Yavapai is an Upland Yuman language, spoken by Yavapai people in central and western Arizona. There are four dialects: Kwevkepaya, Wipukpaya, Tolkepaya, and Yavepe. Linguistic studies of the Kwevkepaya (Southern), Tolkepaya (Western), Wipukepa (Verde Valley), and Yavepe (Prescott) dialects have been published (Mithun 1999:578).
Yavapai was once spoken across much of north-central and western Arizona, but is now mostly spoken on the Yavapai reservations at Fort McDowell, the Verde Valley and Prescott.
Warren Gazzam, a Tolkapaya speaker, reported that "you know they (Hualapais) speak the same language as we do, some words or accents are a little different".[3]
Due to extensive cultural interchange, many Yavapai were once bilingual in Apache, and some Apache were bilingual in Yavapai.[4]
Unlike in Havasupai and Hualapai, postaspirated stops cannot appear in word-initial position (Shaterian 1983:215).
According to Martha Kendall, the morphemes /k/ and /m/ are "semantically contrastable," but are pronounced the same. She writes that homophony is present in Yavapai, and /k/ and /m/ are similar in phonological situations, but are syntactically different.[7]
Examples
Some sample words given in Yavapai translation:[8]
There have been recordings of Yavapai (as well as other Yuman languages) done in 1974, relating to phonology, syntax, and grammar. This was meant to understand the three topics better and to hear them.[9]
There is an effort to revitalize the language. There is a Yavapai language program for adults to learn the language and pass on to future generations.[10]
There have been attempts to save the language in the Yavapai community.[11]
Poetry and stories have been published in Yavapai on several occasions. Yavapai poems are featured in Gigyayk Vo'jka, the anthology of poetry in Yuman languages edited by Hualapai linguist Lucille Watahomigie. Yavapai stories also appear in Spirit Mountain: An Anthology of Yuman Story and Song. Both works are accompanied by English translations, and the poems in Gigyayk Vo'jka also feature a morphological analysis.
Alan Shaterian has published a dictionary of Northeastern Yavapai. Pamela Munro is working[when?] on a dictionary and grammar for Tolkepaya.
Footnotes
^Havasupai‑Walapai‑Yavapai at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
^Mierau, Eric (January 1963). "Concerning Yavapai-Apache Bilingualism". International Journal of American Linguistics. 29 (1): 1–3. doi:10.1086/464706. S2CID 144439528.
^Shaterian, Alan (1983). Phonology and Dictionary of Yavapai.
^Kendall, Martha (1974). "Relative Clause Formation and Topicalization in Yavapai". International Journal of American Linguistics. 40 (2): 89–101. doi:10.1086/465291. S2CID 143492840.
^Kendall, Martha (1975). "The /-k/, /-m/ Problem in Yavapai Syntax". International Journal of American Linguistics. 41: 1–9. doi:10.1086/465333. S2CID 144188658.
^Kendall, Martha Oaks (Burnett); Sine, Harold (2017-03-09). "Yavapai linguistic material". Retrieved 2017-03-09.
^House, Deborah. "Yavapai Language Programs". Stabilizing Indigenous Languages.
^"Museum honors Yavapai elder for language work - USATODAY.com". usatoday30.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2017-03-09.
References
Biggs, Bruce. 1957. Testing Intelligibility among Yuman Languages. In International Journal of American Linguistics. Vol. 23, No. 2. (April 1957), pp. 57–62. University of Chicago Press.
Mithun, Marianne. 1999. The Languages of Native North America. Cambridge University Press.
Shaterian, Alan William. 1983. Phonology and Dictionary of Yavapai. University of California, Berkeley.
External links
. Journal of American Indian Education. 20 (1). October 1980. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
Yavapai basic lexicon at the Global Lexicostatistical Database
January 07, 2023
yavapai, language, yavapai, upland, yuman, language, spoken, yavapai, people, central, western, arizona, there, four, dialects, kwevkepaya, wipukpaya, tolkepaya, yavepe, linguistic, studies, kwevkepaya, southern, tolkepaya, western, wipukepa, verde, valley, ya. Yavapai is an Upland Yuman language spoken by Yavapai people in central and western Arizona There are four dialects Kwevkepaya Wipukpaya Tolkepaya and Yavepe Linguistic studies of the Kwevkepaya Southern Tolkepaya Western Wipukepa Verde Valley and Yavepe Prescott dialects have been published Mithun 1999 578 YavapaiRegionArizona United StatesEthnicity1 420 Yavapai people 2004 1 Native speakers245 2015 census 2 Language familyYuman Core YumanPaiYavapaiLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code yuf class extiw title iso639 3 yuf yuf a Havasupai Walapai YavapaiGlottologhava1248 Havasupai Walapai Yavapaiyava1252 YavapaiYavapai was once spoken across much of north central and western Arizona but is now mostly spoken on the Yavapai reservations at Fort McDowell the Verde Valley and Prescott Contents 1 Geographic distribution 2 Phonology 3 Syntax 3 1 k and m Problem 4 Examples 5 Preservation efforts 6 Footnotes 7 References 8 External linksGeographic distribution EditThe rate of mutual comprehension between Yavapai and Havasupai Hualapai is similar to that between Mohave and Maricopa Biggs 1957 Warren Gazzam a Tolkapaya speaker reported that you know they Hualapais speak the same language as we do some words or accents are a little different 3 Due to extensive cultural interchange many Yavapai were once bilingual in Apache and some Apache were bilingual in Yavapai 4 Unlike in Havasupai and Hualapai postaspirated stops cannot appear in word initial position Shaterian 1983 215 Phonology EditYavapai consonant phonemes are shown below 5 Consonants in Yavapai Bilabial Dental Alveolar Palato alveolar Palatal Velar Uvular Glottalnor lab nor lab nor lab Plosive Affricate plain p t tʃ kʲ k kʷ q qʷ ʔaspirated pʰ tʰ tʃʰ kʰ kʰʷFricative b 8 s ʃ h hʷNasal m n ɲTrill rLateral l ʎ Semivowel j wVowels occur short mid and long in stressed syllables The contrast is reduced to two lengths in unstressed syllables Front Central BackClose i iˑ iː u uˑ uːMid e eˑ eː o oˑ oːOpen ae a aˑ aːThere are two tones on stressed syllables high level and falling which are neutralized to mid on unstressed syllables Syntax EditYavapai is a subject verb object language 6 k and m Problem Edit According to Martha Kendall the morphemes k and m are semantically contrastable but are pronounced the same She writes that homophony is present in Yavapai and k and m are similar in phonological situations but are syntactically different 7 Examples EditSome sample words given in Yavapai translation 8 English YavapaiTransliteration IPA transcriptionHello Mham jik gahHome Wah yoh wohLand Mat citation needed Rivers Aha gah hel lahFire Oo oʔo Grand Canyon Mahđ K illa or Wika ilahaThank you Honnii guhmPreservation efforts EditThere have been recordings of Yavapai as well as other Yuman languages done in 1974 relating to phonology syntax and grammar This was meant to understand the three topics better and to hear them 9 There is an effort to revitalize the language There is a Yavapai language program for adults to learn the language and pass on to future generations 10 There have been attempts to save the language in the Yavapai community 11 Poetry and stories have been published in Yavapai on several occasions Yavapai poems are featured in Gigyayk Vo jka the anthology of poetry in Yuman languages edited by Hualapai linguist Lucille Watahomigie Yavapai stories also appear in Spirit Mountain An Anthology of Yuman Story and Song Both works are accompanied by English translations and the poems in Gigyayk Vo jka also feature a morphological analysis Alan Shaterian has published a dictionary of Northeastern Yavapai Pamela Munro is working when on a dictionary and grammar for Tolkepaya Footnotes Edit Havasupai Walapai Yavapai at Ethnologue 18th ed 2015 subscription required Yavapai at Ethnologue 19th ed 2016 California Language Archive Mierau Eric January 1963 Concerning Yavapai Apache Bilingualism International Journal of American Linguistics 29 1 1 3 doi 10 1086 464706 S2CID 144439528 Shaterian Alan 1983 Phonology and Dictionary of Yavapai Kendall Martha 1974 Relative Clause Formation and Topicalization in Yavapai International Journal of American Linguistics 40 2 89 101 doi 10 1086 465291 S2CID 143492840 Kendall Martha 1975 The k m Problem in Yavapai Syntax International Journal of American Linguistics 41 1 9 doi 10 1086 465333 S2CID 144188658 Yavapai Apache Language Kendall Martha Oaks Burnett Sine Harold 2017 03 09 Yavapai linguistic material Retrieved 2017 03 09 House Deborah Yavapai Language Programs Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Museum honors Yavapai elder for language work USATODAY com usatoday30 usatoday com Retrieved 2017 03 09 References EditBiggs Bruce 1957 Testing Intelligibility among Yuman Languages In International Journal of American Linguistics Vol 23 No 2 April 1957 pp 57 62 University of Chicago Press Mithun Marianne 1999 The Languages of Native North America Cambridge University Press Shaterian Alan William 1983 Phonology and Dictionary of Yavapai University of California Berkeley External links Edit Language use by Yavapai Apache students with recommendations for curriculum design Journal of American Indian Education 20 1 October 1980 Archived from the original on 28 September 2011 Retrieved 11 October 2011 Yavapai basic lexicon at the Global Lexicostatistical Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yavapai language amp oldid 1113056774, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
