ELL: New Grammar

[Dr. MJ Hardman]

I thought that members of this list might be interested in this new
grammar of an endangered language.  I have a sabbatical for spring
semester, and will be working on teaching training for bilingual
education in an effort to preserve the language -- at the request of the
community.  The sister language, Kawki, has only one fluent speaker left,
but he is trying to teach the language in the school in Cachuy.

MJ Hardman



Jaqaru

M.J. HARDMAN
University of Florida

Jaqaru, a member of the Jaqi family of languages (Jaqaru, Kawki,
Aymara), is spoken in the Andes Mountains of Perú by a few thousand
people resident both in Tupe and nearby villages and as migrants in
cities.  Children today are all bilingual in Jaqaru and Spanish.
Access to Tupe is by a foot and pack animal road.

The phonemic system distinguishes 36 consonants but only 3 vowels.
Vowel dropping is significant, complex and pervasive, marking case and
phrase structure as well as style.

The language makes extensive use of morphology, with all verbs
carrying several suffixes.  Syntax is morphologically marked; verbal
person suffixes mark simultaneously object/subject; data source is
marked at all levels of grammar.  Within the nominal system
inclusive/exclusive and humanness are marked.

MJ HARDMAN is Professor of Anthropology and Linguistics at the
University of Florida. She began study of Jaqaru in the fifties and
has since been continually involved with one or another of the Jaqi
languages for which she has written grammars, teaching materials and
cultural studies.  She founded INEL (Instituto Nacional de Estudios
Lingüísticos) in Bolivia and the Aymara Language Materials Program at
the University of Florida.  Her current research also involves
language and gender and the patterning of worldview in language.

ISBN 3 89586 243 6.
Languages of the World/Materials 183.
Ca. 160pp.
EUR 46.01 / USD 52 / DM 90 / pound sterling 34.

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