Asháninka
Arawakan (Southern, Kampan)
Asháninka is the largest Arawakan language of Peru and one of the principal indigenous languages of the Peruvian Amazon. The Asháninka people, with their characteristic kushma robes, are one of the most populous Amazonian indigenous groups. Like other Arawakan languages, it has cross-referencing pronominal affixes and noun-classifier morphology. Survived massacres during the Sendero Luminoso conflict (1980s-90s) and remains in active intergenerational use.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Asháninka
Water
nija
/nidʒa/
Fire
paamari
/paːmaɾi/
Sun
oorya
/oːɾja/
Moon
kashiri
/kaʃiɾi/
Mother
ina
/ina/
Father
apa
/apa/
Eat
noyaki
/nojaki/
Drink
noiri
/noiɾi/
Love
nonintsi
/nonintsi/
Heart
nosanto
/nosanto/
Tree
inchato
/intʃato/
House
pankotsi
/paŋkotsi/
Dog
otsiti
/otsiti/
Cat
mishito
/miʃito/
Hand
nako
/nako/
Eye
noki
/noki/
Hello
aviro
/aβiɾo/
Thank you
naranki
/naɾaŋki/
One
aparoni
/apaɾoni/
Good
kameetsa
/kameːtsa/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Arawakan (Southern, Kampan) languages
| Meaning | Asháninka | Shipibo-Conibo | Yagaria | Central Huasteca Nahuatl | Western Huasteca Nahuatl | Warao | Gilbertese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nija /nidʒa/ | jene /xene/ | nofa /nofa/ | atl /atɬ/ | atl /atɬ/ | hoidu /hojdu/ | ran /ɾan/ |
| Fire | paamari /paːmaɾi/ | chii /tʃiː/ | yo /jo/ | tlitl /tɬitɬ/ | tlitl /tɬitɬ/ | hekunu /hekunu/ | ai /ai/ |
| Sun | oorya /oːɾja/ | bari /bari/ | kena /kena/ | tonati /tonati/ | tonati /tonati/ | ya /ja/ | tai /tai/ |
| Moon | kashiri /kaʃiɾi/ | oxe /oʃe/ | ulu /ulu/ | metztli /metstɬi/ | metztli /metstɬi/ | waniku /waniku/ | namwakaina /namʷakaina/ |
| Mother | ina /ina/ | tita /tita/ | nene /nene/ | nana /nana/ | nana /nana/ | dani /dani/ | tinau /tinau/ |
| Father | apa /apa/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ | daka /daka/ | tamau /tamau/ |
| Eat | noyaki /nojaki/ | piti /piti/ | na /na/ | tlacua /tɬakʷa/ | tlacua /tɬakʷa/ | nahoro /nahoɾo/ | amwarake /amʷaɾake/ |
| Drink | noiri /noiɾi/ | xeati /ʃeati/ | nava /nava/ | atli /atɬi/ | atli /atɬi/ | osi /osi/ | nima /nima/ |
| Love | nonintsi /nonintsi/ | noi /noi/ | amige /amiɡe/ | tlazohtla /tɬasoʔtɬa/ | tlazohtla /tɬasoʔtɬa/ | anaubu /anaubu/ | tangira /taŋiɾa/ |
| Heart | nosanto /nosanto/ | joi /xoi/ | nemo /nemo/ | yollotl /jolːotɬ/ | yollotl /jolːotɬ/ | obonona /obonona/ | nano /nano/ |
| Tree | inchato /intʃato/ | jiwi /xiwi/ | yake /jake/ | cuahuitl /kʷawitl/ | cuahuitl /kʷawitl/ | dau /daw/ | kai /kai/ |
| House | pankotsi /paŋkotsi/ | xobo /ʃobo/ | nono /nono/ | calli /kalːi/ | calli /kalːi/ | hanoko /hanoko/ | auti /auti/ |
| Dog | otsiti /otsiti/ | ochiti /otʃiti/ | yapa /japa/ | itzcuintli /itskʷintli/ | itzcuintli /itskʷintli/ | aurahu /auɾahu/ | kamea /kamea/ |
| Cat | mishito /miʃito/ | mishi /miʃi/ | pusi /pusi/ | mizton /miston/ | mizton /miston/ | mishi /miʃi/ | katu /katu/ |
| Hand | nako /nako/ | mëken /mɯken/ | bayo /bajo/ | maitl /maitl/ | maitl /maitl/ | mokomoko /mokomoko/ | bai /bai/ |
| Eye | noki /noki/ | bero /bero/ | gago /ɡaɡo/ | ixtli /iʃtli/ | ixtli /iʃtli/ | mu /mu/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | aviro /aβiɾo/ | jakon raoma /xakon raoma/ | amige /amiɡe/ | niltze /niltse/ | niltze /niltse/ | yakera /jakeɾa/ | mauri /mauɾi/ |
| Thank you | naranki /naɾaŋki/ | gracias /ɡrasjas/ | tega /teɡa/ | tlazohcamati /tɬasoʔkamati/ | tlazohcamati /tɬasoʔkamati/ | kase /kase/ | ko rabwa /ko ɾabʷa/ |
| One | aparoni /apaɾoni/ | westíora /westioɾa/ | kahene /kahene/ | ce /se/ | ce /se/ | hisaka /hisaka/ | teuana /teuana/ |
| Good | kameetsa /kameːtsa/ | jakon /xakon/ | kavi /kavi/ | cualli /kʷalːi/ | cualli /kʷalːi/ | yakera /jakeɾa/ | raoiroi /ɾaoiɾoi/ |
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