtɕkuáje || |- | 123 || anaconda, water boa || mapana || amarón || |- | 126 || toad || sapo || sápo || Spanish loanword |- | 127 || bird || pájaro || ʃlóbtɕe || |- | 128 || hummingbird || picaflor, colibrí || ngɨntsiána || |- | 130 || toucan || tucán || pikúdo || |- | 131 || parrot || loro || ʃatúo, ʃatú || |- | 133 || buzzard || gallinazo || ngaljináso || Spanish loanword |- | 134 || curassow || pavo || tʃúmbo || |- | 135 || owl || lechuza, buho || koskúngo || |- | 136 || guan || pava de monte || kukuána || |- | 137 || hen || gallina || tuámba || |- | 138 || fish || pescado || beóna || |- | 140 || bee || abeja || txowána || |- | 141 || fly || mosca || ʃatsɨbiána || |- | 142 || flea || pulga || nzantsána || |- | 143 || louse || piojo || mɨtsána || |- | 144 || mosquito || zancudo || ʃɨngna-bxa || |- | 146 || ant || hormiga || xuána || |- | 147 || spider || arana || báxna, batʃná-ɕe || |- | 148 || jigger flea || nigua, pigue || tsɨtxóna || |- | 149 || bush, jungle || monte || txá-ɲe || |- | 150 || open grassland || pajonal, sabana || xatʃáɲe || |- | 151 || hill || cerro, loma || batsxáɲe || |- | 152 || tree || árbol || betíje, betijé-ʃe || |- | 153 || leaf || hoja || tsbuaná-tʃe || |- | 154 || tree leaf || hoja de árbol || tsbuaná-tʃe || |- | 155 || flower || flor || wantɕebxú-ʃa || |- | 156 || fruit || fruta || ʃaxuan-bé || |- | 158 || root || raíz || tbɨtɨ́-xa || |- | 159 || seed || semilla || xénaje || |- | 160 || stick || palo || niɲɨ́-ɕe || |- | 161 || grass || hierba || ʃákuana || |- | 162 || corn, maize || maíz || mátse || |- | 163 || manioc || yuca || bʃendɨ́-ɕe || |- | 165 || tobacco || tabaco || tbáko || Spanish loanword |- | 166 || cotton || algodón || tongéntse-ʃe || |- | 167 || gourd || calabazo poro || taus-bé || |- | 168 || yam || ñame || tʃaná || |- | 169 || sweet potato || camote || mijá || |- | 170 || achiote || achiote, bija || mandorɨ́-ʃa || |- | 171 || chili pepper || ají || tsɨtɕá || |- | 173 || Banisterium, hallucinogenic vine || ayahuasca, jajé || biaxíje || |- | 174 || plantain || plátano || blandɨ́-tɕa || Spanish loanword |- | 178 || cane || caña brava || ɕɨ́-ɕe || |- | 179 || salt || sal || tamó || |- | 180 || chicha || chicha, masato || bóko-ye || |- | 181 || one || uno || kánje || |- | 182 || two || dos || úta || |- | 183 || three || tres || únga || |- | 184 || four || cuatro || kánta || |- | 185 || five || cinco || ʃátʃna || |- | 190 || ten || diez || bnɨ́tsan || |- | 191 || first || primero || natsána || |- | 192 || last || último || ústonoje || |- | 193 || rattle || sonajero, maraca || marakɨ́-ʃe || Spanish loanword |- | 194 || drum || tambor || ɕɨnxana-bé || |- | 195 || cushma || cushma || ʃabuanguanɨ-xuá || |- | 196 || ear ornament || orejera, arete || wamatsaxonjanɨ́-ʃa || |- | 197 || mask || máscara || xobɨ́tsanɨ-ɕe || |- | 198 || healer, shaman || curandero || tatɕmbuá, jobá || |- | 199 || chief || cacique, curaca, capitán || utabná, mandádo || Spanish loanword |- | 200 || I, me, my || yo, mí usted || átɕe || |- | 201 || you (singular) || usted || áka || |- | 202 || he || él || tʃá || |- | 203 || she || ella || tʃá || |- | 204 || we inclusive || nosotros inclusivo || bɨ́nga || |- | 206 || you plural || ustedes || tɕingabtánga || |- | 207 || they || ellos || tʃɨ́nga || |- | 208 || my hand || mi mano || átɕ-be kukuá-tɕe || |- | 209 || your (sg.) hand || tu mano || ák-be kukuá-tɕe || |- | 210 || his hand || su mano || tʃá-be kukuá-tɕe || |- | 211 || our hands || nuestras manos || bɨng-be kukuá-tɕe || |- | 213 || their hands || sus manos (de ellos) || tʃɨ́ng-be kukuátɕe || |- | 214 || my bow || mi arco || átɕ-be arkú-bxa || Spanish loanword |- | 215 || your bow || tu arco || ák-be arkú-bxa || |- | 216 || his bow || su arco (de él) || tsá-be arkú-bxa || |- | 217 || our bow || nuestro arco || bɨ́ng-be arkú-bxa || |- | 219 || their bow || su arco (de ellos) || tʃɨ́ng-be arkú-bxa || |- | 220 || big || grande || bɨ́ts || |- | 221 || small, little || pequeño || báse, bíntʃe || |- | 222 || cold || frío || ʃék-bana || |- | 223 || hot || caliente || ntɕníɲe || |- | 224 || good || bueno || tɕábe, tɕabá || |- | 225 || bad || malo || baká, bákna sóje || |- | 226 || white || blanco || bxántse || |- | 227 || black || negro || btsénga || |- | 228 || go! || vaya, ve! || m-ó-tsa || |- | 229 || come! || ven! || m-á-bo || |- | 230 || eat! || come! || m-ó-se || |- | 231 || drink! || bebe! || m-o-bɕé || |-