Capanahua

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A language of Peru

ISO 639-3
kaq
Alternate Names
Capabaquebo, Capanawa, Kapanawa, Nuquencaibo, “Capacho” (pej.)
Autonym
Capa Baquebo
User Population

100 (Crevels 2012). Some may be in voluntary isolation (2013 Ministry of Education). No monolinguals. Ethnic population: 380 (2007 census).

Location

Loreto region: Tapiche-Buncuya rivers area.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Classification
Panoan, Mainline, Shipibo
Dialects

Pahenbaquebo. Lexical similarity: 50%–60% with Shipibo [shp].

Typology

SOV; 16 consonants and 8 vowels (4 short, 4 long).

Language Use

Few child speakers: one-third have passive knowledge but generally do not acquire Capanahua (Crevels 2007). Use of Spanish [spa] between two Capanahua speakers can be interpreted as rejecting the other person as an outsider. Adults in the home.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: Below 10%. Literacy rate in L2: 5%–15%. Literature. Dictionary. Texts. NT: 1978–2008.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Capanahua
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

“Capacho” is a pejorative term. Christian, traditional religion.