Quichua, Santiago del Estero

A language of Argentina

Santiagueño Quichua

Quichua

60,000 (2000 SIL), decreasing. No monolinguals.

Chaco province; Santiago del Estero province: Figueroa, Moreno, Robles, Sarmiento, Brigadier J. F. Ibarra, San Martín, Silipica, Loreto, Atamisqui, Avellaneda, Salavina, Quebrachos, Mitre, and Aguirre departments; perhaps Buenos Aires and Salta provinces.

Language Status

6a* (Vigorous).

Classification

Quechuan, Peripheral Quechua, Chinchay, Southern Chinchay

Dialects

None known. Lexical similarity: 81% with Bolivian or other Quechua. A member of macrolanguage Quechua [que].

Typology

20 consonants and 5 vowels.

Language Use

Vigorous. Increased use by media, musical groups. Chair of Quichua in the National University. Positive attitudes. Most also use Spanish [spa].

Language Development

Radio. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 1990.