Inga

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A language of Colombia

ISO 639-3
inb
Alternate Names
Highland Inga
User Population

18,000 in Colombia (Civallero 2008). Dispersed in various regions; adopted commerce as a survival strategy (Crevels 2007). Ethnic population: 19,600 (2018 census). Total users in all countries: 22,000.

Location

Nariño and Putumayo departments; some in Cauca department: Piamonte and Santa Rosa municipalities; 1,000 in Bogotá, some in regional capitals.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Classification
Quechuan, Peripheral Quechua, Chinchay, Northern Chinchay
Dialects

Santiago Inga, San Andrés Inga, Aponte Inga. Partially intelligible with Imbabura Quichua [qvi] of Ecuador. Aponte Inga dialect is most distinct.

Typology

SOV; 19 consonants and 3 vowels.

Language Use

Also use Spanish [spa]. Used as L2 by Camsá [kbh].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 10%–60%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. NT: 1996–2009.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Inga
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Also spoken in:

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