Quechua
Andean indigenous language
Quechua is a family of Indigenous languages spoken across the Andes, from Colombia to Argentina, with the largest concentrations in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
It was the administrative language of the Inca Empire and remains widely spoken today—roughly eight to ten million speakers.
Quechua also refers to the peoples who speak these languages.
English has borrowed several Quechua words, including condor, llama, puma, and quinoa.
South American western range
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
- mountainsTall elevated landmasses
- AltiplanoAndean elevated flatland
- PeruPacific coast republic
Bolivia · Ecuador · cordillera · peaks · sierra · plateau · valleys · highlands
Domain under unified control
- CuzcoFormer Incan imperial seat
- quipuKnotted-cord recording system
- Machu PicchuIncan sanctuary in Peru
- mummyEmbalmed, wrapped ancient body
Science of language sounds
- grammarLanguage's structural rules
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
- agglutinativeMorphemes chained, roots intact
- suffixesElements following roots
dialect · vocabulary · syntax · loanwords · bilingual · orthography · pronunciation · conjugation
Interlacing strands into fabric
- textilesWoven or knit materials
- ritualsCeremonial repeated practices
- ceremoniesFormal observances with ritual
- traditionsLong-established customs passed down
folklore · mythology · shamanism · agriculture · pottery · ancestry · heritage · customs
Originating from a place
- ethnicOf a cultural group
- communityCollective of connected people
- identityWho someone is
- rightsJustified claims to freedoms
revitalization · preservation · colonization · resistance · autonomy · recognition · marginalization · activism
Andes
South American western range
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
- mountainsTall elevated landmasses
- AltiplanoAndean elevated flatland
Peru · Bolivia · Ecuador · cordillera · peaks · sierra · plateau · valleys · highlands · terrain
empire
Domain under unified control
- CuzcoFormer Incan imperial seat
- quipuKnotted-cord recording system
- Machu PicchuIncan sanctuary in Peru
phonology
Science of language sounds
- grammarLanguage's structural rules
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
- agglutinativeMorphemes chained, roots intact
suffixes · dialect · vocabulary · syntax · loanwords · bilingual · orthography · pronunciation · conjugation · speakers
weaving
Interlacing strands into fabric
- textilesWoven or knit materials
- ritualsCeremonial repeated practices
- ceremoniesFormal observances with ritual
traditions · folklore · mythology · shamanism · agriculture · pottery · ancestry · heritage · customs · festivals
native
Originating from a place
rights · revitalization · preservation · colonization · resistance · autonomy · recognition · marginalization · activism · sovereignty
QuechuaSpanish
Language of Iberia
colonial Spanish · Castilian · Portuguese · Latin · European languages