Puelche language


Puelche is an extinct language formerly spoken by the Puelche people in the Pampas region of Argentina. The language is also known as Gününa Küne, Gennaken, Northern Tehuelche, Gününa Yajich, Ranquelche, and Pampa.

Classification

Puelche has long been considered a language isolate. Based on very limited evidence, Viegas Barros suggests that Puelche might be closely related to the language of the Querandí, one of the Het peoples, and Viegas Barros that it is related to the Chon languages. Further afield, inclusion in a putative Macro-Jibaro family has been posited.

Phonology

Vowels

Puelche has 7 vowels:
A short sounding // is realized as .

Consonants

Puelche has 25 consonants:
It is not clear if there is a uvular ejective stop .

Vocabulary

lists the following basic vocabulary items for Gennaken.