Araucanian languages


The Araucanian languages are a small language family of indigenous languages of the Americas spoken in central Chile and neighboring areas of Argentina. The living representatives of this family are Mapudungun and Huilliche, spoken respectively by the Mapuche and Huilliche people. These are usually considered divergent dialects of a single language isolate.

Demographics

It is estimated that there are approximately 200,000 Mapudungun speakers in Chile and 40,000 speakers in Argentina. Huilliche is the native language of a few thousand Chileans.

Language contact

Jolkesky notes that there are lexical similarities with the Kunza, Mochika, Uru-Chipaya, Arawak, Pano, Cholon-Hibito, and Kechua language families due to contact.

Internal classification

Mason (1950)

Internal classification of Araucanian languages by Mason :
  • Araucanian
  • *North
  • **Picunche
  • **Mapuche
  • **Pewenche
  • ***Rankel
  • **Moluche
  • *South
  • **Wiliche
  • ***Wiliche
  • ****Serrano
  • ****Pichi-Wiliche
  • ***Manzanero
  • **Veliche
  • **Chikiyami
  • **Leuvuche
  • *East
  • **Taluhet
  • **Divihet

Jolkesky (2016)

Internal classification by Jolkesky :

Vocabulary

Loukotka lists the following basic vocabulary items for Mapuche language varieties.
glossMapuchePicunchePehuencheHuilicheChiloteRanquelche
onekiñekiñekiñekiñekengekiñe
twoepuepueepuepuepoepú
threekülakelakelakilakölakʔla
headlongkolonkorlonkolonkó
handkũkúükuüghechukeñeu
waterkokokokokugo
sunantuantüanteanteánteant'ü
moonkuyenküyénküyenkiyenkiénkiyet
maizevoewawawakáwa
birdgunúnüñemküñümgiñumtrarú
dogthehuathewathewatrehuacheuá
jaguarnahuelnahuelnawelnahuelnaue