Tacana language

Western Tacanan language of Bolivia
Tacana
Native toBolivia
RegionLa Paz Department (Bolivia)
Ethnicity7,400 (2012)[1]
Native speakers
1,200 (2012)[1]
Language family
Tacanan
  • Araona–Tacanan
    • Cavinena–Tacana
      • Tacana Proper
        • Tacana
Official status
Official language in
 Bolivia
Language codes
ISO 639-3tna
Glottologtaca1256
ELPTacana

Tacana is a Western Tacanan language spoken by some 1,800 Tacana people in Bolivia out of an ethnic population of 5,000. They live in the forest along the Beni and Madre de Dios rivers in the north of La Paz Department. Numerous dialects, now extinct, have been attributed to Tacana: Ayaychuna, Babayana, Chiliuvo, Chivamona, Idiama (Ixiama), Pamaino, Pasaramona, Saparuna, Siliama, Tumupasa (Maracani, "Tupamasa"), Uchupiamona, Yabaypura, and Yubamona (Mason 1950).

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Dental/
Alveolar
Post-
alveolar
Velar Glottal
Plosive voiceless p t k ʔ
voiced b d
Affricate t͡s t͡ʃ
Fricative voiceless s ʃ h
voiced β ð
Nasal m n
Rhotic ɾ r
Semivowel w j

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close i u
Mid e
Open a

[2]

External links

  1. ^ a b Tacana at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed access icon
  2. ^ Lazarte, Manuel L.; Van Wynen, Donald & Mabel (1962). Fonemas tacana y modelos de acentuación. Cochabamba: Instituto Lingüístico de Verano.


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