Quechua Review

2-15-11

I thought I might update you all on every day things that are unique, but not always worthy of mentioning.

1) There are stray dogs all over the place. I want to pet them all the time, although I don’t because they are dirty and might bite my hand off!

2) My family makes their own cheese that tastes just fine, but it makes a squeaky noise against your teeth when you eat it!

3) Peruvians are cold, always.

4) Peruvian cuisine is, apparently, the up and coming world cuisine. I don’t know if it will actually catch on and I know I’m really missing Mexican food, but Lima is the gastronomic capital of South America. Lots of fusion.

5) Cusqueños don’t so much have an accent as an influence from Quechua. They add diminutives to everything. Like instead of calling me Clara, they call me Clarita. This is from Quechua, in which you add –acha to the end of almost everything.

a. Here’s and example. Baby = bebe = wawa. However, in Quechua they would say mi bebito = wawachay. –y= mi, -cha = ito. It’s confusing. Believe me, I know. I have an exam on this stuff on Thursday!

6) Evidently campesinos that predominantly speak Quechua confuse the u sound for the o sound, and vice versa.

7) They think that Posole originated in Peru and was known as Patasca.

8) Various words in English originate from Quechua, such as Condor, Jerky, Alpaca, etc… I used to know more :(

9) Lots of words in Quechua reflect actual sounds in nature. For example, the verb ‘to disinflate’ is Chhasay. Sound it out, it sounds like it’s slowly disinflating.

I can’t think of any more off the top of my head at the moment. Today was pretty standard: got up, breakfast with my host mom, walk to school, Quechua class, lunch, and a lecture in the afternoon… Only before going home for lunch we all went to a park nearby to play a game of soccer. My host mom took all my dirty clothes to wash, including all the pants I own, so today was a skirt day. Therefore, I, sadly, could not play soccer. The lecturer today spoke about globalization and gastronomy, a subject I was very interested in. However, the lecture consisted of far too much boasting and self-promotion, and not that much actual information about Peruvian Cuisine. I did enjoy it and she did a fairly good job... it just paled in comparison to yesterday’s lecture. Many of us freaked out about the fact that we have a Quechua exam on Thursday and don’t actually know the language, so after class we went to a café to study. I don’t think a single person has a handle on this language. We’ve only been taking it for what, a week and a half? On Sunday I’m going to a Mass said entirely in Quechua with my host mom and we’re supposed to sing along to various songs, but I sincerely doubt I will remember all of these complex words!

At dinner I had a really nice conversation with Farina and Iris, then I set off to study Quechua some more, but it’s going to take lots of work! Learning a language through the scope of one other than your mother tongue is difficult enough…

Let me give you a preview of the complexity of Quechua (this is good study practice too!)

I am 21 years old = Noqa (I) Iskay(2) Chunka(10) Hukniyoq(1+ possessive) watayoq(years + possessive) kan(I have).

Hayk’a watayoqmi machula? = How old is the grandfather?

->Payqa(or Machulaqa) pusaq(8) chunka(10) Iskayniyoq(2+ possessive)

watayoqmi(years + possessive). = He/ The Grandfather is 82 years old.

They are professors of Guaraní = Paykuna Guaraní yachacheqkuna kanku.

Where is your father from? = Maymantan taytayki?

-My father is from Sacramento = Taytayqa Sacramentomantan.

This is my family = Kaymi aylluy

What is your name? = Iman sutiyki?

-My name is Claire = Sutiyqa Claran.

-My name is Victor = Sutiyqa Victormi.

Conjugations for the verb Phaway = correr = to run

Noqa Phawani – I run

Qan Phawanki – you run

Pay Phawan – he runs

Noqayku Phawayku – we run (exclusive)

Noqanchis Phawanchis – we run (inclusive)

Qankuna Phawankichis – you all run (like vosotros)

Paykuna Phawanku – they run

Allillanchu? = ¿Estás bien? – They use it like “hello”

-Allillanmi = Sí, estoy bien.

Imaynallan Kashanki? = ¿Cómo estás?

-Allillanmi Kashani, qanri? = Yo estoy bien, y tú?

Noqapas allillanmi kashani = Yo también estoy bien.

Iman sutiyki? = ¿Cómo se llama? Or literally, ¿Qué es tu nombre?

-Sutiyqa Claran = Me llamo Claire (Clara)

Maymantan kanki? = ¿De dónde eres?

-Noqaqa Qosqomanta kani = Yo so de Cusco.

1 – Huk

2 – Iskay

3 – Kinsa/Kimsa

4 – Tawa

5 – Pisqa

6 – Soqta

7 – Qanchis

8 – Pusaq

9 – Esqon/Isqon

10 – Chunka

I apologize to all of you who might read this, but this is degenerating into a review of my kindergarten-esque Quechua notes. I might continue, but you can stop reading at any time.

Head – Uma Hair - Chukcha

Face – Uya Forehead – Mat’i

Eye – Ñawi Tooth - Kiru

Nose – Senqa Belly - Wiksa

Mouth – Simi Finger – Ruk’ana (or Makiruk’ana)

Ear – Ninri Shoulder - Rikra

Heart – Sonqa Back - Wasa

Hand – Maki Toe – Chakiruk’ana

Foot – Chaki

Thigh – Chaka

I dance and sing = Yo canto y bailo = Noqa takini, tusini ima.

Yes = Arí No = Manan

Thank you = Añay

¿Cómo? = Imayna Also = pas

¿Qué? = Iman Kusa = good, ok

¿Dónde? = May Ayllu = family

Que te vayas bien no más = Sumaqlla (a goodbye)

Me voy = Risaq Hasta que encontramos = Tupananchiskama

-wan = with -wanwan = and

Snake = Mach’aqway Cat = Michi

Frog = K’ayra Bear = Ukuku

Alpaca = Paqocha

Maypin wasichayki? = ¿Dónde está tu casita?

-Albuquerquepin = Está en ABQ.

Maypin Tiyanki? = ¿Dónde vives?

-Albuquerquepin tiyani = Vivo en ABQ.

Ok, that’s enough studying for me for now and I’m sure I lost most of you long ago. Good night and I hope I hear from you soon! Miss you!

xo Claire