Contrary to popular perception, not everyone in South America
speaks either Spanish or Portuguese. Millions speak Quechua, the
language of the ancient Incas. Now Notre Dame students can learn
to speak it too.
The University began offering classes in Quechua (pronounced
KAY-chew-uh) last spring, becoming one of fewer than a dozen universities
in the United States to do so. Only a few others in other countries
offer it either, according a faculty member in the Kellogg Institute
for International Studies. So far a handful of Notre Dame students
have given the language a try, including two graduate students
in Latin American history, both from Lima, Peru.
"They never had the opportunity at home to learn Quechua, so
this is actually rather amusing," says Sabine MacCormack, the
Hesburgh Professor of History and developer of the University's
program in Latin American history.
MacCormack says Quechua is the language of the indigenous people
of the Andean parts of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. Smaller percentages
speak it in Chile and Paraguay. She estimates that about 10 million
people speak the language exclusively, with a larger number who
speak it along with Spanish.
Uncertainty exists as to whether the language was ever written
before a Dominican priest published a Quechua grammar text in
1560. Some believe the Incas' recording device of knotted strings
called quipu was used not only for imperial accounting
but also for textural records in Quechua, she says.
MacCormack says knowing an indigenous language like Quechua
can help students understand the cultural diversity of Latin America.
Starting this summer, Notre Dame will offer a study-abroad opportunity
at a college in Cuzco, Peru, capital of the Inca empire. The classes
will be taught in Spanish, but there will be plenty of Quechua
speakers in the area.
Conversational Quechua |
| Hello |
Allillanchu |
| How are you?l |
Imaynalla kankichu? |
| I'm well |
Allinmi kani |
| What is your name? |
Ima sutiyki? |
| My name is Catherine |
Catalina sutinmi. |
| I would like some tea |
Mateta munani |
| I don't speak Quechua |
Mana runasimita rimanichu. |
| Do you speak Spanish? |
Quan Castellanota rimankichu? |
(January 2006)
