Quechua, Arequipa-La Unión

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A language of Peru

ISO 639-3
qxu
Alternate Names
Arequipa Quechua, Cotahuasi Quechua, Quechua de Arequipa, Quechua de La Unión
Autonym
Runasimi
User Population

18,600 (2000). 10,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 32,000.

Location

Arequipa region: La Unión province, Cotahuasi district, Apurímac department, Antabamba province; Ayacucho and Cusco regions.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Quechuan, Peripheral Quechua, Chinchay, Southern Chinchay, Southern Peruvian Quechua
Dialects

Cotahuasi, Northern Arequipa, Highland Arequipa, Antabamba (Apurímac). Reportedly more similar linguistically to Cusco than to Ayacucho. Very similar to Eastern Apurímac [qve]. A member of macrolanguage Quechua [que].

Typology

SOV.

Language Use

Vigorous. Used in some schools. Some families switched to Spanish. Other language speakers use Quechua to talk to monolinguals. Administration, commerce, labor relations, religious services. Used by all. Negative attitudes. Considered inferior to Spanish [spa]. Most also use Spanish [spa]. Also use Cusco Quechua [quz], in schools.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 5%. Literacy rate in L2: 30%. 600 readers, 200 can write. Taught as subject in some primary schools. Literature. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Bible portions: 1993–1998.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Quechua, Arequipa-La Unión
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian.