Huarpean languages
Huarpe is a small, now extinct language family of central Argentina that consisted of at least two closely related languages. They are traditionally considered dialects, and include Allentiac and Millcayac. A third, Puntano of San Luis, was not documented before the languages became extinct.
Kaufman tentatively linked Huarpe to the Mura-Matanawi languages in a family he called Macro-Warpean. However, he noted that "no systematic study" had been made, so that it is best to consider them independent families. Swadesh and Suárez both connected Huarpe to Macro-Jibaro, a possibility that has yet to be investigated.
Varieties
Loukotka (1968)
Varieties classified by Loukotka as part of the Huarpe language cluster :- Oico / Holcotian - once spoken in Mendoza Province in the Diamante Valley.
- Orcoyan / Oscollan - once spoken in the southern regions of Mendoza Province.
- Chiquiyama - once spoken between the city of Mendoza and the Barranca River.
- Tuluyame / Puelche algarrobero - once spoken in the, Córdoba Province.
- Michilenge / Puntano - once spoken in the Conlara Valley, San Luis Province.
- Olongasto - once spoken in La Rioja Province by the neighbors of the Allentiac tribe.
- Comechingon - extinct language once spoken in the Sierra de Córdoba in Córdoba Province, Argentina
Mason (1950)
Varieties of the Huarpe-Comechingon linguistic group cited from Canals Frau by Mason :Huarpe-Comechingon- * Allentiac
- * Millcayac
- * Puntano Huarpe
- * Puelche of Cuyo
- * Ancient Pehuenche
- * Southern Comechingón
- * Northern Comechingón
- * Olongasta ?
- * Comechingón
- ** Main
- ** Tuya
- ** Mundema
- ** Cáma
- ** Umba
- * Michilingwe
- * Indama
Phonology
The two languages had apparently similar sound systems, and were not dissimilar from Spanish, at least from the records we have. Barros reconstructs the consonants as follows:| Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Glottal | |
| Nasal | |||||
| Plosive | |||||
| Affricate | |||||
| Fricative | |||||
| Semivowel | |||||
| Lateral | |||||
| Trill |
Allentiac had at least six vowels, written a, e, i, o, u, ù. The ù is thought to represent the central vowel.