Matacoan languages

Matacoan (also Mataguayan, Matákoan, Mataguayo, Mataco–Mataguayo, Matacoano, Matacoana) is a language family of northern Argentina, western Paraguay, and southeastern Bolivia.

Matákoan
Mataguayo
Geographic distribution	Chaco region
Linguistic classification	Mataco–Guaicuru ? Matákoan
Language codes
Glottolog	mata1289

Family division

Matacoan consists of four clusters of languages. The family also has a clear binary split between Wichí-Chorote and Maká-Nivaclé according to Nikulin (2019).^[1] Gordon (2005) in Ethnologue divides Wichí into three separate languages and Chorote into two languages.

• Matacoan
  • Wichí-Chorote
    • Wichí (also known as Mataco, Wichi, Wichí Lhamtés, Weenhayek, Noctenes, Matahuayo, Matako, Weʃwo. The name Mataco is common but pejorative.)
      • Vejoz (also known as Vejo, Pilcomayo, Bermejo, Wichí Lhamtés Vejoz)
      • Noktén (also known as Noctén, Wichí Lhamtés Nocten)
      • Wiznay (also known as Güisnay, Wichí Lhamtés Güisnay)
      • Matawayo (also known as Matahuayo)
    • Chorote (also known as Chorotí, Yofúaha, Tsoloti)
      • Manhui (also known as Manjuy, Iyo’wujwa Chorote)
      • Eklenhui (also known as Eclenjuy, Eklehui, Iyojwa’ja Chorote, Chorote, Choroti)
  • Maká-Nivaclé
    • Nivaclé (also known as Chulupí–Ashlushlay, Chulupí, Ajlujlay, Alhulhai, Niwaklé, Niwaqli, Churupi, Chulupe. The name Chulupí is common but pejorative.)
      • Forest Nivaclé
      • River Nivaclé
    • Maká (also known as Macá, Maca, Towolhi, Toothle, Nynaka, Mak’á, Enimaca, Enimaga)
      • Ma’ká (also known as Towolhi)
      • Enimaga (also known as Enimaa, Kochaboth)

Mason (1950)

Internal classification by Mason (1950):^[2]

• Mataco-Maca
  • Mataco
    • Mataco-Mataguayo
      • Mataco
        • Guisnay
        • Nocten (Octenai)
      • Mataguayo
        • Northern: Hueshuo, Pesatupe, Abucheta
        • Southern: Vejoz
    • Chorotí-Ashluslay
      • Chorotí (Yofuaha)
      • Ashluslay (Chulupí, Chonopí, Sukin, Sotiagay, Tapieté)
  • Macá (Enimagá, Cochaboth, Guaná, Lengua)
    • Enimagá
      • Macá (Towothli, Toosle)
    • Guentusé
    • Cochaboth-Lengua

Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Matacoan languages.^[3]

gloss	Choroti	Choropí	Suhín	Sotsiagay	Ashlusláy	Mataco	Vejoz	Nocten	Guisnai	Enimaga	Makká
head	sétek	satík	shutich		shatish	nu-xleték	litek	etek	oːn-sleták		in-hitla
tooth	sá-hue	huetseːute	tsaute		seuté	no-tsoté	no-chete	zoté	oːs-totéʔi		kon-xeti
water	inát	naːʔate	inaat	inaːat	inát	inót	guag	inat	inát	gualé	iwalü
fire	houat	itox	itox	itox	itóx	itóx	itag	ütax	etáx	feit	fat
sun	kilé	nʔkoklái	hankuklai	fünchokʔlaai	fingoklai	xuála	ixuala	ixuala	ixuála	tátla	xunnu
moon	huelä	xuékla	hiuerkla	xiwekla	huela	ihuälä	iguelach	iguelä	ivaʔedla		xuwãl
star	katés		katés	katéss	katís	katäs	katés	ketes			foʔoteki
dog	nóo	nuuːx	niuʔux	niuʔux	níu	sidnóx	signag	esinax	atsüná		nunnax
jaguar	ayä	yaáx	yáox	yáʔox	iyox	haiyüx	yag	eyax	haróx		kometenax
black	lämi	klím	klim		lim	palüx	pelag		peláx		fo

Proto-language

Major reconstructions of Proto-Mataguayo include those by Viegas Barros (2002)^[4] (see the corresponding Spanish article for a list of reconstructions) and Nikulin & Carol (2024).^[5]

Animal and plant names

The following reconstructions of Proto-Mataguayan animal and plant names are from Nikulin & Carol (2024).^[5]

Abbreviations

• (MN): reflexes only in Maká and Nivaclé, although the reconstructions are still at the Proto-Mataguayan level
• (ChW): reflexes only in Chorote and Wichí, although the reconstructions are still at the Proto-Mataguayan level

Invertebrates

Proto-Mataguayan	Gloss	Notes
*ɸátsu(ˀ)χ, *ɸátshu-ts	‘centipede’
*ɸínä(ˀ)χ	‘crab’
*ɸiˀs	‘leech’
*ɸít’i(ʔ) ~ *ɸít’ih	‘dragonfly’
*lǻp’ih ~ *lǻɸ’ih	‘snail’
*(-)ɬaʔ, *(-)ɬá-ts	‘louse’
*ɬeɬ	‘white snail’
*ˀwóså(ˀ)q ~ *ˀwóså(ˀ)k	‘butterfly’
*ʔǻnitih	‘wasp sp.’
*ʔéjaʔ (*-l)	‘mosquito’
*ɸánhaʔ ~ *ɸä́nhaʔ (*-jʰ)	‘locust’	(MN)
*sålå(ˀ)l, *sålål-its	‘middle-sized cicada’	(MN)
*ɸ(u)nájXV(ˀ)j	‘earthworm, amphisbaenian’	(ChW)
*kóˀl	‘locust’	(ChW)
*wóna(ʔ)	‘bala wasp (Polybia ruficeps) honey(comb); hat’	(ChW)

Fish

Proto-Mataguayan	Gloss	Notes
*pxúse-naˀχ	‘bearded; gilded catfish’
*k’unhate-nhaʔ (*-jʰ)	‘pacu fish’	(MN)
*sijå(ˀ)χ, *sijåχ-its	‘fish sp.’	(MN)
*(ˀ)wǻnaˀχ, *(ˀ)wǻnha-ts	‘piranha’	(MN)
*ʔutsi(h) (*-l)	‘marbled swamp eel’	(MN)
*ʔatsXa(ʔ), *ʔatsXá-l	‘dorado’	(ChW)

Reptiles and amphibians

Proto-Mataguayan	Gloss	Notes
*tós (*-its)	‘snake’
*ʔáɬu(ʔ) (*-ts)	‘iguana’
*ʔáɬu-taχ, *ʔáɬu-ta-ts	‘alligator’
*ʔatuˀχ ~ *ʔatúˀχ	‘snake sp.’
*ʔåˀlå	‘South American rattlesnake; caninana’
*ʔåˀlǻ-taχ	‘Argentine boa’
*ɸaxi(ˀ)j ~ *ɸäxi(ˀ)j	‘green ameiva (Ameiva ameiva)’	(MN)
*káˀlah, *káˀla-ts	‘lizard’	(ChW)
*ktáˀnih, *ktáˀni-ts	‘Chaco tortoise’	(ChW)
*s’ǻm (*-its)	‘frog sp.’
*pǻˀjih	‘frog (Leptodactylus sp.)’	(ChW)
*tǻtsna(ˀ)X₁₂ ~ *tǻtsne(ˀ)χ	‘toad’	(ChW)

Birds

Proto-Mataguayan	Gloss	Notes
*ɸaʔáj (fruit); *ɸaʔáj-uˀk, *ɸaʔáj-ku-jʰ (tree)	‘white algarrobo (Prosopis alba)’
*jit’åʔ, *jit’ǻ-l	‘turkey vulture’
*kijápo(ˀ)p ?~ *k’ijápo(ˀ)p	‘common potoo (Nyctibius griseus)’
*k’å ~ *k’ǻ	‘variable antshrike (Thamnophilus caerulescens)’
*k’ék’eh	‘monk parakeet’
*k’ú(t)sta(ˀ)χ, *k’ú(t)sta-ts	‘barn owl (Tyto alba)’
*mijó (*-l)	‘savannah hawk’
*ˀmók (*-its)	‘creamy-bellied thrush (Turdus amaurochalinus)’
*pǻnhajeχ ~ *pånhájeχ ~ *pånhajéχ	‘neotropic cormorant’
*påttséχ	‘jabiru’
*pí(t)staʔ	‘masked gnatcatcher’
*sát’a(ˀ)(t)s	‘parakeet sp.’
*stwúˀn, *stwún-its	‘king vulture’
*tilVχ ~ *tílVχ ~ *tilV́χ	‘white woodpecker’
*túsu(ˀ)(t)s	‘lesser yellowlegs’
*t’isåʔ ~ *t’isǻʔ (*-l)	‘cream-backed woodpecker (Campephilus leucopogon)’
*tsåhǻq (*-its)	‘chajá bird’
*tsijáʔ ?~ *ts’ijáʔ	‘caracara (Milvago sp.)’
*tsiwáɬqoɬ	‘little nightjar (Setopagis parvula)’
*tsoˀm ~ *tsóˀm	‘plush-crested jay (Cyanocorax chrysops)’
*ts’áts’ih, *ts’áts’i-l	‘rufous hornero’
*ˀwǻnXåɬåχ, *ˀwǻnXåɬå-ts	‘rhea’
*xókhajeχ	‘Muscovy duck’
*(ʔa)X₁₃útsa(ˀ)χ, *(ʔa)X₁₃útsha-ts	‘crested caracara’
*ʔáp’a(ˀ)χ ~ *ʔáɸ’a(ˀ)χ	‘jararaca’
*ʔáxaʔ	‘stork’
*ʔéle(ʔ)	‘parrot’
*ʔóɸoʔ (*-ts)	‘picazuro pigeon (Patagioenas picazuro)’
*ʔúlʔåh, *ʔúlʔå-ts	‘dove (Columbina sp.)’
*jinqå-(ju)ˀk, *jinqå-ku-jʰ (tree); *jinqåˀ-p, *jinqå-p-its (season)	‘white algarrobo (Prosopis alba)’	(MN)
*kómiʔ	‘Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis)’	(MN)
*teχ (*-its)	‘parrot sp.’	(MN)
*på(ˀ)q	‘kind of zorzal (Turdus sp.)’	(ChW)
*qatsíwo(ʔ)	‘limpkin’	(ChW)
*silóʔtåɸV(ʔ) ?~ *siwóʔtåɸe(ʔ)	‘Caatinga puffbird’	(ChW)
*spú(ˀ)p	‘dove’	(ChW)
*stǻɸe(ʔ)	‘Chaco chachalaca’	(ChW)
*wóp’ih ~ *wóɸ’ih ?~ *móp’ih ~ *móɸ’ih	‘snowy egret, great egret’	(ChW)
*wósak’V(ˀ)t	‘red-crested cardinal’	(ChW)

Mammals

Proto-Mataguayan	Gloss	Notes
*jiˀjåˀX₁₂	‘jaguar’
*kɸá(t)s’i(ʔ)	‘Molina's hog-nosed skunk’
*k’alxó, *k’alxó-ts	‘southern three-banded armadillo’
*ˀlä́jX₂₃VnåX₁₃å	‘Azara's night monkey’
*me(ʔ) ~ *mé(ʔ)	‘otter’
*núʔuh, *núʔu-ts	‘dog’
*ˀnjǻnxteʔ	‘Chacoan mara (cavy), tapeti’
*slǻqha(ˀ)j, *slǻqhaj-its	‘wild cat’
*sˀwúla(ˀ)χ, *sˀwúla-ts	‘anteater’
*tänúk (*-its)	‘feline’ (‘cat’ in the contemporary languages)
*xéjåʔ (*-l)	‘bat’
*ʔámʔåh, *ʔámʔå-ts	‘rat’
*ʔáqåtse(ˀ)χ	‘kind of armadillo’
*ʔáwu(C)tseχ	‘Chacoan peccary; collared peccary’
*ʔuwáɬe(ˀ)χ ?~ *C’uwáɬe(ˀ)χ	‘puma’
*ʔVláʔah, *ʔVláʔa-ts	‘lesser grison’
*ʔåɸínaˀχ, *ʔåɸínha-ts	‘black howler’	(MN)
*him (*-its)	‘coati’	(MN)
*jiʔixåtaχ, *jiʔixåta-ts	‘ocelot’	(MN)
*(ˀ)wawo(h) (*-l)	‘maned wolf’	(MN)
*(ˀ)wq’am ~ *(ˀ)wq’äm	‘white-eared opossum’	(MN)
*ʔåχtinaˀχ, *ʔåχtinha-ts	‘marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus)’	(MN)
*ʔujhVl	‘otter sp.’	(MN)
*níltsa(ˀ)X₁₂, *níltsX₁₃a-ts	‘white-lipped peccary’	(ChW)
*Xmáwoh; *Xmáwo-taχ, *Xmáwo-ta-ts	‘fox’	(ChW)

Plants

Proto-Mataguayan	Gloss	Notes
*ɸtsǻna(ˀ)χ	‘Baccharis sp.’
*ɸts-uˀk, collective *ɸis-kat	‘Copernicia alba palm’
*kéɬχa-juˀk, *kéɬχa-jku-jʰ	‘red quebracho (Schinopsis balansae)’
*khǻt (fruit); *khǻt-uˀk, *khǻt-ku-jʰ (plant)	‘cactus’
*lä́tseni(ʔ) (fruit); *lä́tsen-uˀk, *lä́tsen-ku-jʰ (tree)	‘chañar (Geoffroea decorticans)’
*lóta-(ju)ˀk	‘iscayante tree (for making bows)’
*náwa(ˀ)x	‘cactus sp.’
*néwo(ˀ)k	‘wild manioc (Marsdenia castillonii)’
*sát-uˀk, *sát-ku-jʰ	‘lecherón tree (Sapium haematospermum)’
*sóp’wa(-ta)-juˀk, *sóp’wa(-ta)-jku-jʰ	‘caspi zapallo (Pisonia zapallo)’
*sténi(ʔ) (fruit); *stén-uˀk (tree)	‘white quebracho (Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco)’
*tsänúˀk	‘duraznillo (Ruprechtia triflora)’
*tsóɸa (fruit)	‘Maytenus vitis-idaea’
*tsóɸa-taχ (fruit); *tsóɸa-ta-(ju)ˀk (tree)	‘Lycium americanum’
*wák’a(ʔ) (fruit); *wák’a-juˀk, *wák’a-jku-jʰ (tree)	‘guayacán (Libidibia paraguariensis)’
*wátå(ˀ)χ (fruit); *wáth(å-j)uˀk (tree)	‘palo flojo (Albizia inundata or Enterolobium contortisiliquum)’
*wijeʔ	‘cactus (Bromelia serra)’
*wósitseχ (fruit); *wósits-uˀk, *wósits(e)-ku-jʰ	‘Prosopis nigra’
*xélå(ˀ)X₁₂ (fruit), *xélå-juˀk (tree)	‘plant sp.’
*xunxátaχ (fruit); *xunxáta-(ju)ˀk (tree)	‘tusca (Acacia aroma)’
*xunxáta-kat (grove)	‘tusca (Acacia aroma)’
*X₁₃óˀk	‘Bulnesia sarmientoi’
*ʔaX₁₃ǻje(ˀ)χ (fruit); *ʔaX₁₃ǻj-uˀk, *ʔaX₁₃ǻj-ku-jʰ (tree)	‘mistol (Ziziphus mistol)’
*ʔǻl(V)tse(ˀ)χ, *ʔǻl(V)tse-ts	‘cháguar (Bromelia urbaniana = Deinacanthon urbanianum)’
*ʔǻnhajeχ (bean); *ʔǻnhaj-uˀk (plant); *ʔǻnhaje-ˀp (season)	‘Capparis retusa’
*ʔåtits ~ *ʔåtíts ~ *ʔåtets ~ *ʔåtéts	‘wild pepper’
*ɸinåk, *ɸinhå-jʰ	‘tobacco’	(MN)
*låttsiki-juˀk, *låttsiki-ku-jʰ	‘willow’	(MN)
*samto-ˀk	‘bamboo (Guadua angustifolia)’	(MN)
*tsaqaq ~ *-ä-	‘plant sp.’	(MN)
*(ˀ)wut	‘a bushy leguminous plant’	(MN)
*xoxaw-uˀk ?~ *xoxi-juˀk, *-ku-jʰ	‘Tabebuia nodosa tree’	(MN)
*ʔåthajeχ (fruit); *ʔåthaj-uˀk, *ʔåthaj-ku-jʰ (tree) (*-hä-)	‘molle plant’	(MN)
*ʔomhatäk (fruit); *ʔomhatä-(ju)ˀk, *ʔomhatä-ku-jʰ (tree) (~ *-hä-)	‘queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)’	(MN)
*ɸálawuˀk	‘strangler vine (Morrenia odorata)’	(ChW)
*ɸílå(ˀ)X₁₂	‘Solanum sp.’	(ChW)
*ktéta(ʔ) ~ *ktä́ta(ʔ) (fruit); *ktéta-(ju)k ~ *ktä́ta-juk (tree)	‘Prosopis elata’	(ChW)
*kutsá(ˀ)X₁₂ ~ *kutsé(ˀ)χ ?~ *k’utsá(ˀ)X₁₂ ~ *k’utsé(ˀ)χ	‘cháguar (Bromelia hieronymi)’	(ChW)
*stá(ˀ)X (fruit); *stá-ˀq (plant)	‘Stetsonia coryne cactus’	(ChW)
*tsémɬå(ˀ)k ~ *tsä́mɬå(ˀ)k	‘silk floss tree’	(ChW)
*tsu(ˀ)X ?~*ts’u(ˀ)X (fruit); *tsuX-uk ?~ *ts’uX-uk (tree)	‘sachamembrillo (Capparis tweediana)’	(ChW)
*ʔaté(ˀ)k ~ *ʔatä́(ˀ)k	‘cebil (Anadenanthera colubrina) or vinal (Prosopis ruscifolia)’	(ChW)