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Quechua Language (Quichua, Inga, Inca, Runasimi)

Quechua is famous for being the language of the Inca Empire of Peru. In truth, however, there is no single Quechua language--instead there is what linguists called a dialect chain across most of Western South America, in which speakers of one Quechua language can understand the languages spoken by their immediate neighbors, but not a language further from them. So, for example, a speaker of South Bolivian Quechua may understand North Bolivian Quechua, but not any of the Quechua varieties spoken in Peru; the North Bolivian Quechua speaker would not be able to understand Argentinian Quechua, and neither of them could understand Ecuadorian Quichua. There are as many as forty such Quechuan languages spoken natively by a combined seven million Indian people in South America.

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Quechua Language
Quechua language samples and resources.

Quechua Culture and History
Information and links about the Quechua tribe past and present.

Inca Legends
Introduction to Incan mythology.



Quechua Language Resources

Our Online Quechua Materials

Quechua Words
     Our list of vocabulary words in three Quechua languages (Cuzco, Huenca, and Ecuadorian Quichua.)
Quechua Animal Words:
    Illustrated glossary of animal words in the Quechua language.
Quechua Colors:
    Worksheet showing color words in the Quechua language.
Quechua Numbers:
     Worksheet showing how to count in the Quechua language.

Quechua Language Lessons and Linguistic Descriptions

Language Map of the Andes * Quechua-Aymara Map: * Peru Linguistic Map:
    Maps showing the areas in South America where Quechua is spoken.
Peru Linguistic Map * Tribes and Languages of Peru:
    Maps showing the areas in South America where Quechua is spoken.
Quechua Language and Linguistics
     An expansive website introducing the Quechua language, debunking popular myths, and providing some historical and cultural background.
Quechua Homepage
     Online Quechua lessons and information about in-person Quechua classes.
Cyber-Quechua
     Information about the Quechua language from a native Peruvian linguist.
Quechua Alphabet:
    Phonological inventory of Quechua, with a sample text.
Freelang: Quechua of Cuzco * Freelang: Bolivian Quechua:
     Free downloadable wordlists from two Quechua languages.
Cajamarca Quechua Language * Ayacucho Quechua Language * Lambayeque Quechua Phonology * Ayacucho Quechua Text:
    Inga Language * Inga Phonology * Inga Orthography * Inga Alphabet * Inga Grammar:
    Inga Text * Inga Language Map:
    Scanned-in Quechua language materials from the Rosetta Project.
Bolivian Quechua * Ancash Quechua: * Ayacucho Quechua: * Cuzco Quechua:
    Linguistic chart of phonemes in four Quechua languages.
Aymara and Quechua : Languages in Contact:
    Linguistics article on the interplay between the Aymara and Quechua languages.
Diccionario Quechua Chanka:
    Online Spanish-Quechua glossary, with some audio clips of spoken words.
Cuzco Quechua Papers:
    Archive of linguistics papers on Quechua, in English and Spanish.
UDHR: Quechua Language * UDHR: Kichwa * UDHR: Quechua de Ambo-Pasco * UDHR: Quechua de Ayacucho:
     UDHR: Quechua de Cajamarca * UDHR: Quechua de Cotahuasi * UDHR: Quechua de Huamalies:
     UDHR: Quechua de Margos * UDHR: Ancash Quechua * UDHR: Quechua del Callejon de Huaylas:
     UDHR: Quechua del Cusco * UDHR: Quechua del Norte de Junin * UDHR: Quichua Language:
     The Universal Declaration of Human Rights translated into several Quechua languages.
Quechua Indian Prayers * Lord's Prayer in Ayacucho Quechua * Imbabura Quechua Prayer:
     Tigre Quechua Prayer * Quichua Prayer * Inga Prayers:
    Translations of Christian prayers into the Quechua language.
Children Singing Peace Around the World:
    Quechua translation of a children's peace song.
Genesis in Chimborazo Highland Quichua * Genesis in Ayacucho Quechua * Language Museum: Napo Lowland Quichua:
     Huánuco Huallaga Quechua: * South Bolivian Quechua * Southern Pastaza Quechua * Huanca Huaylla Quechua
     Cajamarca Quechua: * Genesis in Lambayeque Quechua: * The New Testament in Quechua
    Bible passages in the Quechua languages.
House of Languages: Quechua:
    Information about Quechua language usage.
Ethnologue: Quechua:
    Demographic information about the Quechua languages.
Quechuan Language Tree:
    Theories about Quechua's language relationships compiled by Linguist List.
Ayacucho Quechua Language Structures * Cuzco Quechua Language Structures * Ecuadorian Quechua Language Structures * Inga Language Structures
    Huallaga Quechua Language Structures * Ancash Quechua Language Structures * Highland Quechua Language Structures * Tarma Quechua Language Structures
    Bolivian Quechua Language Structures * Cajamarca Quechua Language Structures * Cochabamba Quechua Language Structures:
    Quechua linguistic profiles and academic bibliographies.
The Prosody of Affect in South Conchucos Quechua
     Linguistics article about Popoluca discourse, including audio samples.

Quechua Proper Names

Andean Placenames:
    Chart of place names in Quechua, Inga and Aymara.
Names in Quechua:
    List of Quechua names with their meanings in Spanish.

Quechua Language Dictionaries, Audio Tapes and Language Resources
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Quechua-Spanish-English Dictionary
     Trilingual Quechua dictionary for sale.
Lonely Planet Quechua Phrasebook
     Conversational Quechua guide, also with interesting cultural information about the Quechuas.
Pichka Harawikuna: Five Quechua Poets
     Quechua language poetry, with English and Spanish facing translation.
She-Calf and Other Quechua Folk Tales
     Quechua legends and stories in their original language, with facing English translation.
Pichka Harawikuna: Five Quechua Poets
     Quechua language poetry, with English and Spanish facing translation.
Indian Dictionaries:
    Quechua and other Native American dictionaries and language materials for sale.

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Links, References, and Additional Information

Bolivian Quechua * Cuzco Quechua * Cajamarca Quechua * Quichua:
Bibliography of Quechua language resources from the Endangered Languages Project.
Quechua Language:
Encyclopedia articles on Quechua.
Idioma Quechua * Lengua Quechua * Lenguas Quechuas:
Information about the Quechua language in Spanish.
Quechua Language * Quechua Language Resources * Quichua Language:
Quechua links pages.
Quechua Tribe:
  Quechua Indian books.



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