Patwin language

Last updated

Patwin
Southern Wintun
Native to United States
Region Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano, and Yolo Counties, northern California
Ethnicity Patwin
Native speakers
1 (as of 2021) [1] [2]
Revival Being taught in schools and learned by adults [3]
Wintuan
  • Southern
    • Patwin
Dialects
  • Hill Patwin
  • River Patwin
  • ?Southern Patwin
Language codes
ISO 639-3 pwi
Glottolog patw1250
ELP Patwin
Lang Status 20-CR.svg
Patwin is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger

Patwin (Patween) is a critically endangered Wintuan language of Northern California. As of 2021, there was one documented first language speaker of Patwin. [1] [4] As of 2010, Patwin language classes were taught at the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation (formerly Rumsey Rancheria) tribal school (Dubin 2010).

Contents

Patwin has two (excl. Southern Patwin) or three (incl. Southern Patwin) dialects: "River Patwin (or Valley Patwin) was traditionally spoken along the Sacramento River in Colusa County ... Hill Patwin, was spoken in the plains and foothills to the west." [4] [5]

Southern Patwin became extinct shortly after contact. It is very poorly attested, and may be a separate Southern Wintuan language (Mithun 1999).

As of 2012, the Tewe Kewe Cultural Center of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation has "a California Indian Library Collection and an extensive Patwin language and history research section." [6]

Phonemes

Consonants

Patwin has 25 consonant phonemes. [1] In the table below, the IPA form(s) of each consonant are given. This is followed by the form commonly used in Lawyer (2021)'s grammar, if this is different from the IPA form.

Bilabial Alveolar Post-
alveolar
Palatal Velar Glottal
central lateral
Plosive voiceless p t k ʔ
aspirated
glottalized
voiced b d
Nasal m n
Fricative s ɬ h
Affricate voiceless t͡ɬ ƛ t͡ʃ č
glottalized t͡ɬʼ ƛʼ t͡ʃʼ čʼ
Trill/Flap ~ ɾ r
Approximant w l j y

Vowels

Patwin has 10 vowels: [1]

Short Long
Front Back FrontBack
High (close)iu
Mid eo
Low (open)a

Orthography

This is a Orthography of Patwin.

Patwin Alphabet
abčč’dehikk’lɬƛƛ’mnopp’rstt’uwyʔ

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lawyer, Lewis. A Grammar of Patwin. Bloomington: University of Nebraska Press, 2021.
  2. Golla, Victor (2011). California Indian languages. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN   978-0-520-26667-4.
  3. Lawyer, Lewis C. (25 June 2012). "Request for New Language Code Element in ISO 639-3" (PDF). ISO 639-3 Registration Authority. p. 2.
  4. 1 2 "Patwin – Survey of California and Other Indian Languages" . Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  5. "Quail Ridge Reserve - Human History Patwin". Archived from the original on 16 November 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  6. "Cultural Resources – Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation". Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2012.

Further reading