Kunza is an extinct language isolate once spoken in the Atacama Desert of northern

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...

and southern

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

by the Atacama people, who have since shifted to Spanish. The last speaker was documented in 1949. Other names and spellings include Cunza, Likanantaí, Lipe, Ulipe, and Atacameño.

History

The language was spoken in northern Chile and southern Peru, specifically in the Chilean villages of Peine, Socaire (near the Salar de Atacama), and Caspana. The last Kunza speaker was found in 1949, although some have been found since according to anthropologists. There are 2,000 Atacameños (W. Adelaar). Unattested varieties listed by Loukotka (1968): *Atacameño of Bolivia - spoken in a small village on the frontier of Potosí Department, Bolivia, and

Antofagasta Province Antofagasta Province ( es, Provincia de Antofagasta) is one of three provinces in the northern Chilean region of Antofagasta (II). The capital is the port city of Antofagasta. Located within the Atacama Desert, it borders the El Loa and Tocopil ...

of Chile *Lipe (Olipe) - extinct language once spoken south of the Salar de Uyuni, Potosí Department, Bolivia

Classification

Kaufman (1990) found a proposed connection between Kunza and the likewise unclassified Kapixaná to be plausible; however, the language was more fully described in 2004, and the general consensus among linguists was that both languages are isolates.

Language contact

Jolkesky (2016) notes that there are lexical similarities with the Mochika, Kandoshi, Jaqi, Kechua, Mapudungun, and Uru-Chipaya language families due to contact.

Phonology

References

External links