| Puquina languages | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | Around Lake Titicaca |
| Extinct | early 19th century |
| Linguistic classification | Usually unclassified |
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | puq |
| Glottolog | puqu1242 |
Puquina (or Pukina) is a small, putative language family, often portrayed as a language isolate, which consists of the extinct Puquina language and Kallawaya, although it is assumed that the latter is just a remnant of the former mixed with Quechuan. Puquina speakers are last mentioned in the early nineteenth century.[3]
The Qhapaq simi, which was spoken by the Inca elite, in contrast to the Quechuan-speaking commoners, is thought to be related, as well as the Leco language, generally considered a language isolate. They are spoken by several native ethnic groups in the region surrounding Lake Titicaca (Peru and Bolivia) and in the north of Chile. Puquina itself is often associated with the culture that built Tiwanaku.
- ^ "The Puquina and Leko languages - Advances in Native South American Historical Linguistics". 52ica.etnolinguistica.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2014-12-23.
- ^ "The Much Debated History of Quechua". January 18, 2014.
- ^ Hannß, Katja (2021). "Linguistic manipulations in Kallawaya". In Mazzoli, Maria; Sippola, Eeva (eds.). New Perspectives on Mixed Languages: From Core to Fringe. Language Contact and Bilingualism. Vol. 18. De Gruyer Mouton. p. 197. doi:10.1515/9781501511257. ISBN 9781501511257.