Cajamarca–Cañaris Quechua
Cajamarca–Cañaris Quechua (locally called Kichwa or Runashimi, like other Quechua varieties) is a branch of Quechua spoken in northern Peru, consisting primarily of Cajamarca Quechua (Kashamarka, also known as Linwa), and Lambayeque Quechua (also known as Ferreñafe, Inkawasi-Kañaris Quechua), near the towns of Cajamarca and Cañaris in the Cajamarca and Lambayeque regions. Cajamarca and Lambayeque Quechua have 94% lexical similarity and are mutually intelligible. Adelaar (2004) includes the dialect of Lincha District, far to the south on the border of the Lima and Huancavelica regions.
Cajamarca–Cañaris Quechua | |
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Cajamarca–Lambayeque Quechua | |
Native to | Perú |
Native speakers | (50,000 cited 1998–2003) plus a few hundred to few thousand Lincha |
Quechua
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Dialects |
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Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | Variously:qvc – Cajamarca Quechuaquf – Lambayeque Quechuaqux – (partial) Lincha Quechua |
Glottolog | caja1238 Cajamarcalamb1276 Lambayequetana1291 Tana-Lincha |
ELP | Lincha Quechua |
Cajamarca–Cañaris Quechua is divergent from other varieties; although traditionally classified as a member of Quechua II-A, some (Adelaar) believe it to be a primary branch of Quechua II, and others (Landerman, Taylor, Heggarty) analyze it as not straightforwardly classifiable within the traditional QI vs. QII schema at all, and thus potentially a primary branch of its own. Félix Quesada published the first grammar and dictionary in 1976.
According to the UNESCO World Atlas of Languages in Danger, Cajamarca Quechua is severely endangered.