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Boruca

Boruca was a Chibchan language once spoken in Costa Rica.

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Boruca · 8.9°N 83.2°W

Boruca (Boruca: Brúnkajk; also known as Bronka, Bronca, Brunca) is the native language of the Boruca people of Costa Rica. Boruca belongs to the Isthmian branch of the Chibchan languages. Though exact speaker numbers are uncertain, UNESCO's Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger has listed Boruca as "critically endangered". It was spoken fluently by only five women in 1986, while 30 to 35 others spoke it non-fluently. The rest of the tribe's 1,000 members speak Spanish.

Boruca is taught as a second language at the local primary school Escuela Doris Z. Stone. One can hear Bronka words and phrases mixed into Spanish conversations but it is extremely rare to hear prolonged exchanges in Bronka.

From Wikipedia · Boruca language · CC BY-SA 4.0

Words in Boruca

MeaningWordRomanization
personabi*
namekav*
eyekaviSkup*
earkuagax*
noseSiska*
toothsiv*
tonguekuatkua*
handyurev*
bloodyibi*
bonedetkra*
skinkuavskua*
kneekuvsraN*
breastkav*
liverkok*
waterdi*
fireyikra*
sunkak*
starummara*
stonekan*
mountainkaktux*
treekran*
leafkranka*
nightkakbigat*
dogaux*
fishun*
lousekua*
oneevce*
twobuk*
Iat*
youbaki*

* in the simplified ASJP transcription

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Vocabulary

Grammar

Vocabulary compares 40 basic words (ASJP); grammar compares 195 features (Grambank). Similar is not always related.

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Glottolog · boru1252 · Wikipedia (English) · Ethnologue · brn