Matacoan languages
Matacoan is a language family of northern Argentina, western Paraguay, and southeastern Bolivia.
Family division
Matacoan consists of four clusters of languages: Wichí, Chorote, Nivaĉle, and Maká. Wichí and Chorote constitute a well-supported clade within the family. It has also been proposed that Maká and Nivaĉle form a clade, however, Nivaĉle also shares several innovations with Chorote–Wichí, casting doubt on the validity of the Maká–Nivaĉle clade.Gordon in Ethnologue divides Wichí into three separate languages and Chorote into two languages.
- Matacoan
- * Wichí-Chorote
- ** Wichí
- ***Vejoz
- ***Noktén
- ***Wiznay
- ***Matawayo
- ** Chorote
- ***Manhui
- ***Eklenhui
- * Maká-Nivaclé
- ** Nivaclé
- ***Forest Nivaclé
- ***River Nivaclé
- ** Maká
- ***Ma’ká
- ***''Enimaga''
Mason (1950)
Internal classification by Mason :- Mataco-Maca
- *Mataco
- **Mataco-Mataguayo
- ***Mataco
- ****Guisnay
- ****Nocten
- ***Mataguayo
- ****Northern: Hueshuo, Pesatupe, Abucheta
- ****Southern: Vejoz
- **Chorotí-Ashluslay
- ***Chorotí
- ***Ashluslay
- *Macá
- **Enimagá
- ***Macá
- **Guentusé
- **Cochaboth-Lengua
Nikulin & Carol (2024)
Internal classification by Nikulin & Carol :- Mataguayan
- *Maká
- **Fisket Ɫeiɫets
- **Aseptiket Ɫeiɫets
- *Nivaĉle
- **Chishamnee Lhavos
- **Shichaam Lhavos
- **Yita’ Lhavos
- *Chorote–Wichí
- **Chorote
- ***Iyojwa’aja’
- ***Iyo’awujwa’–Manjui
- ****Iyo’awujwa’
- ****Manjui
- *****Jlimnájnas
- *****Jlawá’a Wos
- **Wichí
- ***Northwestern Wichí
- ****’Weenhayek
- ****Guisnay
- ****Vejoz
- ***Southeastern Wichí
- ****Rivadavia
- ****Lower Bermejeño
Vocabulary
Loukotka lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Matacoan languages.| gloss | Choroti | Choropí | Suhín | Sotsiagay | Ashlusláy | Mataco | Vejoz | Nocten | Guisnai | Enimaga | Makká |
| head | sétek | satík | shutich | shatish | nu-xleték | litek | etek | oːn-sleták | in-hitla | ||
| tooth | sá-hue | huetseːute | tsaute | seuté | no-tsoté | no-chete | zoté | oːs-totéʔi | kon-xeti | ||
| water | inát | naːʔate | inaat | inaːat | inát | inót | guag | inat | inát | gualé | iwalü |
| fire | houat | itox | itox | itox | itóx | itóx | itag | ütax | etáx | feit | fat |
| sun | kilé | nʔkoklái | hankuklai | fünchokʔlaai | fingoklai | xuála | ixuala | ixuala | ixuála | tátla | xunnu |
| moon | huelä | xuékla | hiuerkla | xiwekla | huela | ihuälä | iguelach | iguelä | ivaʔedla | xuwãl | |
| star | katés | katés | katéss | katís | katäs | katés | ketes | foʔoteki | |||
| dog | nóo | nuuːx | niuʔux | niuʔux | níu | sidnóx | signag | esinax | atsüná | nunnax | |
| jaguar | ayä | yaáx | yáox | yáʔox | iyox | haiyüx | yag | eyax | haróx | kometenax | |
| black | lämi | klím | klim | lim | palüx | pelag | peláx | fo |
Proto-language
Major reconstructions of Proto-Mataguayo include those by Viegas Barros and Nikulin & Carol.Animal and plant names
The following reconstructions of Proto-Mataguayan animal and plant names are from Nikulin & Carol.;Abbreviations