| Also Known As: Kawaiisu language
Description:
The Kawaiisu language is an Uto-Aztecan language spoken by the Kawaiisu people of California.
Kawaiisu is a member of the Southern Numic division of the Uto-Aztecan language family.
The Kawaiisu homeland was bordered by speakers of non-Numic Uto-Aztecan languages: the Kitanemuk to the south spoke Takic, the Tubatulabal to the north spoke Tubatulabal, the Yokuts to the west were non-Uto-Aztecan. Because they shared the Southern Numic language, the Chemehuevi to the east are considered the closest relatives to Kawaiisu.
The remaining Kawaiisu speakers live in the Tehachapi area of California. The language is severely endangered, with perhaps fewer than 20 remaining speakers.
Kawaiisu has a typical Numic vowel inventory of six vowels.
Kawaiisu has an atypical Numic consonant inventory in that many of the predictable consonant alternations in other Numic languages are no longer predictable in Kawaiisu. The Kawaiisu consonant inventory, therefore is much larger than the typical Numic language.
l and ŋ are only found in loanwords...... full article at Wikipedia |
