Vilela language
Extinct language of Argentina
title: "Vilela language" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["languages-of-argentina", "lule–vilela-languages", "extinct-languages-of-south-america", "languages-extinct-in-the-21st-century"] description: "Extinct language of Argentina" topic_path: "linguistics" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilela_language" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Extinct language of Argentina ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox language"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Vilela |
| nativename | Waka |
| states | Argentina |
| extinct | |
| ref | |
| familycolor | American |
| fam1 | Lule–Vilela |
| iso3 | vil |
| glotto | vile1241 |
| glottorefname | Vilela |
| dia1 | Ocol |
| dia2 | Chunupi |
| dia3 | Sinipi |
| ethnicity | Vilela (Wakambabelte) |
| map2 | Lang Status 01-EX.svg |
| mapcaption2 | |
| region | eastern Chaco |
| map | Vilela language map.svg |
| mapcaption | Map of the Vilela language |
| speakers | 2 semispeakers |
| date | 2007 |
| :: |
| name = Vilela | nativename = Waka | states = Argentina | extinct = | ref = | familycolor = American | fam1 = Lule–Vilela | iso3 = vil | glotto = vile1241 | glottorefname = Vilela | dia1 = Ocol | dia2 = Chunupi | dia3 = Sinipi | ethnicity = Vilela (Wakambabelte) | map2 = Lang Status 01-EX.svg | mapcaption2 = | speakers2 = | region = eastern Chaco | altname = | map = Vilela language map.svg | mapcaption = Map of the Vilela language | speakers = 2 semispeakers | date = 2007
Vilela (Waka, Atalalá, Chulupí~Chunupí) is a moribund language last spoken in the Resistencia area of Argentina and in the eastern Chaco near the Paraguayan border. Dialects were Ocol, Chinipi, Sinipi; only Ocol survives. The people call themselves Wakambabelte (/wɑqhambaβelte/ in Balmori 1967) 'Waka speakers' There were 2 semispeakers as of 2007.
The last Vilela people were absorbed into the surrounding Toba people and Spanish-speaking townsfolk.
Dialects
Loukotka (1968) lists the following varieties of Vilela.
- Chunupi - formerly spoken on the confluence of the San Francisco River and Bermejo River in the vicinity of La Encrucijada, Valtolema, Ortega, Esquina Grande and Laguna Colma.
- Pasain - formerly spoken in the vicinity of Macapillo, Argentine Chaco.
- Ocole - formerly spoken between Lacangayá and Laguna Colma.
- Omoampa - formerly spoken from Ortega as far as Miraflores.
- Macomita - once spoken west of the Juramento River, province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina.
- Yecoamita - once spoken northwest of the Teuco River, Formosa province.
- Sinipi - formerly spoken on the Bermejo River in the vicinity of Lacangayá.
Phonology
Vilela appears to have the five vowels /a e i o u/ of Spanish and approximately the following consonants: ::data[format=table]
| Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Uvular | Glottal | Nasal | Plosive | voiced | voiceless | ejective | Fricative | central | lateral | Approximant | Rhotic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , | |||||||||||||||
| :: |
Notes
References
- Lozano, Elena (1970). Textos Vilelas. La Plata: CEILP.
- Lozano, Elena (1977). Cuentos secretos vilelas: I. La mujer tigre. VICUS Cuadernos. Lingüística, Vol.I: 93-116.
- .
- .
References
- Crevels, Mily. (2012-01-13). "Language endangerment in South America: The clock is ticking". DE GRUYTER.
- Not to be confused with [[Nivaclé language. Niwaklé]], which is also called Chulupí~Chunupí.
- Fabre, Alain. (2005). "Diccionario etnolingüístico y guía bibliográfica de los pueblos indígenas sudamericanos".
- Balmori, Clemente Hernando. (1967). "Estudios de área lingüística indígena". Universidad de Buenos Aires, Centro de Estudios lingüísticos.
- Loukotka, Čestmír. (1968). "Classification of South American Indian Languages". UCLA Latin American Center.
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