Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Lowland Peruvian Quechua

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Native to
  
Peru

Native speakers
  
22,000 (2000–2003)

Language family
  
Quechuan Quechua II Northern Lowland Peruvian Quechua

ISO 639-3
  
Either: qvs – Lamas (San Martín) quk – Chachapoyas

Glottolog
  
sanm1289  (Lamas) chac1250  (Chachapoyas)

Lowland Peruvian Quechua, or Chachapoyas–Lamas Quechua, are Quechuan languages spoken in the lowlands of northern Peru. The two principal varieties are,

  • Lamas Quechua, or San Martín Quechua (Lamista, Llakwash Runashimi), spoken in Lamas Province in San Martín Region and in some villages on the Huallaga River in the Ucayali Region by some 15,000 people
  • Chachapoyas Quechua or Amazonas Quechua, spoken in Chachapoyas Province and Luya Province in the Amazonas Region by some 7000 people
  • Inga Kichwa, spoken in the province of Datem del Marañón in the Loreto Region along the Huasaga, Manchari, and Pastaza rivers by approximately 3500 people.

    • Few children are learning Chachapoyas Quechua. Conila is said to be the last village where children are able to speak it.

    Lowland Peruvian Quechua is quite similar in pronunciation to the Ecuadorian Kichwa language. However, it has not been grammatically simplified (creolized?) to the same extent. For example, Lowland Peruvian maintains the inclusive/exclusive distinction for "we".

    References

    Lowland Peruvian Quechua Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA