Toba-Maskoy language


Maskoy, or Toba-Maskoy, is one of several languages of the Paraguayan Chaco called Toba. It is spoken on a reservation near Puerto Victoria. Toba-Maskoy is currently a threatened language at risk of becoming an extinct language, due to the low number of native speakers.

History

Toba-Maskoy was derived from Paraguay, specifically in the Chaco region of the Alto Paraguay department.

Geographic Distribution

Toba-Maskoy is spoken near Puerto Victoria, in the north of Paraguay.

Official Status

Though Toba-Maskoy is not the official language of Paraguay, it has a special well known status in the northern part of El Chaco.

Dialects/Varieties

Toba Maskoy is one of the five members of the Maskoy linguistic family, the other four include: Angaite, Enxet, Kaskiha, and Sanapan.

Vocabulary/Lexis/Grammar

It is believed that around 1870 some Toba chiefs immigrated from Argentina escaping constant victimization of their peoples, thus settling in Alto Paraguay. Since that transitional period, the language suffered both linguistically and culturally. To this day it is rare to find grammar or writings in Toba-Maskoy due to a significant loss in the linguistic elements.