Tataviam language
Encyclopedia
The Tataviam language was spoken by the Tataviam
people of the upper Santa Clara River basin
, Santa Susana Mountains
, and Sierra Pelona Mountains
in southern California
. It had become extinct by 1916 and is known only from a few early records, notably a word list collected by the linguist John P. Harrington in 1917.
language family, Northern Uto-Aztecan division.
They have been uncertain whether it should be considered a member of the Takic branch or a separate isolate-branch of Uto-Aztecan.
, from a Ventureño language and others, of the Chumash-Venturaño and other Chumash groups, that had been influenced by the neighboring Uto-Aztecan speaking peoples (Beeler and Klar 1977).
Tataviam
The Tataviam , were called the Alliklik by their neighbors the Chumash , are a Native American group in southern California...
people of the upper Santa Clara River basin
Santa Clara River (California)
The Santa Clara River is approximately long, located in southern California in the United States. It drains an area of the coastal mountains north of Los Angeles. The Santa Clara is one of the largest river systems along the coast of Southern California and one of only a few remaining river...
, Santa Susana Mountains
Santa Susana Mountains
The Santa Susana Mountains are a transverse range of mountains in southern California, north of the city of Los Angeles, in the United States. The range runs east-west separating the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley on its south, from Santa Clara River Valley to the north, and Santa Clarita...
, and Sierra Pelona Mountains
Sierra Pelona Mountains
The Sierra Pelona Mountains , or the Sierra Pelona Ridge, is a mountain range in the Transverse Ranges of Southern California.. They are located within Los Angeles and Kern Counties.-Geography:...
in southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It had become extinct by 1916 and is known only from a few early records, notably a word list collected by the linguist John P. Harrington in 1917.
Uto-Aztecan
Most scholars have recognized Tataviam as belonging to the Uto-AztecanUto-Aztecan languages
Uto-Aztecan or Uto-Aztekan is a Native American language family consisting of over 30 languages. Uto-Aztecan languages are found from the Great Basin of the Western United States , through western, central and southern Mexico Uto-Aztecan or Uto-Aztekan is a Native American language family...
language family, Northern Uto-Aztecan division.
They have been uncertain whether it should be considered a member of the Takic branch or a separate isolate-branch of Uto-Aztecan.
- Takic branch: along with TongvaTongva language-Collected by C. Hart Merriam :Numbers# Po-koo /bo'kʰøː/# Wěh-hā /ʋɛj'χɒː/# Pah-hā /pa'χɒː/# Wah-chah /ʋa'ʃɒχ/# Mah-har /ma'χɒʁ/# Pah-vah-hā /pa'va'χɒː/# Wah-chah-kav-e-ah /ʋa'ʃa'kʰav̥eʲa/...
(Gabrieliño and Fernandeño), SerranoSerrano-People:* Serrano , a Native American tribe of Southern California** The Serrano language spoken by the Serrano people*Serrano , people with the surname Serrano-Places:*Serrano Intermediate School, in Lake Forest, CA...
, Payomkowishum (Luiseño), CahuillaCahuilla languageCahuilla is an endangered Uto-Aztecan language, spoken by the Cahuilla tribe, living in the Coachella Valley, San Gorgonio Pass and San Jacinto Mountain region of Southern California. Cahuilla call themselves Iviatam, speakers of 'Ivia' - the 'original' language. A 1990 census revealed 35 speakers...
, and others; (Goddard 1996:7; King and Blackburn 1978:535; MithunMarianne MithunMarianne Mithun is a leading scholar of American Indian languages and language typology. She is currently Professor of Linguistics at the University of California at Santa Barbara....
1999:539) or perhaps a - Separate isolate-branch of Uto-Aztecan: like TubatulabalTübatulabalTübatulabal may refer to:*Tübatulabal people, Native Americans whose ancestral home was in the Kern River basin*Tübatulabal language, a Uto-Aztecan language...
and HopiHopi languageHopi is a Uto-Aztecan language spoken by the Hopi people of northeastern Arizona, USA, although today some Hopi are monolingual English speakers.The use of the language has gradually declined over the course of the 20th century...
(HintonLeanne HintonLeanne Hinton is an emerita professor of linguistics at the University of California at Berkeley. She specializes in American Indian languages, sociolinguistics, and language revitalization...
1994:85).
Chumashan
An alternative suggestion by some scholars is that Tataviam was a Chumashan languageChumashan languages
Chumashan is a family of languages that were spoken on the southern California coast by Native American Chumash people.From the Coastal plains and valleys of San Luis Obispo to Malibu), neighboring inland and Transverse Ranges valleys and canyons east to bordering the San Joaquin Valley; and on...
, from a Ventureño language and others, of the Chumash-Venturaño and other Chumash groups, that had been influenced by the neighboring Uto-Aztecan speaking peoples (Beeler and Klar 1977).
See also
- Indigenous languages of California
- Survey of California and Other Indian LanguagesSurvey of California and Other Indian LanguagesThe Survey of California and Other Indian Languages at the University of California at Berkeley documents, catalogs, and archives the indigenous languages of the Americas...
- John Peabody HarringtonJohn Peabody HarringtonJohn Peabody Harrington was an American linguist and ethnologist and a specialist in the native peoples of California. Harrington is noted for the massive volume of his documentary output, most of which has remained unpublished: the shelf space in the Library of Congress dedicated to his work...
- Native American history of California
- Native Americans in California
- Traditional narratives (Native California)Traditional narratives (Native California)The Traditional Narratives of Native California are the legends, tales, and oral histories that survive as fragments of what was undoubtedly once a vast unwritten literature.-History of Studies:...
External links
- Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, tribal government website
- native-languages.org
- Tataviam language overview at the Survey of California and Other Indian LanguagesSurvey of California and Other Indian LanguagesThe Survey of California and Other Indian Languages at the University of California at Berkeley documents, catalogs, and archives the indigenous languages of the Americas...