Yokuts, formerly known as Mariposa, is an endangered language spoken in the interior of Northern and Central California in and around the San Joaquin Valley by the Yokuts people. The speakers of Yokuts were severely affected by disease, missionaries, and the Gold Rush. While descendants of Yokuts speakers currently number in the thousands, most of the constituent dialects are now extinct.
The Yokuts language consists of half a dozen primary dialects. An estimated forty linguistically distinct groups existed before Euro-American contact. The following classification appears in Whistler & Golla (1986).
Most Yokuts dialects are extinct, as noted above. Those that are still spoken are endangered.
Until recent years, Choinimni, Wikchamni, Chukchansi, Kechayi, Tachi and Yawelmani all had a few fluent speakers and a variable number of partial speakers. Choynimni went extinct in 2017. Wikchamni, Chukchansi, Tachi, and Yawelmani were being taught to at least a few children during the first decade of the twenty-first century.
Chukchansi is now a written language, with its own alphabet developed on a federal grant. Chukchansi also has a phrase book and dictionary that are partially completed. In May 2012, the Linguistics Department of Fresno State University received a $1 million grant to compile a Chuckchansi dictionary and grammar texts,[2] and to "provide support for scholarships, programs, and efforts to assemble native texts and create a curriculum for teaching the language so it can be brought back into social and ritual use."[3]
Genetic relations
Yokutsan is a key member in the proposed Penutian language stock. Some linguists consider most relationships within Penutian to be undemonstrated (cf. Campbell 1997). Others consider a genetic relationship between Yokuts, Utian, Maiduan, Wintuan, and a number of Oregon languages to be definite (cf. DeLancey and Golla 1997). Regardless of higher-order disagreement, Callaghan (1997) provides strong evidence uniting Yokuts and the Utian languages as branches of a Yok-Utian language family.
The term "Delta Yokuts" has recently been introduced in lieu of the longer "Far Northern Valley Yokuts" for the dialect spoken by the people in the present Stockton and Modesto vicinities of San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties, California, prior to their removal to Mission San Jose between 1810 and 1827. Of interest, Delta Yokuts contains a large number of words with no cognates in any of the other dialects, or for that matter in the adjacent Utian languages, although its syntax is typically Northern Valley Yokuts (Kroeber 1959:15-17). This anomaly has led Whistler (cited by Golla 2007:76) to suggest, "The vocabulary distinctive of some of the Delta Yokuts dialects may reflect substratal influence from pre-proto-Yokuts or from an extinct Yok-Utian language." Golla (2007:77) suggests that a "pre-proto-Yokuts" homeland was in the Great Basin, citing a rich plant and animal vocabulary for a dry environment and a close connection between Yokuts basketry styles and those of prehistoric central Nevada.
Proto-language
Proto-Yokuts
Reconstruction of
Yokuts languages
Proto-Yokuts reconstructions from Whistler and Golla (1986):[4]
^. KFSN News. abc30.com. 2:14 minutes in. Archived from the original on 2014-04-13. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
^"Fresno State Receives $1 Million to Preserve, Revitalize Chukchansi Language". Foundation Center Philanthropy News Digest. 2012-05-13. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
^Whistler, Kenneth; Golla, Victor (1986). "Proto-Yokuts Reconsidered". International Journal of American Linguistics. 52 (4): 317–358. doi:10.1086/466028. S2CID 144822697.
Callaghan, Catherine (1997). "Evidence for Yok-Utian". International Journal of American Linguistics. 63: 121–133. doi:10.1086/466313. S2CID 144374174.
Callaghan, Catherine (2001). "More Evidence for Yok-Utian: A Reanalysis of the Dixon and Kroeber Sets". International Journal of American Linguistics. 67 (3): 313–345. doi:10.1086/466461. S2CID 145406834.
Campbell, Lyle. (1997). American Indian Languages: The Historic Linguistics of Native America. New York, Oxford University Press.
DeLancey, Scott; Golla, Victor (1997). "The Penutian Hypothesis: Retrospect and Prospect". International Journal of American Linguistics. 63: 171–202. doi:10.1086/466318. S2CID 143844592.
Golla, Victor. (1964). Comparative Yokuts Phonology. University of California Publications in Linguistics (No. 34); Studies in Californian Linguistics. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Golla, Victor. (2007). "Linguistic Prehistory" in California Prehistory: Colonization, Culture, and Complexity, pp. 71–82. Jones, Terry L. and Klar, Kathryn A., editors. New York: Altamira Press. ISBN978-0-7591-0872-1.
Golla, Victor. (2011). California Indian Languages. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN978-0-520-26667-4.
Hockett, Charles (1973). "Yokuts As a Testing Ground for Linguistic Methods". International Journal of American Linguistics. 39 (2): 63–79. doi:10.1086/465244. S2CID 143585441.
Kroeber, A. L. (1959). Northern Yokuts. Anthropological Linguistics 1(8):1-19. Bloomington, Indiana.
Kroeber, A. L. (1963). Yokuts Dialect Survey. University of California Anthropological Records 11(3):177-251. Berkeley.
Mithun, Marianne. (1999). The Languages of Native North America. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-23228-7 (hbk); ISBN0-521-29875-X.
Newman, Stanley S. (1944). Yokuts Language of California. Viking Fund Publications in Anthropology No. 2. New York.
Newman, Stanley S. (1946). The Yawelmani Dialect of Yokuts. Linguistic Structures of Native America, pp. 222–248, C. Osgood, ed., Viking Fund Publications in Anthropology No. 6. New York.
Powell, John Wesley Powell. (1891). Indian Linguistic Families of America, North of Mexico, Washington: Government Printing Office, pages 90–91.
Whistler, Kenneth; Golla, Victor (1986). "Proto-Yokuts Reconsidered". International Journal of American Linguistics. 52 (4): 317–358. doi:10.1086/466028. S2CID 144822697.
External links
Wiktionary has a list of reconstructed forms at Appendix:Proto-Yokuts reconstructions
"OLAC resources in and about the Yokuts language". Retrieved 2012-07-30.
"General Yokuts – California Language Archive". Retrieved 2012-07-30.
January 30, 2023
yokuts, language, confused, with, yakut, language, yokuts, formerly, known, mariposa, endangered, language, spoken, interior, northern, central, california, around, joaquin, valley, yokuts, people, speakers, yokuts, were, severely, affected, disease, missionar. Not to be confused with the Yakut language Yokuts formerly known as Mariposa is an endangered language spoken in the interior of Northern and Central California in and around the San Joaquin Valley by the Yokuts people The speakers of Yokuts were severely affected by disease missionaries and the Gold Rush While descendants of Yokuts speakers currently number in the thousands most of the constituent dialects are now extinct YokutsMariposaRegionSan Joaquin Valley CaliforniaEthnicityYokutsNative speakers50 2007 1 Including semispeakers 1 Language familyYok Utian YokutsDialectsPalewyami Buena Vista Tule Kaweah Gashowu Kings River Valley YokutsLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code yok class extiw title iso639 3 yok yok a Glottologyoku1255ELPYokutsPre contact distribution of the Yokuts language Map of Yokuts with dialects indicated The Yawelmani dialect of Valley Yokuts has been a focus of much linguistic research Contents 1 Dialects 2 Speakers and language revitalization 3 Genetic relations 4 Proto language 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksDialects EditThe Yokuts language consists of half a dozen primary dialects An estimated forty linguistically distinct groups existed before Euro American contact The following classification appears in Whistler amp Golla 1986 Poso Creek Palewyami Yokuts also known as Poso Creek Altinin General Yokuts all others Buena VistaTulamni Hometwali dd NimTule KaweahWukchumni Yawdanchi also known as Nutaa Bokninuwad dd Yokutsan family bush i e multi branching tree Whister amp Golla 1986 Northern YokutsGashowu Kings RiverChukaymina also spelled Chukaimina Michahay Ayitcha also known as Aiticha Kocheyali Choynimni also spelled Choinimni Valley Yokuts see dd dd Speakers and language revitalization EditMost Yokuts dialects are extinct as noted above Those that are still spoken are endangered Until recent years Choinimni Wikchamni Chukchansi Kechayi Tachi and Yawelmani all had a few fluent speakers and a variable number of partial speakers Choynimni went extinct in 2017 Wikchamni Chukchansi Tachi and Yawelmani were being taught to at least a few children during the first decade of the twenty first century Chukchansi is now a written language with its own alphabet developed on a federal grant Chukchansi also has a phrase book and dictionary that are partially completed In May 2012 the Linguistics Department of Fresno State University received a 1 million grant to compile a Chuckchansi dictionary and grammar texts 2 and to provide support for scholarships programs and efforts to assemble native texts and create a curriculum for teaching the language so it can be brought back into social and ritual use 3 Genetic relations EditYokutsan is a key member in the proposed Penutian language stock Some linguists consider most relationships within Penutian to be undemonstrated cf Campbell 1997 Others consider a genetic relationship between Yokuts Utian Maiduan Wintuan and a number of Oregon languages to be definite cf DeLancey and Golla 1997 Regardless of higher order disagreement Callaghan 1997 provides strong evidence uniting Yokuts and the Utian languages as branches of a Yok Utian language family The term Delta Yokuts has recently been introduced in lieu of the longer Far Northern Valley Yokuts for the dialect spoken by the people in the present Stockton and Modesto vicinities of San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties California prior to their removal to Mission San Jose between 1810 and 1827 Of interest Delta Yokuts contains a large number of words with no cognates in any of the other dialects or for that matter in the adjacent Utian languages although its syntax is typically Northern Valley Yokuts Kroeber 1959 15 17 This anomaly has led Whistler cited by Golla 2007 76 to suggest The vocabulary distinctive of some of the Delta Yokuts dialects may reflect substratal influence from pre proto Yokuts or from an extinct Yok Utian language Golla 2007 77 suggests that a pre proto Yokuts homeland was in the Great Basin citing a rich plant and animal vocabulary for a dry environment and a close connection between Yokuts basketry styles and those of prehistoric central Nevada Proto language EditProto YokutsReconstruction ofYokuts languagesProto Yokuts reconstructions from Whistler and Golla 1986 4 gloss Proto Yokutsacorn pʰutʰuʂbeaver t ɨːpɨkʰ ʈ ɨːpɨkʰblood hɨːpa ʔbone c iychild witʰipchild diminutive wicʰipcoyote kʰay iweight mun useye sasa ʔfingernail xiːsixfire ʔoʂitʰfish lopʰiʈʰflea p aːk ilfriend noːcʰihead louse tʰihiʈʰheart ʔuʂik horn ɨʂɨl mountain lomitʰmouth sama ʔnorth xosimnose ʈʰɨŋɨk shaman ʔaŋʈʰiwskunk cʰoxsky ʈʰipʰinstar c ayatasstring c ikiytears maŋalthree ʂoːpʰintwo poŋiywater ʔilik See also EditYokuts peopleReferences EditThis article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations May 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message a b Yokuts at Ethnologue 25th ed 2022 Chukchansi language to be preserved with grant KFSN News abc30 com 2 14 minutes in Archived from the original on 2014 04 13 Retrieved 2012 09 01 Fresno State Receives 1 Million to Preserve Revitalize Chukchansi Language Foundation Center Philanthropy News Digest 2012 05 13 Retrieved 2012 09 01 Whistler Kenneth Golla Victor 1986 Proto Yokuts Reconsidered International Journal of American Linguistics 52 4 317 358 doi 10 1086 466028 S2CID 144822697 Callaghan Catherine 1997 Evidence for Yok Utian International Journal of American Linguistics 63 121 133 doi 10 1086 466313 S2CID 144374174 Callaghan Catherine 2001 More Evidence for Yok Utian A Reanalysis of the Dixon and Kroeber Sets International Journal of American Linguistics 67 3 313 345 doi 10 1086 466461 S2CID 145406834 Campbell Lyle 1997 American Indian Languages The Historic Linguistics of Native America New York Oxford University Press DeLancey Scott Golla Victor 1997 The Penutian Hypothesis Retrospect and Prospect International Journal of American Linguistics 63 171 202 doi 10 1086 466318 S2CID 143844592 Gamble Geoffery 1988 Reconstructed Yokuts Pronouns Diachronica 5 1 2 59 71 doi 10 1075 dia 5 1 2 04gam Golla Victor 1964 Comparative Yokuts Phonology University of California Publications in Linguistics No 34 Studies in Californian Linguistics Berkeley CA University of California Press Golla Victor 2007 Linguistic Prehistory in California Prehistory Colonization Culture and Complexity pp 71 82 Jones Terry L and Klar Kathryn A editors New York Altamira Press ISBN 978 0 7591 0872 1 Golla Victor 2011 California Indian Languages Berkeley University of California Press ISBN 978 0 520 26667 4 Hockett Charles 1973 Yokuts As a Testing Ground for Linguistic Methods International Journal of American Linguistics 39 2 63 79 doi 10 1086 465244 S2CID 143585441 Kroeber A L 1959 Northern Yokuts Anthropological Linguistics 1 8 1 19 Bloomington Indiana Kroeber A L 1963 Yokuts Dialect Survey University of California Anthropological Records 11 3 177 251 Berkeley Mithun Marianne 1999 The Languages of Native North America Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 23228 7 hbk ISBN 0 521 29875 X Newman Stanley S 1944 Yokuts Language of California Viking Fund Publications in Anthropology No 2 New York Newman Stanley S 1946 The Yawelmani Dialect of Yokuts Linguistic Structures of Native America pp 222 248 C Osgood ed Viking Fund Publications in Anthropology No 6 New York Powell John Wesley Powell 1891 Indian Linguistic Families of America North of Mexico Washington Government Printing Office pages 90 91 Whistler Kenneth Golla Victor 1986 Proto Yokuts Reconsidered International Journal of American Linguistics 52 4 317 358 doi 10 1086 466028 S2CID 144822697 External links Edit Wiktionary has a list of reconstructed forms at Appendix Proto Yokuts reconstructions Yokuts Usurped Yokuts languages fonts Languagegeek com Yokuts Northern Foothill Lord s prayer Chawchila metathesis Native Tribes Groups Language Families and Dialects of California in 1770 Archived 2011 04 30 at the Wayback Machine map after Kroeber Yokuts languages language overview at the Survey of California and Other Indian Languages OLAC resources in and about the Yokuts language Retrieved 2012 07 30 General Yokuts California Language Archive Retrieved 2012 07 30 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yokuts language amp oldid 1130731390, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
