Andean Aymara

The work itself focuses on data gathered from narratives, which, once transcribed, glossed, and translated becomes the database for a deeper linguistic study. The benefit to this approach is multifaceted: The primary goal, to document the language is achieved and, with the majority of the data coming from natural speech, the type of information is especially interesting. Instead of focusing only on elicited speech, the gathering of these narratives makes the fieldwork process something uniquely interactive between the linguist and the community and allows the speakers to have an integral role in the documentation effort. It also ensures that the data is natural and is uninfluenced (or at least less influenced) by the effects of the dominant language Spanish.

The other, more tangible, benefit is that many of these narratives will be compiled in a book complete with original illustrations which will given to the surrounding communities. Not only will this be an interesting way to document a rapidly dissappearing culture, but it will also represent the first work written in this variety of Aymara. The Spanish translation will ensure that the book is accessible to the younger speakers who have little ability with Aymara and it is through this that we hope to increase the prestige of Peruvian Aymara, highlighting its diversity and also unifying its culture.

This book, tentatively titled, Mulaq’ Kuwintunaka (edited by myself and Edwin Banegas Flores, the chief linguistic consultant on this project) will be published in late 2010 thanks to a grant from the Dutch NGO, Cucu.

Aside from recording these narratives, a number of other approaches were used to gather data. The most interesting of these may be the visit of Edwin Banegas Flores to Paris and Amsterdam where we worked on documenting the phonetics of his variety of Aymara, with special attention to the articulation of the phonemic inventory (especially the glottal and aspirated consonants) and the prosody. Edwin stayed here for one month and played a key role in the documentation of these difficult and less-accessable aspects of his native language.

The grammar of Muylaq’ Aymara is under preparation and should be complete in early 2011.

This research is being carried out thanks to a grant from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and is being performed under the guidance of Dr Leo Wetzels, Willem Adelaar, and Frans Hinskens.