Nasa Yuwe
Páez
Language isolate (sometimes grouped as Paezan)
Páez (Nasa Yuwe, "language of the people") is the language of the Nasa people of southwestern Colombia, traditionally classified as a language isolate (the proposed Paezan family grouping it with neighboring isolates is contested). Tonal with ejective consonants and a complex aspectual verb system. The Nasa community runs Colombia's largest indigenous-led education and political movement (CRIC, founded 1971), and Nasa Yuwe is taught in over 100 community schools. Recognised internationally for the Nasa's sustained nonviolent resistance to displacement during Colombia's armed conflict.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Páez
Water
ɨkh
/ɨkʰ/
Fire
ipx
/ipʰ/
Sun
sek
/seɡ/
Moon
a'
/aʔ/
Mother
mama
/mama/
Father
tata
/tata/
Eat
ku'
/kuʔ/
Drink
ɨçx
/ɨçʰ/
Love
wala
/wala/
Heart
weçx
/weçʰ/
Tree
kli
/kli/
House
yat
/jat/
Dog
ul
/ul/
Cat
nasame'
/nasameʔ/
Hand
ku'çx
/kuʔçʰ/
Eye
yafx
/jafʰ/
Hello
mañi
/maɲi/
Thank you
pay
/paj/
One
teʼ
/teʔ/
Good
eçxa
/eçʰa/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Language isolate (sometimes grouped as Paezan) languages
| Meaning | Páez | Misak | Kikongo | Kimbundu | Tokelauan | Gilbertese | Machame |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ɨkh /ɨkʰ/ | unø /unø/ | maza /maza/ | menha /meɲa/ | vai /vai/ | ran /ɾan/ | mringa /mɾiŋɡa/ |
| Fire | ipx /ipʰ/ | nipi /nipi/ | tiya /tija/ | tubia /tubja/ | afi /afi/ | ai /ai/ | mòò /moːʔ/ |
| Sun | sek /seɡ/ | shi /ʃi/ | ntangu /ntaŋɡu/ | muanya /mwaɲa/ | la /la/ | tai /tai/ | ìsùwà /isuwa/ |
| Moon | a' /aʔ/ | atru /atɾu/ | ngonda /ŋɡonda/ | ngonde /ŋɡonde/ | malama /malama/ | namwakaina /namʷakaina/ | mwezi /mwezi/ |
| Mother | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | matua /matua/ | tinau /tinau/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ | tamana /tamana/ | tamau /tamau/ | baba /baba/ |
| Eat | ku' /kuʔ/ | mɵ /mɵ/ | ku dia /ku dja/ | kudya /kudja/ | kai /kai/ | amwarake /amʷaɾake/ | ìlya /iʎa/ |
| Drink | ɨçx /ɨçʰ/ | ushi /uʃi/ | ku nua /ku nua/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | inu /inu/ | nima /nima/ | ìnyo /iɲo/ |
| Love | wala /wala/ | kausrap /kawsɾap/ | zola /zola/ | henda /henda/ | alofa /alofa/ | tangira /taŋiɾa/ | ìkwenda /ikwenda/ |
| Heart | weçx /weçʰ/ | mun /mun/ | ntima /ntima/ | muxima /muʃima/ | fatu /fatu/ | nano /nano/ | mòyò /mojo/ |
| Tree | kli /kli/ | yu /ju/ | nti /nti/ | mukune /mukune/ | lakau /lakau/ | kai /kai/ | mtí /mti/ |
| House | yat /jat/ | ya /ja/ | nzo /nzo/ | inzo /inzo/ | fale /fale/ | auti /auti/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Dog | ul /ul/ | kuchi /kutʃi/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | kuli /kuli/ | kamea /kamea/ | mbwa /mbwa/ |
| Cat | nasame' /nasameʔ/ | mishi /miʃi/ | nyau /ɲau/ | kasalu /kasalu/ | pusi /pusi/ | katu /katu/ | paka /paka/ |
| Hand | ku'çx /kuʔçʰ/ | mar /maɾ/ | koko /koko/ | lukwaku /lukwaku/ | lima /lima/ | bai /bai/ | kùoòko /kuoːko/ |
| Eye | yafx /jafʰ/ | kab /kab/ | disu /disu/ | dixi /diʃi/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | rítiò /ɾitio/ |
| Hello | mañi /maɲi/ | ma'rik /maʔɾik/ | mboté /mbote/ | kiebi /kiebi/ | malo ni /malo ni/ | mauri /mauɾi/ | máshàlòmà /maʃaloma/ |
| Thank you | pay /paj/ | payn /pajn/ | matondo /matondo/ | kishukutu /kiʃukutu/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | ko rabwa /ko ɾabʷa/ | ahsànte /ahsante/ |
| One | teʼ /teʔ/ | kan /kan/ | mosi /mosi/ | -moxi /moʃi/ | tahi /tahi/ | teuana /teuana/ | ìmwí /imwi/ |
| Good | eçxa /eçʰa/ | kausrik /kawsɾik/ | mbote /mbote/ | kiá /kja/ | lelei /lelei/ | raoiroi /ɾaoiɾoi/ | ìchá /itʃa/ |
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