Facts About Taushiro Language
A society becomes what the people make it. But when you do an in-depth analysis, you will realize that there are so many factors that play a part in making a society. It isn’t just the behavior and moral code of people that define their lifestyle. Their culture and customs regulate the daily lives of everyone living in a society. There are no laws in cultures, but the customs of a society are far more powerful than the legal books. If you wish to be a part of a community, you can’t engage in activities they dislike. Every part of social life is included in culture. Even languages are a part of cultures. These things become the identity of people. Languages and cultures define people more than their nationalities.
Indigenous Languages and Peru:
Peru is a South American country that is known for being culturally rich. It had been the home of ancient civilizations in the past. The ruins left by those civilizations have made Peru one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world. It also has one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu. But the reason linguists are interested in the country so much is that it is home to 47 indigenous languages. The number will be higher if we include the tongues that have already disappeared from the face of the earth. Even most of the tongues currently alive in the region are at-risk.
The country has been trying to preserve these tongues. Along with Spanish, which is the most spoken tongue in the country, plenty of indigenous languages enjoy official status in Peru. The state also awards indigenous speakers for their efforts to preserve their tongues. Such steps are taken to promote the at-risk tongues. It is also a way of preserving the culture of tribes that have lived in the country for centuries.
What is the native language of Peru?
Peru is a South American country which is home to various indigenous languages. But the language which is spoken by 82.6% of the population is Spanish, which was brought over to the South American continent by colonizers. Quechua and Aymara, as well as the languages of Amazon enjoy minority status in Peru.
How many languages are spoken in Peru?
If dialects are not included, the people of Peru speak 50 different and popular languages. Although Spanish is the language of the majority, the indigenous languages continue to be popular in the rural areas. The number of Peru’s languages would have been much higher if colonization hadn’t affected the indigenous people’s cultures.
What languages do many rural Peruvian speak?
In rural areas of Peru, most people are multilingual. Along with speaking Spanish, they are also fluent in indigenous languages. The languages of Amazon, all varieties of Quechua, and Aymara are spoken by the rural Peruvians. The languages spoken in the Amazon rainforest have as many as 120 local varieties.
How many people in Peru speak Spanish?
The Spaniards made Spanish popular in South America when they conquered the land. Today, it is the most spoken language on the continent. 82.6% of the population of Peru speak Spanish. Although various indigenous languages are also popular in the country, it is Spanish which the majority of the population uses to communicate with each other.
Some tribes married people from other communities to mingle with the outside world and hide their identity. The Taushiro were also at-risk when the invaders arrived in Peru for rubber and then for oil. The Taushiro did not even have medicines when they were first attacked by diseases. It was some missionaries that helped them and provided them with essential items. They were given medicine and weapons to protect themselves. However, the diseases don’t get cured in the forest, and that’s how the population of the Taushiro declined so rapidly.
Facts About Taushiro Language:
This tongue of the Amazonian tribe has been around for centuries. Some members of the tribe could speak a little Spanish, while others only knew their own tongue. Since the tribe lived in isolation, their language did not come into contact with the outside world. Many people did not even know about the existence of the Taushiro language until today. This is why no one outside the tribe speaks it, and that makes it harder for them to communicate with the outside world. Here are a few facts about this tongue:
- It is the rarest language in the world today. It only has one speaker, Amadeo García García. Amadeo has worked with various linguists for his language. He has helped the government create a database of 1500 words, three songs, and 27 stories. Before that, the only living literature in Taushiro was a bible that was used by the missionaries to convince the tribe to convert to Christianity.
- There is no definite information available about the family of this tongue. Every linguist has its own idea about the family of Taushiro, but due to the lack of information about the language, no theory has been confirmed so far.
- Taushiro will become extinct in the near future, but thanks to the efforts of the government, enough data about it will be available to linguists and anyone who wishes to study the language.
- Indigenous languages are more important to the people who speak them than any other tongues. They have to fight for their identity and its preservation. This is why they make extra efforts to ensure the safety of their culture and tongue.
- The number of people who spoke Taushiro was never big. But in the earliest record, there were 2500 people in the tribe, and today, only one remains.
No matter how hard we try, we cannot protect every culture and language from going extinct. However, by preserving as much information as we can, we will be able to understand different cultures in a much better way. It is the duty of the states and the experts to try to gather data and keep it secure for future generations. Maybe we will be able to revive remote languages in the future and experience the culture of ancient civilizations in one way or another.
