Difference between revisions of "Yucho languages"
| Line 29: | Line 29: | ||
The standard Yucho language is a koine based primarily on Hirachir, but with contributions from Nirewo, Tuskurasu and, to a lesser extent, Enyet. | The standard Yucho language is a koine based primarily on Hirachir, but with contributions from Nirewo, Tuskurasu and, to a lesser extent, Enyet. | ||
The autonym Yucho is derived from the Proto-Yucho word *pjuco. The standard form ''Yuco'' appears to be based on Nirewo - the only dialect that preserved mid-high vowels word finally - with the native forms in the other dialects being ''Yucu'' in Hirachir and Tuskurasu and ''Pucu'' in Enyet. However, the -o form appears to have been borrowed into Hirachir at a relatively early date and is overwhelmingly the most popular form, with ''Yucu'' only found among highly rural speakers. The p-form ''Pucu'' was historically the most common form found in Enyet, but standardisation efforts have introduced the y-form into the vocabulary in recent years, and it appears to be the preferred form among younger people. | |||
==Further Reading== | ==Further Reading== | ||
Revision as of 23:29, 10 March 2022
| Yucho | |
|---|---|
| Ethnicity: | 40,870 Yucho |
| Geographic distribution: | Kasiiralq (Yaro Islands) |
| Linguistic classification: | One of Sahar's primary language families |
| Proto-language: | Proto-Yucho |
| Subdivisions: | |
| CWS code | YCO |
Yucho (Yucho: [jutʃo]), sometimes also Yuchic, is a small language family, occasionally considered a language isolate, spoken by the Yucho people of the Yaro archipelago, with a small community inhabiting the mouth of the Enyet river basin on the Kasiiralqi mainland.
Yucho is commonly separated into four main dialects or languages: Hirachir, Nirewo, Tuskurasu and Enyet. Of these, Hirachir is the most widely spoken with around 25,000 speakers, followed by Nirewo with around 11,000, Tuskurasu with around 4,000 and Enyet with around 600. Mutual intelligibility between Nirewo and Tuskurasu is reported to be low, with Hirachir appearing to be largely transitional between the two. All island dialects have low intelligibility with Enyet. The standard Yucho language is a koine based primarily on Hirachir, but with contributions from Nirewo, Tuskurasu and, to a lesser extent, Enyet.
The autonym Yucho is derived from the Proto-Yucho word *pjuco. The standard form Yuco appears to be based on Nirewo - the only dialect that preserved mid-high vowels word finally - with the native forms in the other dialects being Yucu in Hirachir and Tuskurasu and Pucu in Enyet. However, the -o form appears to have been borrowed into Hirachir at a relatively early date and is overwhelmingly the most popular form, with Yucu only found among highly rural speakers. The p-form Pucu was historically the most common form found in Enyet, but standardisation efforts have introduced the y-form into the vocabulary in recent years, and it appears to be the preferred form among younger people.