| Sechura | |
|---|---|
| Sek | |
| Native to | Peru |
| Region | Department of Piura |
| Extinct | late 19th century?[1] |
Sechura–Catacao?
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | None (mis) |
qfi | |
| Glottolog | sech1236 |
 Sechura | |
TheSechura language, also known asSek, is an extinct language spoken in theDepartment of Piura ofPeru, near the port ofSechura. It appears to have become extinct by the beginning of the 20th century.[1] The only documentation is that of an 1863 word list byRichard Spruce,[2] as well as a word list by BishopMartínez Compañón (1782–1790).[3]
Sechura is too poorly known to be definitively classified. Kaufman notes that a connection between Sechura and theCatacaoan languages is likely and is supported by lexical evidence.[4]
Rivet groups Sechura andTallán together under the sameSek when he compares them to the Catacaoan languages.[5] In comparing word lists from Sechura and Tallán, Torero finds six likely cognates between the two:[6]
| Tallán | Sechura | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| water | xoto | tujut | river |
| son/daughter | ños-ma | ños-ñi | son/daughter |
| light | yura | yoro | sun |
| beach | coyu roro | roro | sea |
| woman | cucatama | cuctum | woman |
| fish | xuma | jum | fish |
However,Glottolog says the data is not compelling.
Below are sample Sechura words from a manuscript (currently held in Madrid) by BishopMartínez Compañón (1782-1790).[3] There is another copy of the manuscript currently held in Bogotá, which Urban (2019) considers to be less reliable and not the original.[7]
| gloss | Sechura |
|---|---|
| ‘man’ | succla; sucda (?) |
| ‘heart’ | chusiopunma |
| ‘father’ | jàchi |
| ‘sister’ | bapueñi |
| ‘moon’ | ñangru |
| ‘trunk’ | fucù |
| ‘grass’ | unñiòcòl |
| ‘rain’ | purir |
Below isRichard Spruce's 1863 Sechura word list as transcribed by Matthias Urban (2015).[8] Some transcriptions are uncertain, with alternative transcriptions following semicolons.
| gloss | Sechura |
|---|---|
| ‘man’ | recla |
| ‘woman’ | cucatama |
| ‘son or daughter’ | ñosma |
| ‘dog’ | tono |
| ‘hawk’ | kilkil |
| ‘serpent’ | kon’mpar |
| ‘lizard’ | ludac |
| ‘fish’ | xuma |
| ‘head’ | teuma |
| ‘stomach’ | puesa |
| ‘foot’ | lava |
| ‘eye’ | uchi |
| ‘nose’ | chuna |
| ‘mouth’ | collo |
| ‘hearing’ | tapa; fapa |
| ‘water’ | xoto |
| ‘light’ | yura |
| ‘maize’ | llumash |
| ‘sweet potato’ | chapru |
| ‘road’ | yuvirma |
| ‘come here!’ | xoroc tima; xoroc tema |
| ‘be quiet!’ | neshi |
| ‘come along’ | uchan; uchau |
| ‘no’ | shushca |
| ‘yes’ | yé |
| ‘turkey, buzzard’ | roncho |
| ‘beach’ | coyu roro |
| ‘cotton’ | sono; suno |
| ‘devil’ | ñash |
| ‘good day’ | amatioo |
| ‘how are you?’ | ubruncuma |
| ‘face’ | re |
| ‘sea’ | taholma |
| ‘pot’ | pillacala |
| ‘father in law’ | ratichma; rutichma |
| ‘mother in law’ | naminma |
| ‘where is your husband?’ | xamanmi recla |
| ‘here it is’ | cha |
