Kawésqar (Qawasqar), also known as Alacaluf,Spelling variants include Kaweskar, Kawaskar, Qawashqar, Kaueskar and Alakaluf, Halakwulup, Halakwalip; other names include Tawókser, Aksanás/Aksana and Hekaine. is a critically endangered Alacalufan language spoken in southern Chile by the Kawésqar people. Originally part of a small family, only the northern language remains. In 2009, only a handful of elderly people spoke the language, most of whom lived on Wellington Island off the southwest coast of Chile.
Phonology
Vowels Front Central Back Close Mid Open
Consonants Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Uvular Glottal Nasal Plosive Plain Ejective Fricative Tap / flap Trill Approximant
Alphabet The alphabet in use has the following letters: a, æ, c, cꞌ, e, f, h, i, j, k, kꞌ, l, m, n, o, p, pꞌ, q, r, rr, s, t, tꞌ, u, w, x. However, differences are reported between dialects, and some sounds are not represented.
Morphology and syntax Kawésqar 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.
See also Kawésqar people List of endangered languages in South America
Bibliography Aguilera Faúndez, Oscar (1978). Léxico Kawesqar-Español, Español-Kawesqar. Boletín de filología (Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras) 29. Aguilera Faúndez, Oscar (2001): Gramática de la lengua kawésqar. Temuco: Corporación de Desarrollo Indígena. Clairis, Christos (1987): El qawasqar. Lingüística fueguina. Teoría y descripción. Valdivia: Universidad Austral de Chile [Anejo de Estudios Filológicos 12]. Adelaar, Willem & Muysken, Pieter C. 2004. The Languages of the Andes. Cambridge Language Surveys. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
References
External links Qawasqar dictionary online (select simple or advanced browsing) Alfabeto Kawésqar Kawésqar SerIndigena - Territorio Kawesqar Kawésqar at the World Atlas of Language Structures Online Chilean Languages Collection of Oscar Aguilera and José Tonko - including recordings and transcriptions of stories, myths, and conversations in Kawésqar at AILLA. Qawasqar (Intercontinental Dictionary Series) "Chichili" Love song in Kawésqar