Tachi Yokuts

Last updated
Tachi
Tachi Yokuts dancing song.png
Tachi Yokuts song recorded by A. L. Kroeber
Native speakers
"a few"[ citation needed ] (2007)
Yok-Utian  ?
Language codes
ISO 639-3
Glottolog None

Tachi is an endangered dialect of Southern Valley Yokuts historically spoken north of Tulare Lake in the Central Valley of California. A. L. Kroeber estimated that Tachi was, at one point, one of the most widely spoken Yokutsan dialects. [1]

Contents

As of 2019, a few individuals of the Santa Rosa Rancheria are reportedly able to speak Tachi. [2] [3]

Grammar

Tachi has been described as following a subject–verb–object word order though may allow for verb-initial order. The dialect uses dative case and lacks possessed case. [4]

Status

Speakers

In 1988, an estimated 30 individuals spoke Tachi, including a number who spoke Tachi as a first language. [5] [6]

Revival efforts

In 1987, the Santa Rosa Rancheria piloted a language renewal program, Tachi as a Second Language, through the tribe's Head Start language program. [6] The program sought to increase language exposure among young children within the tribe. [5]

Information on Tachi published by A. L. Kroeber Tachi Yokuts.png
Information on Tachi published by A. L. Kroeber

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References

  1. Kroeber, A. L. (1925). Handbook of the Indians of California. Washington: Government Printing Office. p. 484. hdl:2027/mdp.39015006584174. OCLC   906067458.
  2. Asher, R. E.; Moseley, Christopher (2018-04-19). Atlas of the World's Languages. Routledge. p. 25. ISBN   9781317851080.
  3. Moseley, Christopher (2008-03-10). Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages. Routledge. ISBN   9781135796402.
  4. Rhodes, Ryan (2013). "Clausal architecture of chukchansi yokuts".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. 1 2 Britsch-Devany, Susan (1988). "The Collaborative Development of a Language Renewal Program for Preschoolers". Human Organization. 47 (4): 297–302. doi:10.17730/humo.47.4.d3178g8w7w23h170. ISSN   0018-7259. JSTOR   44126734.
  6. 1 2 Britsch, Susan (1989). "Research Currents: The Contribution of the Preschool to a Native American Community". Language Arts. 66 (1): 52–57. ISSN   0360-9170. JSTOR   41411354.