The Dream of a Perfect Language Part IV

A lecture presented by Umberto Eco

at The Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America

November 26, 1996

These explorations in the history of perfect languages are not a mere archeological endeavor. The problems faced by Wilkins are reappearing today (albeit in more sophisticated forms) in the framework of many researches in Artificial Intelligence, in the theories of a computational nature of Mind (supposedly articulating a Language of Thought or Mentalese), as well in the researches on mechanical translation.

We know what a predicament translation represents for natural languages. It has been told that every language is a system in itself and that radical translation is impossible, except one is able to find a perfect language of Mind. Such a parameter for every translation was judged as essential by Walter Benjamin: since it is impossible to reproduce all the linguistic meanings of the source-language into a target-language, one is forced to place one's faith in the ideal convergence of all languages. In each language " taken as a whole, there is a self-identical thing that is meant, a thing which, nevertheless, is accessible to none of these languages taken individually, but only to that totality of all of their intentions taken as reciprocal and complementary, a totality that we call Pure Language (reine Sprache)" (Benjamin 1923). This reine Sprache would not be a real language. If we think of the mystic and Cabalistic sources which were the inspiration for Benjamin's thinking, we begin to sense the impending ghost of sacred languages, of something more akin to the secret genius of the Primeval Language than to the ideal of the a priori languages.

In many of the most notable projects for mechanical translation, there exists a notion of a parameter language, which does share many of the characteristics of the a priori languages. There must, it is argued, exist a tertium comparationis which might allow us to shift from an expression in language A to an expression in language B by deciding that both are equivalent to an expression of a metalaguage C. If such a tertium really existed, it would be a perfect language.

The only alternative would be to discover a natural language which is so "perfect" (so flexible and powerful) to serve as tertium comparationis. In 1603, the Jesuit Ludovico Bertonio (Arte de la lengua Aymara) described the Aymara language (still partially spoken by Indians living between Bolivia and Peru) as endowed with an immense flexibility and capability of accommodating neologisms, particularly adapted to the expression of abstract concepts, so much so as to raise a suspicion that it was an artificial invention. Later this language was described as the language of Adam, founded upon necessary and immutable ideas", a philosophical language if ever there were, and obviously somebody discovered that it had Semitic roots.

Recent studies have established Aymara is not based on an Aristotelian two-valued logic (either True or False), but on a three-valued logic it is, therefore, capable of expressing modal subtleties which other languages can only capture through complex circumlocutions. Thus there have been proposals to use Aymara to resolve all problems of computer translation. Unfortunately, it has been demonstrated that the Aymara would greatly facilitate the translation of any other idiom into its own terms, but not the other way around. Thus, because of its perfection, Aymara can render every thought expressed in other mutually untranslatable languages, but the price to pay for it is that (once the perfect language has resolved these thoughts into its own terms), they cannot be translated back into our natural native idioms. Aymara is a Black Hole.

It is not this evening that we can discuss the possibility of a new scientific Aymara and how to overcome all the predicaments of an allegedly perfect language. Thus let me conclude with a temporary remark, quoting an Arab writer of the tenth o eleventh century, Ibn Hazm.

According to him, in the beginning there existed a single language given by God, thanks to which Adam was able to understand the quiddity of things. This tongue provided a name for every thing, and a thing for each name. But if such a prior language existed, why should have men undergone the unprofitable task of inventing other idioms? And if it did not exist, which was the source of our natural languages? The only explanation is that there was an original language which included all others. The confusion did not depend on the accidental invention of new languages, but on the fragmentation of a unique tongue that existed ab initio and in which all the other were already contained. It is for this reason that all men are still able to understand the revelation of the Koran, in whatever language it is expressed. God made the Koranic verses in Arabic in order that they might be understood by His chosen people, not because the Arabic language enjoyed any particular privilege. In whatever language men may discover the spirit, the breath, the perfume, the traces of the original polylinguism.

Let us accept that suggestion coming from afar. Our mother tongue was not a single language but rather a complex of all languages. Perhaps Adam never received such a gift in full; it was promised to him. Thus the legacy that he has left to all his sons and daughters is the task of winning for themselves the full and reconciled mastery of the Tower of Babel.

Which means, even in this country where it seems that English is the vehicular universal language, but different people at every corner of New York City speak a different tongue, to be tentatively polyglots is the only chance for mutual understanding.

Once a young American met Roman Jakobson who was starting his teaching in this country and said to him: "Professor, I rushed here to learn from you, but your classes are given in Russian, and I do not understand it." Jakobson (who was told to speak Russian in forty languages) answered: "Try!"

I thank you for having generously tried, this evening, to understand my pidgin English as it were your own perfect language.

Apellidos quechuas (quechua surnames)

por The Colca Specialist

Este artículo esta dedicado a todos aquellos estudiosos del idioma quechua que se muy bien que les será de gran ayuda especialmente para entender algunos toponimios en la zona altoandina.Espero que les guste.

The Colca Specialist

APELLIDOS QUECHUAS 1

ACHACHAU es una interjección quechua que significa: ¡AY, QUE MIEDO!, ¡QUÉ SUSTO!

ALLAUCA. Es un apellido compuesto de dos voces: ALLAY, que significa CAVAR (también puede venir de la voz ALLAX, el que cava, cavador), y la voz AWCA o AUCA, que significa ENEMIGO, ADVERSARIO. ALLAUCA, significaría ENTERRADOR DE ENEMIGOS o EL QUE CAVA TUMBAS PARA EL ENEMIGO O EL QUE ENTIERRA ENEMIGOS.

ALCA. (Alqa). Apellido castellanizado, viene de Alqa o Allcca.

ALLCCA. (Alqa). Apellido nativo en la zona del Cuzco. Significa: “Entrecortado”, “discontinuo”. “Pelaje de dos colores” en animales; “moteado”. En agricultura: “Espacios en los cultivos donde aún no ha germinado la semilla”. También significa: “Blanco y negro”, “combinado”.

ALLCCARIMA es un apellido compuesto de dos voces quechuas: ALLCCA que significa COMBINADO, MITAD NEGRO MITAD BLANCO y RIMA que significa HABLAR. El apellido ALLCCARIMA significaría EL QUE HABLA DE A MEDIAS. Si participan varias personas podría significar DEBATE es decir LOS QUE HABLAN COMBINADAMENTE.

AMARU. Significa: “Serpiente”, “culebra de gran tamaño”.

ANHUAMAN es un apellido quechua que probablemente tenga dos significados dependiendo de su combinación.
El primer significado combina la palabra ANKA que significa AGUILA REAL con la palabra WAMAN que significa HALCON, entonces, su significado sería EL HALCON REAL o el AGUILA HALCON.
El segundo significado combina la palabra ANQA que significa AZUL con la palabra WAMAN que signfica HALCON, entonces, el significado sería HALCON AZUL.
ANHUAMAN, entonces, sería EL HALCON REAL o EL HALCON AZUL.

AUQUITAYASI es un apellido compuesto por dos vocablos quechuas: AUQUI (awki) que significa ABUELO y TAYASI (ayudar con Tara).

CAHUA es un apellido castellanizado de origen quechua, proviene de los vocablos: QHAWAX que sifnifica “Centinela”, “portero”, “sereno”, “El que observa o vigila con astucia”, o QHAWAY que significa “Mirar”, “observar”, “escudriñar”.

CALLAÑAUPA, es un apellido compuesto de dos voces quechuas: la voz CALLA (Qallariy) que significa COMENZAR, EMPEZAR, DAR PRINCIPIO, y la voz ÑAUPA (Ñawpa) que significa ANTIGUO, PRIMITIVO. Entonces, CALLAÑAUPA significaría DESDE EL PRINCIPIO DE LOS TIEMPOS PRIMITIVOS o DESDE EL PRINCIPIO DE LOS TIEMPOS ANTIGUOS o EL INICIO DE TODOS LOS TIEMPOS.

CANCHA. (Kancha) . Significa: “Patio”, “corralón”, ” solar”, “canchón rodeado de muro”.// Pe. Ay. “Corral para ganado”, “pesebre”.

CANCHON. Este apellido viene de la palabra KANCHA, que significa PATIO, ESPACIO CERCADO, MERCADO ABIERTO. Es una voz que se ha incorporado al castellano en los hablantes andino, para denominar PATIO GRANDE, la expresión se convirtió en CANCHON. Así, CANCHON significaría PATIO GRANDE, ESPACIO CERCADO GRANDE, GRAN MERCADO ABIERTO.

CARHUANINA. Es un apellidos compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: CARHUA (Karwa) que significa AMARILLO y NINA que significa FUEGO. Entonces, CARHUANINA significa FUEGO AMARILLO.

CCAHUA (QHAWA) es una voz quechua que significa MIRA, OBSERVA.

CCAHUANTICO es un apellido compuesto de dos voces quechuas: CCAHUAN, que significa MIRA, OBSERVA, y la voz TINKUY (que ha sido castellanizado por el tiempo como TICO) que significa ENCUENTRO. Así, CCAHUANTICO significaría DONDE LA MIRADA SE ENCUENTRA, DONDE SE FIJA LA MIRADA, en otro sentido más popular, CCAHUANTICO sería: “DONDE PONE EL OJO, PONE LA BALA”

CCASANI es un apellido compuesto de dos palabras quechuas: QASA, que significa FRIO, HELADA, y NIY, que significa DI, EXPRESION, DICHO, DECIR. Así, CCASANI, tendrá como significado: EL QUE DICE QUE TIENE FRIO, EL QUE EXPRESA FRIO.

CCOLQUE (qolque). Significa: “Metal” , “Plata”, “metal precioso abundante en el imperio incaico muy utilizado junto con el oro”.

CHAMBI (Champi) Es una voz aymara. Significa: ALABARDA O LANZA. También: PENDON, ANUNCIO DE BUENA NUEVA.

CHAKANA es un apellido quechua compuesta de dos vocablos, CHAKA que significa puente y HANAN que significa ARRIBA. Así el apellido CHAKANA o CHACANA sería PUENTE ARRIBA o PUENTE A LO ALTO.

CHANCA (Chanka). Significa: “Inconstancia”, “versatilidad”, “mudadizo”, “mudable”, “versátil”. (Chanqa) Significa: “Chupe de chuño”, “mazamorra”, “lanzamiento”, “arrojo de alguna cosa”.

CHAUPIN (Chawpin). Significa: “En medio”, “entre”

CHIPANA. Significa: ”Brazalete”, “ajorca”, “pulsera”. También: “grillete”, “esposas para sujetar por las muñecas a los reos”.

CHOQUE. (Choqe, voz aymara) Significa: “oro”, “metal”, “oro fino”. (Chuki, voz quechua), Significa: “Lanza”, “arma de guerra” utilizado en el inkanato. // Bol. “Duro”, “consistente”, “recio”.

CHUQUIMANGO es un apellidos compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: CHUKI que significa: “Lanza”, “arma de guerra” utilizado en el inkanato. // Bol. “Duro”, “consistente”, “recio”y MANCO (manqo). que significa “Base”, “cimiento”, “fundamento”.Entonces, CHUQUIMANGO significaría FUNDAMENTO CONSISTENTE, BASE DURA o LANZA CONSISTENTE, ARMA RECIA.

CHUQUIPOMA es un apellido compuesto de dos voces quechuas: CHUKI que significa: “Lanza”, “arma de guerra” utilizado en el inkanato o “Duro”, “consistente”, “recio”. POMA que significa PUMA, fiera de los andes. Entonces, CHUQUIPOMA significaría PUMA RECIO, PUMA DURO O PUMA GUERRERO.

COCHA es un apellido castellanizado que viene de la voz quechua QHUCHA o QUCHA que significa LAGUNA O LAGO.

COLQUEHUANCA. Este es un apellido compuesto por dos voces quechuas: “Colque” que significa “dinero” o ”plata” o “riqueza”; y, la voz “Huanca” que significa “originario de la etnia huanca”, también “peñón”, “roca suelta”. COLQUEHUANCA vendría a significar: “Dinero de los Huancas” o “Riqueza huanca” o ” Plata huanca” o “peñón de plata”.

CONDOR (Kuntur). Significa: “El mayor de las aves voladoras”.

CONDORI es un apellido castellanizado compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: KUNTUR que hace referencia al ave llamado CONDOR y la voz RIY que significa “Ir”, “caminar”. Así, el significado de CONDORI sería EL CONDOR QUE VA o EL CONDOR QUE CAMINA o es una orden como ¡CAMINA CONDOR!, ¡VUELA CONDOR!.

CUSI. (Kusi) Significa: “gozo”, “ventura”, ”alborozo”, “alegre”, “contento”, “feliz”.

CUYA posiblemente sea un apellido castellanizado de la voz quechua CHHULLA que significa LLOVISNA, ESCARCHA. La CH no suena como el CH castellano, es una C palatal. Hay otra palabra quechua: KHUYA s. significa “Cierta piedra que posee virtudes mágicas”, “Pena”, “lástima”. Hay otra palabra más, KHUYAY significa: “Amor”, “compasión”. “Amar”, “compadecer”.

GUAMAN es apellidos de origen quechua que significa HALCON, se escribe tambien como HUAMAN o WAMAN.

GUAÑUNA es un apellido quechua castellanizado, viene del vocablo: WAÑUNA que significa MORIR. También significa: LA SIEN que es un “lugar por donde viene la muerte de un golpe”.

HUACCHA (WAQCHA) es un apellido quechua que significa “HUERFANO”

HUACHALLA es un apellido derivado del vocablo quechua WACHAY que significa “Parto”, “Parir”. Entonces, HUACHALLA significaría: “LA QUE PARE”, “LA QUE DA A LUZ”, “LA PARIDORA” o ideas que significan la gran fertilidad de la persona.

HUALLA es un apellido de origen quechua, viene de la voz WAYLLA, que significa: LLanura, pradera cubierta de verdor.

HUAMAN, es un apellido quechua que significa “HALCÓN”.

HUAMANCHAGUA es un apellido de origen quechua compuesto de dos vocablos: HUAMAN (waman) que significa HALCON, y CHAGUA (ch´awax) que significa “El que exprime”, “exprimidor” u “ordeñador”. Entonces, HUAMANCHAGUA significa “el que exprime halcones”, “exprimidor de halcones”, “el que con sus manos domina a los halcones”.

HUAMANCURI. Apellido compuesto: “HUAMAN” que significa “HALCON” y ”QORY” que significa “ORO”. El apellido HUAMANCURI significaría “HALCON DE ORO”.

HUAMANI. Significa “CERRO DIOS, PROTECTOR DEL PUEBLO”.

HUANCA (wanka). Significa: “peñón”, “roca suelta”.

HUANCAHUARI. Este apellido está compuesto de dos voces: “Huanca” que significa “Originario de la etnia huanca” y “Huari” que significa: “Originario de la etnia huari (Ayacucho)”. Entonces, el apellido significa: “Huari de origen huanca” o “Huanca de origen huari”. Este apellido se encuentra en la zona central de Ayacucho, en las provincias de Fajardo y Huancasancos. HUANCA, también significa PEÑON, ROCA SUELTA. Otro significado de HUANCAHUARI sería PEÑON HUARI, PIEDRA DE LOS WARIS. WARI también significa VICUÑA. Otro significado de HUANCAHUARI sería VICUÑA HUANCA término nacido en tierra de los Huaris.

HUARICANCHA. La palabra “cancha” es un “lugar”, un “pedazo de tierra”. “Huari” hace referencia a la cultura Wari. Este apellido es del valle del mantaro, antes de la aparición de la cultura huanca. Cuando el imperio wari se extendió, los waris en el valle del mantaro tuvieron enclaves para dominar este territorio. Así existe “Wariwillca” un lugar “sagrado de los waris”. Huaricancha significará “pampa de los waris” o “lugar de los waris”. También puede significar “Pampa de las vicuñas”, porque WARI también significa VICUÑA.

HUAYHUA. (WAYWA) Apellido de origen quechua que significa “REMOLINO”.

HUAYTA.(Wayta) Apellido quechua que significa FLOR. Huayta en la cultura quechua, como la flor lo es en todas las culturas, es lo más hermoso que tiene la naturaleza. Por eso, toda persona que lleva este apellido debe hacer honor de su apellido, destacando no solo su belleza externa sino sobre todo la belleza interna. Bello como una Flor. SUMAQ, HUAYTA INA.

HUYHUA. (Uywa) Apellido quechua que significa “EDUCACIÓN”.

INKA es un apellido cuyo significado es “Rey”, “monarca”, “emperador”. que es un atributo que se otorgaba a los hombres de la nobleza de sangre. INKA era la máxima autoridad considerada como el hijo del dios Sol. Esta expresión se dio a partir de Pachacutec, en tanto que él fue un conquistador de pueblos. Los anteriores a él fueron conocidos como SINCHIS, es decir, “Jefes Guerreros”.

JAILLITA es un apellido de origen quechua que deriva de la voz “Jaylli” que significa “Canción religiosa”, “canción heroica” o “canción agrícola”. Entonces, JAILLITA significa “el que canta canciones religiosas”, “el que canta canciones heróicas” o “el que canta canciones agrícolas”

MALQUI es un apellido castellanizado de origen quechua, también se escribe como MALLKI y significa: ARBOL FRUTAL.

MALLQUI (mallki). Significa: Bol. “Árbol”, “planta de tronco leñoso”// Hist. “momia de un antepasado importante”, en el inkanato. // Folk. “El espíritu que supervive”, según la creencia popular.

MALLMA. Significa: “Terraplén”, “andén”// “Riego de plantaciones tiernas para unificar el crecimiento en terrenos disparejos”// Pe. Jun.: ”ramal de un río”, “lagunilla”, “riachuelo”//

MANCO (manqo). Significa: “Base”, “cimiento”, “fundamento”.

MAYGUA es un apellido compuesto de dos voces quechuas: MAY que significa DÓNDE, es también apócope de MANCHAY que significa SUSTO, SOBRESALTO, DE TEMER. La otra voz es WA que es una interjección que expresa extrañeza, asombro, sorpresa. MAYGUA, significaría DONDE ESTÁ expresado con asombro, extrañeza. Puede signficar EL QUE SORPRENDE Y ES DE TEMER, EL QUE PROVOCA SOBRESALTO O SUSTO.

MAYHUASCA es un apellido compuesto de dos voces quechuas: MAY que significa DÓNDE, es también apócope de MANCHAY que significa SUSTO, SOBRESALTO, DE TEMER. La otra voz es WASKHA, que significa “Soga”, “cuerda”. Entonces, el significado de MAYHUASCA es ¿DONDE ESTÁ LA SOGA?

MICHI. Apellidos de origen quechua que significa: “gato doméstico” // “pastoreo relativo a los animales”.

MOTOCANCHI (Muthuqanchis) es un apellido de origen quechua, hoy castellanizado. Es un apellido compuesto de dos voces: MOTO (Muthu). Es un adjetivo que significa “Cortado”, “desmochado”, “Borde sin filo”, y CANCHI (Qanchis) que significa “Siete”. Entonces, MOTOCANCHI debe significar “CORTADO EN SIETE PARTES” o “LA SEPTIMA PARTE” o “SIETE PARTES”. POMACANCHI, significa: “SIETE PUMAS” o “EL SEPTIMO PUMA”

NINA. Significa: “fuego”, “candela”, “braza”.// adj. “que puede ser dicho” // “que debe decir, exponer.

NINAHUAMÁN. Este es un apellido compuesto de dos voces quechuas: “NINA” que significa “Fuego” y “HUAMAN” que significa “halcón”. Si juntamos a los dos vocablos nos da un hermoso apellido: NINAHUAMAN significaría HALCON DE FUEGO. No es un ave cualquiera, es un ave destacado y sagrado, pues está rodeado de fuego.

ÑAÑA. Significa: “hermana de la mujer”

ÑACCHA (ñaqch’a). Significa: “peine”, “intrumento para peinar la cabellera”.

ÑAHUIS (ñawi). Apellido castellanizado. Significa: “ojo”, “el sentido de la vista”. Bot. “la yema de todas las plantas o de los tubérculos”// Agri. “ojo de la papa”.

ÑAUPARI (ñawpaq). Significa: “Anticipador”, “que se anticipa”, “se adelanta”, “que antecede”// “antiguo”, “remoto”, “pasado”. (ñawpariy) “Anteceder”, “tomar la delantera”, “anticiparse”.

OLAYA (ollaya). Significa: Miner. “pedernal”, “variedad de cuarzo compacto”, “lustroso”, “traslúsido en los bordes”, “que produce chispas”.

ORCCOSUPA (urqusupay) Es un apellido compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: ORCCO (urqu) que signfica “Cerro”, “monte”, “montaña”, “Macho de los animales”, y SUPA (Supay) que signhfica: “Demonio”. “Diablo”. Entonces, ORCCOSUPA significa: “El demonio del cerro”, “el demonio del monte”, “el demonio de la montaña”, “el más diablo entre los machos”, “el más demonio entre los animales del monte”, etc,

PACHARI es un apellido compuesto de dos voces quechuas: El primero, PACHA, que significa, LA TIERRA, EL MUNDO, EL TIEMPO y, el segundo, RIY, que significa IR, CAMINAR.PACHARI, significaría EL QUE CAMINA POR EL MUNDO, EL QUE VA POR EL MUNDO, CAMINA POR EL MUNDO, o el TROTAMUNDOS.

PARI (Pari o Phari) es una voz quechua que significa “Caldeado”, “exitado”, “apasionado”, ”animado”, “estimulado”.

PAUCAR (pawkar). Significa: “Pallas y otras especies”, “ave puseriforme de la familia ictéridos de plumaje amarillo y ladrillo rojizo de la selva peruana, los nidos cuelgan de árboles altos”.

PAUCARCHUCO. Este apellido está compuesto de dos voces quechuas: PAUCAR, que es el nombre de un pájaro selvático cuyo plumaje tiene dos colores, el negro y el amarillo, es muy curioso. El paucar es ave canora de color negro y amarillo; imita el llanto de los niños, el ladrido del perro, la risa de las mujeres y cuenta por toda la selva lo que ve y lo que oye; es chismoso por excelencia.La otra palabra es CHUCO que significa “gorro”, “sombrero”. PAUCARCHUCO sígnificaría “Gorro hecho de pluma de Paucar” o “Gorro de Paucar”.
El Mascaipacha es una palabra quechua compuesta de dos voces “masccai”, que significa “buscar”; y “pacha”, que significa “tierra”, “tiempo” y “espacio”, es decir significa “Buscando la tierra, el tiempo y el espacio”. es la corona imperial del Tahuantinsuyo, el Imperio Incaico. En el derecho incaico, la mascaipacha era el único símbolo de poder imperial, que otorgaba al Sapa Inca los títulos de Rey del Cusco y Emperador del Tahuantinsuyo (éste último a partir de Pachacútec).Sólo el Sapa Inca podía ostentar la mascaipacha, que le era ceñida por el Huillaq Uma, el sumo sacerdote del Imperio. La ceremonia de coronación se llevaba a cabo cuando el Inca antecesor fallecía y era necesario que el auqui (príncipe heredero) asumiera sus funciones como nuevo Inca.
El Paucarchuco, según Cieza de León, era un aditamento más dentro del Mascaipacha, era la parte superior de la corona imperial, aquella que incorporaba las plumas del Paúcar. No debe olvidarse que la corona del inca ha sufrido una evolución desde Manco Cápac hasta Pachacutec.

PILLPE (Pillpi). Apellido de origen quechua que significa: “mariposa”, “mariposa utilizada con motivo decorativo en los tejidos de prendas de vestir”.

PINCHI. Apellido quechua que significa: “punto luminoso”, “chispa brillante”, “luz intermitente”.

PINTO (pintu). Apellido quechua que significa: Bot. “Caña brava”//Tej. “Reboso para cubrir la cabeza” .

PUMACAJA es un apellido compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas, PUMA que hace referencia al felino del mismo nombre y QAQA que significa roca o peña. Entonces, PUMACAJA significaría PUMA DE PIEDRA.

PUMASUPA es un apellido compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: PUMA (poma) que se refiere al felino que todos conocemos como PUMA y la palabra SUPA (supay) que significa DIABLO. PUMASUPA significaría EL PUMA DIABLO que se refiere al “puma más bravío que todos tienen miedo”

QUELKA, (Qelka) es una apellido quechua que viene del vocablo QILQA que significa “Escritura”, “manuscrito”.

QUICHCA. Apellido quechua que significa “Espina”.

QUISPE (Qespe). Apallido quechua màs popular del Perú, eiene varias acepciones: “Sube”, “Progresa”, “Brillante”, “vidrio”, “cristal”, “vítreo”.

SAYRITUPAC. Es un apellido compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: SAYRI que significa “Príncipe, el que siempre da ayuda a quien lo pide”, y TUPAC que es un título honorífico y significa “Real”, “majestuoso”, “glorioso”, “noble”, “honorable”.
Entonces, SAYRITUPAC significaría PRINCIPE MAJESTUOSO o PRINCIPE GLORIOSO.

SIHUI es un apellido de origen quechua que está castellanizado, viene del vocablo SIWI que significa SORTIJA, ANILLO, ARGOLLA. Los Sihuis son fieles a sus compromisos.

SONCCO (Sonqo) apellido quechua que significa CORAZON.

SULCA es un apellido castellanizado, viene de del quechua y otras formas de escribir son: SULLK´A o SULLCA. Significa HERMANO MENOR o TIO MENOR,en relación a los padres. Si tu apellidos es SULCA, eres el HERMANO MENOR.

SURICHAQUI es un apellido compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: SURI que es una especie de avestruz: el ÑANDÚ. CHAQUI significa PIE. Entonces, SURICHAQUI significa “PIES DE ÑANDÚ”, “VELOZ COMO EL ÑANDÚ”.

TICAHUANCA es un apellido de origen quechua, está compuesto por dos voces: TIKA que significa “Adobe” y HUANCA (wanka) que significa: “peñón”, “roca suelta”, “piedra”. Por lo tanto, el apellido TICAHUANCA significa ADOBE DE PIEDRA o ADOBE DE ROCA.

TICLLACURI es un apellido quechua compuesta de dos vocablos: TIKLLA que significa: “mancha en alguna tela o cosa parecida”, también se llama así el camisón a cuadros que utilizaba el Inca; y, QORI significa “oro”. Así, el apellido TICLLACURI significa MANCHA DE ORO EN LA TELA o CAMISON CON CUADROS DE ORO.
TOMAYRO.

UCHARIMA. Apellido compuesto. Proviene de dos vocablos: El primero, “UCHA” voz castellanizado que proviene del vocablo quechua “QOCHA” que significa “LAGUNA”; y el segundo, “RIMA” que significa “HABLA”, “VOZ”. El apellido UCHARIMA significaría “LAGUNA QUE HABLA” o “VOZ DE LA LAGUNA”.

UCHUYPOMA, apellido quechua compuesto de dos vocablos: UCHUY que significa PEQUEÑO, y POMA que significa PUMA. Entonces, UCHUYPOMA significaría PEQUEÑO PUMA O PUMA PEQUEÑO.

USUCACHI es un apellido quechua que proviene de dos vocablos: USU que significa DESPERDICIO, DESHECHO, COSTUMBRE, o USUN que significa ARA, ALTAR, o USUY que significa SUFRIR NECESIDADES, DESPERDICIARSE; y, CACHI (Kachi) que significa SAL. Entonces, el apellido USUCACHI debe significar alguna de las frases siguientes: “El que desperdicia sal”, “El que sufre de la necesidad de sal”, “Altar de sal”

VILCA. Significa “SAGRADO”. VILCA es la castellanización de HUILLCA que significa SAGRADO. También se escribe WILLCA. Lo sagrado en el Perú se inicia cuando existen los sacerdotes, quienes identificaban todo lo que debía respetarse y venerarse porque era una divinidad.
En la historia, la civilización Chavín consagró como el centro de su cultura la religión, por tanto lo sagrado. Por eso, desde casi todo el territorio peruano, las diversas culturas hacían su peregrinación desde sus lejanos lugares de residencia hacia Chavín de Huantar en Ancash.
Otro centro SAGRADO (Huillca) fue PACHACAMAC en Lima, muy venerado por las culturas andinas. Hay linguistas que plantean que la lengua quechua nace en Lima con Pachacamac y las culturas que venían a adorar a PACHACAMAC estaban en obligación de aprender este idioma, una vez aprendido se lo llevaban a su lugar de origen.
Es en esa condición que encuentran los incas a los pueblos hablando el quechua, por eso lo llamo RUNA SIMI “el habla del pueblo”. Dentro de esto está la voz quechua WILLKA que significa SAGRADO. Todas las personas de apellido HUILLCA y aquellas que tienen su apellido VILCA, lo mismo que WILLCA tienen un mismo origen y tienen el mismo significado.

YACUPAICO es un apellido compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas. YAKU que significa AGUA. PAYQU que es una medicina casera o mate para el dolor de estomago.
YACUPAICO significaría AGUA DE PAICO, AGUA PARA CURAR EL DOLOR DE ESTOMAGO.

APELLIDOS QUECHUAS 2

AUCAPUMA es un apellido compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: AUCA (awqa) que significa ENEMIGO y PUMA (puma) nombre del mismo animal. Entonces, AUCAPOMA significa PUMA ENEMIGO.

AUQUITAYASI es un apellido compuesto por dos vocablos quechuas: AUQUI (awki) que significa ABUELO y TAYASI (ayudar con Tara). Literalmente AUQUITAYASI es EL QUE AYUDA CON TARA AL ABUELO O AL VIEJO, en otros términos ENFERMERO DE ABUELOS O VIEJOS. Porque la TARA o TAYA es una planta medicinal. La expresión SIY es AYUDAR.

CAIPA es una castellanización de la palabra quechua KAYPA. Esta palabra quechua consta de dos vocablos KAY que significa ESTE y PA que significa DE. Entonces, CAIPA (kaypa) significaría ¡DE ESTE! o ¡PERTENECE A ESTE! (apuntando al personaje al que se refiere).

CARIHUASARI es un apellido compuesto de dos palabras quechua: QARI que significa VARON, MACHO, VIRIL y la palabra WASARIY que significa ESCALAR. Entonces, CARIHUASARI significa MACHO ESCALADOR o VARON ESCALADOR.

CCARHUARUPAY está compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: CCARHUA (qarua) que significa AMARILLO y RUPHAY que significa CALOR o LUZ DEL SOL. Entonces, CCARHUARUPAY significa CALOR AMARILLO o LUZ AMARILLA.

CCORA viene de la palabra quechua Qhura que significa “Hierba”.

CURICHIMBA es un apellido compuesto de dos vocablos CURI (quri) que significa ORO y CHIMBA (chinpa) que significa FRENTE. Entonces, CURICHIMBA significa FRENTE DE ORO.

CUSIPUMA es un apellido compuesto de dos voces quechuas: CUSI que significa ALEGRE y PUMA (poma) que es el felino andino conocido como PUMA. Entonces tu apellido CUSIPUMA significa EL PUMA ALEGRE o EL PUMA FELIZ.

GUAÑUNA es un apellido quechua castellanizado, viene del vocablo: WAÑUNA que significa MORIR. También significa: LA SIEN que es un “lugar por donde viene la muerte de un golpe”.

HUACHALLA es un apellido derivado del vocablo quechua WACHAY que significa “Parto”, “Parir”. Entonces, HUACHALLA significaría: “LA QUE PARE”, “LA QUE DA A LUZ”, “LA PARIDORA” o ideas que significan la gran fertilidad de la persona.

HUALLA es un apellido de origen quechua, viene de la voz WAYLLA, que significa: LLanura, pradera cubierta de verdor.

HUAMANGA es un apellido de origen quechua compuesto por dos vocablos: WAMAN que significa HALCON y KAY que significa SER, ESTAR, HABER o es un pronombre demostrativo como ESTE, ESTA, ESTO, también significa TOMA, COGE. Entonces, HUAMANGA (wamankay) significaría ALLI ESTA EL HALCON o TOMA HALCÓN. Esta expresión lo hizo el INCA WIRACOCHA cuando llegando a tierras de la actual capital de Ayacucho vio volar a un HALCON (Waman) entonces él le ofreció un pedazo de carne diciendo KAY, que significa TOMA: HALCON TOMA (HUAMANKAY). Esta expresión habría quedado en la mente de los incas y el lugar fue señalado como “el lugar donde el inca ofreciendo carne al halcón le dijo: HUAMAN KAY”, luego se derivaría en HUAMANGA.

HUMAHUACA está compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: HUMA (uma)que significa CABEZA y HUACA (Wak’a) que significa DIOS o DEIDAD. Entonces, HUMAHUACA significa CABEZA DIVINA o CABEZA DE DIOS.

LLACTAHUAMAN, apellido compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: LLACTA (llaqta) que significa PUEBLO, y HUAMAN (waman) que significa HALCON. Entonce, LLACTAHUAMAN significa HALCON DEL PUEBLO.

LLANCAY es un vocablo quechua que viene de la voz Llank’ay que significa TRABAJAR.

MACAVILCA es un apellido quechua compuesto de dos vocablos: MACA (maqay) que significa PEGAR o GOLPEAR, y VILCA (willka) que significa SAGRADO o PERSONA SAGRADA o SACERDOTE. Entonces, MACAVILCA sería SACERDOTE CASTIGADOR o GOLPE SAGRADO o CASTIGO DIVINO.

PILLIHUAMAN, este apellido está compuesto de dos vocablos: PILLI (pillu) que significa CORONA y HUAMAN (waman) que significa HALCON. Entonces, PILLIHUAMAN significaría HALCÓN CORONADO o HALCON CON CORONA.

POLLOQUERI es un apellido quechua castellanizado. Viene de dos vocablos: POLLO (phuyu) que significa NUBE y K´IRI que significa HERIDA. El apellido POLLOQUERI significa HERIDA DE NUBE o NUBE HERIDA.

QUILLAHUAMAN es un apellido compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: KILLA que significa LUNA y HUAMAN que significa HALCÓN. Entonces, QUILLAHUAMAN (killahuaman) significa HALCON LUNA o HALCON DE LA LUNA.

QUISUYUPANQUI es una apellido compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: QUISU (Qhichuy) que significa QUITAR, ARREBATAR, DESPOJAR; y, YUPANQUI que significa HAZ DE CONTAR, NARRARÁS, MEMORABLE.
Entonces, lo que el apellido QUISUYUPANQUI significaría es: CONTARÁS COMO ARREBATASTE o NARRARÁS COMO DESPOJASTE o RECORDARAN COMO DESPOJASTE.

RIMAYHUAMAN está compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: RIMAY significa HABLA o VOZ y HUAMAN que significa HALCON. Entonces, RIMAYHUAMAN significa LA VOZ DEL HALCON.

SURICHAQUI es un apellido compuesto de dos vocablos quechuas: SURI que es una especie de avestruz: el ÑANDÚ, y CHAQUI significa PIE. Entonces, SURICHAQUI significa “PIES DE ÑANDÚ”, “VELOZ COMO EL ÑANDÚ”.

Can Quechua survive?

Endangered Languages, Endangered Lives

by Anna Saroli

Quechua has been spoken in Perú since it became the unifying language of the Inca Empire 600 years ago. As the most widely spoken autochthonous language of Perú, it is considered to be an official language along with Spanish. Statistics vary, but the number of Quechua speakers in Perú is estimated at four and a half million, approximately 19 percent of the total population.

(Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática: Censos Nacionales 1993) Some regions are predominantly Quechua speaking. In the Department of Cusco,(1) for example, Quechua speakers comprise almost 64 percent of the population: 39 percent in urban centers and 86 percent in rural areas.

In spite of the prevalence and the antiquity of the Quechua language, however, Spanish is the language of power in all regions of Perú, even those in which there are more Quechua speakers than Spanish speakers. Many Quechua-speaking Peruvians need to learn Spanish in order to function in their own country, as the latter is the language of commerce, education, and government.

The negative attitude many Spanish-speaking Peruvians have toward the Quechua language and those who speak it makes matters worse. Many view Quechua, an oral language generally considered to be difficult if not impossible to write, as an archaic language spoken by Indians.

There exists a strange dichotomy between the pride in the history and culture of the Inca Empire (promoted by government and tourist sectors) and the disdain with which the living descendants of this empire are regarded. The unfortunate result of these attitudes is that many Quechua speakers hide their linguistic roots.

Speaking a fractured Spanish with their children, who learn to speak neither Quechua nor Spanish well, they prefer to pass as Spanish speakers.
In the city of Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire and now the departmental capital, Quechua is rarely seen in the media. Not a single newspaper or magazine is published in Quechua; the only written Quechua to be found is in academic works on linguistic or literary topics, or in songbooks for musicians.

The national university in Cusco offers only two courses in Quechua, for degrees in medicine and pedagogy. Quechua is taught in only one private school in Cusco. The Academy of the Quechua Language languishes for lack of government support; its members, mostly retirees, give of their time for love of the language.

A few radio stations do broadcast music, news, or personal announcements for people in isolated communities; all of these stations, however, are either private or partially financed by NGOs; they are not protected in any way by the government.

Unless steps are taken to promote the Quechua language in the public sectors, the real possibility exists that it will decline in importance to the point that it is no longer used with any frequency, as has been the fate of minority languages in many countries.

Governmental Policies Then and Now

The Peruvian government has not been unsympathetic, but its efforts to promote and protect Quechua have been sporadic and superficial at best. In 1975, the idealistic military government of General Velasco made Quechua an official language in areas with high numbers of Quechua speakers.

For a few years, the language was taught in public schools, but this was a second-language program aimed at Spanish speakers; its purpose was to raise the profile of Quechua rather than to implement true bilingual education. This program disappeared with successive changes in government.

Now, 25 years later, the Ministry of Education in the city of Cusco is laying the groundwork for another program in primary education. Optimistically called "bilingual and bicultural," it appears on close examination to be neither bilingual nor bicultural. Its stated goals are: (1) the introduction of Quechua as the language of instruction for Quechua-speaking children in rural areas, and (2) the maintenance and preservation of the Quechua culture.

Yet policy-makers have adopted a program of transition for the children involved, with no consideration of the possibility of implementing a truly bilingual program of maintenance. (With reference to bilingual education, a program of transition is one in which children learn in their native language for as long as it will take them to become fluent in the dominant language, which then becomes the language of instruction.

A maintenance program uses both languages concurrently.) All instruction in grades one and two is to be in Quechua, but from grade three, Spanish will be phased in. At no point is the desired result -- the hispanicization of these children and their absorption into mainstream Spanish-speaking culture -- questioned.

The common experience for a child from a Quechua-speaking background is to be plunged into a Spanish-speaking school environment at the age of five or six. By grade four or five, most are able to speak Spanish, but many never learn to read well and few go on to secondary school. By implementing a program that addresses the number of children, especially in rural areas, who face the difficulties of learning in what is for them a foreign language, the government is taking a step in the right direction.

The policy as it stands has many limitations, however. Since the program's main goal appears to be to incorporate minority children as quickly as possible into the Spanish-speaking mainstream, it will do little to effect real change in the prevailing perception of Quechua as a second-class language. In practical terms, too, the program may not be well conceived. Although the Ministry states, for instance, that its strategies include the elaboration of materials and workshops in Quechua for teachers, the only materials developed to date have been didactic manuals. There are no readers or other materials for students and no signs as yet of training or support for teachers.

The Peruvian government has always been prone to implementing "top-down" policies that may be misunderstood and resisted by those who should benefit from them. It is clear that there will need to be increased and sensitive consultation with government officials, and real input and participation from the Quechua-speaking communities, for any such program to be effective.

Community Attitudes

In interviews in Cusco and in surrounding rural communities, Quechua speakers and teachers commented on: (1) their personal experience of the Quechua language, and (2) whether Quechua should indeed be promoted in their schools or the communities they lived in.

Teachers

Thirty-four teachers working in schools ranging from reasonably well-appointed urban schools through semi-urban to impoverished rural schools were interviewed. All of the teachers were either native Quechua speakers or had learned Quechua as their only means of communicating with their students.

When asked for a wish list, the teachers' requests were for didactic materials for classroom use and for training courses in the Quechua language, two basic needs not being met by the government. Almost without exception, the teachers firmly believed that the best way to teach Quechua-speaking children is in their own language, at least throughout primary education (though a significant number also support programs of maintenance through secondary school).

Their experiences with the academic problems suffered by minority-language children in a majority-language system support current pedagogical research showing that these children progress significantly more slowly than majority-language children and tend to drop out of school more frequently.(2)

Teachers working with Quechua-speaking children in a Spanish-language framework face many additional challenges. Most of them are young women, often poorly trained and badly paid. Those who work in rural areas feel a great sense of isolation and a need for improved communication with government departments, whose staff tend to be urbanites with no real understanding of these isolated and often monolingual Communities.

The teachers frequently make heroic efforts to cope with the difficult situation in which they work; many of them use their own money to create teaching aids. They are, however, often overwhelmed by lack of support, few teaching aids, isolation, and poor remuneration; frustration and burnout are common results.

Parents in Rural Communities

There are enormous differences in terms of literacy and general sophistication between Quechua speakers living in traditional agricultural communities (comuneros) and those who were born in or have migrated to urban areas. Not one of the comuneros interviewed had studied beyond primary school, and many of the women were illiterate.

Six had some Spanish, while the others were monoglots. People living in rural areas often have little contact with the Spanish-speaking world, and they tend to compartmentalize uses of Spanish and Quechua: Spanish is used for traveling to Cusco, in schools, with the government, at hospitals, or in other areas of perceived authority.

Quechua is the language of daily communication with family and community. A mistrust of most government officials exists among monolingual Quechua-speakers as a result of a long history of repression and exploitation.

Many of the comuneros have had unpleasant experiences with those in positions of authority, and they tend to believe the idea that if those authorities want Quechua to be used in schools, they must intend to keep the children ignorant and backward. This belief may result in resistance to the use of Quechua in schools on the part of parents who want their children to be taught only in Spanish, the language of progress and of power.

Teachers did comment that parents are opposed to the implementation of bilingual education. Clearly, however, it is important to examine closely the reasons behind this resistance. During discussions with the comuneros about the pedagogic reasons for teaching a child in his or her native language (using examples from countries where bilingual education has been successfully implemented), the idea of using Quechua as well as and not instead of Spanish became more reasonable. The thought that they themselves might also learn to read in their own language took root.

Migrants and Urbanites

Although the government is taking some steps toward implementing a bilingual program in rural areas, the linguistic needs of a sizeable population of Quechua speakers who have migrated from rural to urban areas are not being met (see also Oliveira, this issue).

A group of ten newly-urbanized Quechua-speakers -- all women and parents who spend part or all of their time in Cusco working in small, family-run businesses or selling their products in the markets or to tourists -- were interviewed. Quechua speakers by birth, these women are now bilingual, and in comparison with rural dwellers, sophisticated in their interactions with modern society.

Though their children are generally enrolled in schools in the city, some may spend part of the year in their home communities; their education is thus fragmented. The children often have to work from a young age in order to help support the family (city schools now recognize this reality and some offer evening classes for working children).

All of these entrepreneurs are aware of the benefits of education. They support the idea of bilingual education in the schools, even through secondary school, and would like to see greater exposure of Quechua in the media.(3) With the pragmatism that enables them to survive, they do not dispute the need for Spanish, but they still value Quechua for its historicity and because it is "theirs."

In spite of this positive outlook, however, signs of language death are present.(4) Urban residents all claimed to speak Quechua at home with their children, but in some cases they admitted that the children do not speak the language well.

Many of the children were uncomfortable in Quechua; some did not speak the language or preferred to use Spanish, a preference probably due to the common perception of Quechua speakers as uneducated and inferior to Spanish speakers. Approximately half of the parents commented that their relatives no longer wish to speak Quechua; that they consider it "ugly," or "are ashamed," or do not want to appear to be "from the country."

More than half said that people in the rural communities from which they had migrated do not use Quechua as much as they used to. If these women and children are representative of those from other urban and semi-urban areas, it would appear that the use of Quechua is declining. The increasing migration to and contact with urban areas in the past decades bode ill for the active survival of the language.

The linguistic pattern evidenced among these migrants in Cusco illustrates a process especially common among migrants to urban areas from traditional agricultural societies and typical of areas where language decline and death have taken place. The pattern operates in the following way: grandparents speak only the traditional language; parents speak both the native language and the language of assimilation, and their children become monolingual in the assimilated language.

Future Direction

In order for Quechua to be strengthened and promoted in Perú, negative attitudes toward the language, ingrained over centuries by the Spanish-speaking elite, must be reversed; initiatives to reinforce the daily use of Quechua and, as a consequence, its presence as a living entity in Peruvian society should be implemented.

The Ministry of Education's bilingual program needs improved planning and implementation. It is of prime importance to promote the use of Quechua in schools, albeit in maintenance rather than in transition programs (as is current policy). For these programs to be successful, however, certain other steps must be taken.

The most important is to win parental support for bilingual language programs. To this end, consultation and sensitization sessions for both parents and teachers should be held. This policy must not be seen as another idea imposed by authorities that will result in greater separation of Quechua-speakers from modern Perú.

Rather, it must be viewed as a joint effort to make the educational experience a positive one for every child, with the full consultation and participation of parents, teachers, and government.
To ensure the effectiveness of this new teaching program, teachers must be supported with teaching materials and workshops.

Quechua in its written form for the use of adult speakers should also be promoted. The perception currently exists that Quechua is a difficult if not impossible language to write. Academics waste much time and energy debating the value of three versus five vowels in written Quechua.

This kind of debate is ultimately counterproductive, as it diverts attention from truly urgent issues. If literacy equals power, Quechua must be available not just in academic contexts in its written form, but integrated into daily life and made accessible to everyone in the form of newspapers, magazines, and informative government pamphlets.(5) Adult literacy classes, especially for women, Could be productively integrated into this type of initiative.

The broadcast media is another area in which the government could be supportive, by funding television and especially radio programs in Quechua. The radio has long been used for the dissemination of information to outlying villages. Without government funding, however, radio stations broadcasting in Quechua are vulnerable to market pressures.(6)

Negative attitudes toward Quechua cannot easily be banished by government edict. Nevertheless, directing government resources toward raising the profile of Quechua in a sensitive way, with constant consultation with Quechua-speakers, is a crucial first step in renewing and reinforcing people's pride in their own language.

Conclusion

It has been estimated that half of the languages extant today will disappear during the next century. Although a superficial glance gives the impression that Quechua is not in imminent danger, a closer look reveals that within the Peruvian context, Quechua plays a secondary role to Spanish. What support it receives from the government is mainly theoretical. As we move into the twenty-first century -- with increasing internal migration to urban centers, and with technology playing an ever-growing role in the homogenization of cultures -- the Quechua language will in all likelihood continue to lose ground. A real danger is that people, mollified by current government efforts to institute "bilingual" education in some primary schools, will assume that these efforts are sufficient. If Quechua is to play a true role as an official language of Perú, only the first steps on a long journey have been taken.

(1). Departments, further divided into provinces, are the administrative divisions of Perú.
(2). See, for example, Hornberger, 1989.
(3). All of the women say they listen daily to one of the few radio programs in Quechua, Warmikuna rimanchis (Women speaking).
(4). For a discussion of language death, see Edwards, 1985.
(5). A strong case is made for the importance of publishing as a tool for language preservation in Bernard, 1996.
(6). The media can, unfortunately, be a two-edged sword. If the government does become involved in Quechua radio and television, it will likely aim programming at the much larger Spanish-speaking audience, which would result in more slick television programs of Andean music and dance, almost all broadcast from Lima.
References & further reading:
Bernard, H.R. (1996). Language Preservation and Publishing. In Indigenous Literacies in the Americas. N.H. Hornberger, Ed. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. Pp 139-156.
Edwards, J. (1985). Language, Society and Identity. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, Ltd.
Grenoble, L.A. & Whaley, L.J., Eds. (1998). Endangered Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hornberger, N. (1989). Haku yachaywasiman: la educación bilingüe y el futuro del quechua en Puno. Lima-Puno: Programa de Educación Bilingüe en Puno.
Nettle, D. & Romaine, S.P. (2000). Vanishing Voices: The Extinction of the World's Languages. New York: USA Oxford University Press.
Article copyright Cultural Survival, Inc.