| Uru–Chipaya | |
|---|---|
| Uruquilla | |
| Geographic distribution | LakesTiticaca andPoopo,Bolivia |
| Ethnicity | Uru |
| Linguistic classification | One of the world's primarylanguage families |
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | uruc1242 |
 Current distribution of Uru-Chipaya-speaking peoples | |
TheUru–Chipaya family is an indigenouslanguage family ofBolivia.
The speakers were originally fishermen on the shores ofLake Titicaca,Lake Poopó, and theDesaguadero River.
Chipaya has over a thousand speakers and sees vigorous use in the native community, but all otherUru languages or dialects are extinct.
Loukotka (1968) also lists theChango language, once spoken on the coast of Chile fromHuasco toCobija inAntofagasta Province. According to Loukotka that population would have beenAraucanized at some point in history.[1] More modern classifications leave it unclassified,[2] as only proper names and placenames are known (Mason 1950).
Stark (1972) proposed aMaya–Yunga–Chipayan macrofamily linkingMayan with Uru–Chipaya andYunga (Mochica).[3]
Jolkesky (2016) notes that there are lexical similarities with theKunza,Pukina,Pano,Jaqi,Kechua,Mapudungun, andMoseten-Tsimane language families due to contact.[4]
Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for Uro (Uru) and Chipaya.[1]
| gloss | Uro | Chipaya |
|---|---|---|
| one | sipi | shintal'a |
| two | pisk'i | pishk |
| three | chepe | chep |
| head | ácha | acha |
| eye | shukui | chuki |
| hand | kárshi | kxara |
| woman | túkũ | txuna |
| water | koási | kuas |
| sun | túñi | túñi |
| maize | tura | tara |