Peru is one of the richest countries in culture and history. Because of its diversity, Peruvians do not only have the Spanish language as the only language to express themselves. This aspect is important for the formation of our identity as a country, taking responsibility for preserving, developing them, retrieve and disseminate them.
What are the original languages? They are all those that were used prior to the dissemination of the Spanish language and that are preserved and used within the national territory. These are part of the collective identity.
What can we do to preserve our native languages? According to an official article published by the Ministry of Culture, there are a number of aspects that must be considered to preserve native languages.
- Parents who have inherited a native language must have time to pass it on to their children and relatives. Intergenerational transmission is the main engine for a language not to die.
- Families and communities must generate adequate spaces for the revitalization of the native language through activities specific to the culture or people.
- It is important to transmit official ceremonies and other public events in the native language spoken in a given territory, such as accountability, participatory budgeting, presentation of local and regional development projects or initiatives.
- Entities must implement the use of signage in the native language in the area of competence, as well as progressively translate the names of the entities and their dependencies.
HOW MANY ORIGINAL LANGUAGES ARE THERE IN PERU?
Our cultural and linguistic wealth is expressed in 48 native languages, of which: 44 are Amazonian and 4 Andean. In addition to Spanish, these are official languages in the communities, districts, provinces, departments or regions where they predominate. Did you know what... Quechua is spoken in almost the entire country, and 44 are spoken in the Amazon.
LIST OF ORIGINAL LANGUAGES
(Information gathered from the file of the Database of Indigenous or Native Peoples)
Aimara
Amahuaca
Arabela
Ashaninka: It is an eminently agglutinating language because it adds many prefixes and suffixes to the lexical roots. This feature is also common in other Arawak languages.
Asheninka
Awān
Bora
Cashinahua
Chamikuro
This eja
Harakbut: it presents six dialect varieties, each belonging to a different cultural identity: amarakaeri, wachiperi, sapiteri, toyeri, arasaeri, pukirieri. All of these are spoken in Madre de Dios, except for the wachiperi that corresponds to Cusco.
Ikitu
Iskonawa
Jaqaru
Oddly
Kakin
Kandozi-Chapra
Kapanawa
Kawki
Kukama Kukamiria: it is part of the Tupi-Guarani language family and is spoken by the people of the same name in the Marañón, Tigre, Urituyacu and Huallaga river basins, in the provinces of Alto Amazonas, Requena and Loreto of the region of the same name.
Madia
Maijɨki
Matses
Matsigenka
Matsigenka montetokunirira
Munichi: According to Ministerial Resolution No. 111-2020-MINEDU, of February 25, 2020, it has an official alphabet established with 29 scripts: a, ch, ç, d, e, f, g, i, j, k, ky, l, m, n, ñ, p, r, s, sh, t, ts, tz, u, ü, w, y, zh, '.
Nahua
Nomatsigenga
Ocaina
Quechua: According to the Ministry of Education, this language has four branches that group the varieties: Amazonian, Northern, Central and Southern.
Resigaro
Secoya
Sharanahua
Shawi
Shipibo-Konibo
Shiwilu
Taushiro
Ticuna: it is spoken in the basins of the Amazon, Mayoruna and Yaguas rivers, in the department of Loreto. In addition, it is also spoken in Brazil and Colombia.
Urarina
Yagua
Yaminahua
Yanesha
Yine: According to the BDPI, there are 2680 people who have learned it and have it as their mother tongue.
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