Ese Ejja language

Ese Ejja (Ese’eha, Eseʼexa, Ese exa), also known as Tiatinagua (Tatinawa), is a Tacanan language of Bolivia and Peru. It is spoken by Ese Ejja people of all ages. Dialects are Guacanawa (Guarayo/Huarayo), Baguaja, Echoja, and possibly extinct Chama, Chuncho, Huanayo, Kinaki, and Mohino. Chunene is "similar" to Ese Ejja, though whether a dialect or a separate language is not clear.^[3]

Ese Ejja has ejective consonants such as /kʼ/ as well as voiceless implosives such as /ɓ̥/.

Historical, social and cultural characteristics

Usage and distribution

Ese Ejja is spoken in the La Paz, Beni, and Pando departments of Bolivia (in the provinces of Iturralde, Ballivián, Vaca Diez, and Madre de Dios) on the Beni and Madre de Dios rivers; and in the Madre de Dios and Puno regions of Peru. According to Alexiades & Peluso (2009), there are approximately 1,500 Ese Ejja, distributed among different communities in Peru and Bolivia. The Bolivian Ese Ejja are divided into two clans: the Quijati, around the Riberalta region; and the Hepahuatahe in the Rurenabaque region. Crevels & Muysken (2009:15) write that in Bolivia there were 518 Ese Ejja speakers (of four years of age and older), and therefore is an endangered language. Some names used to refer to the language are Ese'eha, Chama, and Warayo; Chama is a pejorative regional name, and Guarayo is also the name of a Tupí-Guaraní language. In Peru the Ese Ejja language (Guacanahua, Echoja, Chuncho) is spoken along the Madre de Dios and Tambopata rivers and at their sources in three locations: Sonene, Palma Real, and Infierno. Ese Ejja is also seriously threatened in Peru, with 840 speakers in an ethnic group of the same size.

Notes

External links

• ELAR archive of Documentation of the Ese Ejja language of the Amazonian region of Bolivia

Languages of Bolivia
National language	Spanish
Indigenous languages	Arawakan Baure Iñapari Moxo Pauna Reyesano Yine Pano–Tacanan Araona Cavineño Chácobo Ese Ejja Tacana Toromona Yaminawa Quechua Cusco–Collao Quechua North Bolivian Quechua South Bolivian Quechua Tupian Guaraní Eastern Bolivian Guarayu Sirionó Yuki Other Aymara Ayoreo Chiquitano Canichana Cayubaba Chimán Chipaya Itonama Leco Kallawaya Moré Movima Pauserna Puquina Weenhayek Yuracaré
Sign languages	Bolivian Sign Language
Italics indicate extinct languages still recognized by the Bolivian constitution.

Languages of Peru
Spanish varieties	Amazonic Andean Coastal Equatorial (Tumbes)
Indigenous languages	Arawakan Campa Asháninka Ashéninga Axininca Caquinte Machiguenga Nanti Nomatsiguenga Piro Iñapari Mashco Piro Yine Upper Amazon Resígaro Western Chamicuro Yanesha' Aymaran Aymara Jaqaru Bora–Witoto Bora Minica Huitoto Murui Huitoto Nüpode Huitoto Ocaina Cahuapanan Chayahuita Jebero Harákmbut Amarakaeri Huachipaeri Jivaroan Aguaruna Huambisa Shiwiar Pano–Tacanan Amawaka Ese Ejja Iskonawa Kashibo Kashinawa Matsés Pisabo Shipibo Yaminawa Quechuan Cajamarca–Cañaris Cajamarca Lambayeque Central Ancash Huánuco (Huallaga) Pacaraos Wanka Yaru Yauyos–Chincha Lowland Chachapoyas Lamas Kichwa Southern Ayacucho Cusco Puno Tucanoan Orejón Secoya Tupian Cocama Omagua Zaparoan Arabela Iquito Other Candoshi-Shapra Kulina Taushiro Ticuna Urarina Yagua
Sign languages	Peruvian Sign Language

Ese Ejja language test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator