Lipan language explained

Lipan
States:Mexico, United States
Region:Chihuahua, Coahuila, New Mexico, Texas
Ethnicity:Lipan Apache people
Ref:[1]
Familycolor:Dené-Yeniseian
Fam2:Na-Dene
Fam3:Athabaskan
Fam4:Southern Athabaskan
Fam5:Eastern
Iso3:apl
Glotto:lipa1241
Glottorefname:Lipan Apache
Script:Latin
Nation: Mexico
Agency:Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas
Nativename:Ndé miizaa
Speakers:110 (in Mexico)

Lipan (ndé miizaa) is an Eastern Southern Athabaskan language spoken by the Lipan Apache in the states of Coahuila and Chihuahua in northern Mexico, some reservations of New Mexico and parts of southern Texas. Lipan belongs to the Na-Dene languages family and it is closely related to the Jicarilla language, which is also part of the Eastern Southern Athabaskan languages.

History

In 1981, it was reported that in New Mexico there were only 2 or 3 elderly speakers still alive.[2]

On March 22, 2023, a speech in Lipan was given in the tribune of the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico.[3]

On July 22, 2023, the Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas presented and validated an official alphabet for Lipan in the Assembly Hall of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua.

Distribution

In Mexico, Lipan is traditionally spoken in some native communities in the states of Coahuila and Chihuahua: In Coahuila it was mainly spoken in Los Lirios and San Antonio de Alanzas in Arteaga Municipality, El Remolino and Zaragoza in Zaragoza Municipality, Sierra de Santa Rosa de Lima and Múzquiz in Múzquiz Municipality and the cities of Sabinas and Saltillo. In Chihuahua it is mainly spoken in Ciudad Juarez, the city of Chihuahua and other native towns.[4]

Lipan was spoken in New Mexico in the Mescalero Reservation and in Texas near the Mexico-U.S. border.

Phonology

Consonants

There are 30 consonants in Lipan Apache:

BilabialAlveolarPalatalVelarGlottal
plainsibilantlateral
Nasalpronounced as /link/ ⟨m⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨n⟩
Stopprenasalpronounced as /link/ ⟨nd⟩
voicelesspronounced as /link/ ⟨b⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨d⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨dz⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨dl⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨j⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨g⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨'⟩
aspiratedpronounced as /link/ ⟨t⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨ts⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨tł⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨ch⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨k⟩
ejectivepronounced as /link/ ⟨t'⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨ts'⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨tł'⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨ch'⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨k'⟩
Fricativevoicelesspronounced as /link/ ⟨s⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨ł⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨sh⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨x⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨h⟩
voicedpronounced as /link/ ⟨z⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨zh⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨gh⟩
Approximantpronounced as /link/ ⟨l⟩pronounced as /link/ ⟨y⟩

Vowels

There are 16 vowels in Lipan Apache:

 FrontCentralBack
shortlongshortlongshortlong
oralpronounced as /i/ ⟨i⟩pronounced as /iː/ ⟨ii⟩    
nasalpronounced as /ĩ/ ⟨į⟩pronounced as /ĩː/ ⟨įį⟩    
Midoralpronounced as /e/ ⟨e⟩pronounced as /eː/ ⟨ee⟩  pronounced as /o/ ⟨o⟩pronounced as /oː/ ⟨oo⟩
nasalpronounced as /ẽ/ ⟨ę⟩pronounced as /ẽː/ ⟨ęę⟩  pronounced as /õ/ ⟨ǫ⟩pronounced as /õː/ ⟨ǫǫ⟩
oral  pronounced as /a/ ⟨a⟩pronounced as /aː/ ⟨aa⟩  
nasal  pronounced as /ã/ ⟨ą⟩pronounced as /ãː/ ⟨ąą⟩  

Tone

Tones are represented as high pronounced as /[V́]/, low pronounced as /[V̀]/, falling pronounced as /[V́V̀]/, and rising pronounced as /[V̀V́]/. Rising and falling tones only occur on long vowels.

Toponymy

The Lipan people preserve their own toponymic names to name important places within their history and culture that are part of the Ndé Bikéyaa ("Ndé land" in Lipan):[5]

Mexico
Mehigu
Chihuahua CityJą’éłąyá
Ciudad JuárezTsé Tahu’aya / Yaa tu enéé
CoahuilaNacika

Bibliography

References

  1. https://www.inali.gob.mx/detalle/lengua-ndee-nnee-nde
  2. 1981 R. W. Young
  3. Web site: Hablante de lengua nde’ mizaa, pronuncia discurso en la tribuna de la Cámara de Diputados .
  4. Web site: Historia de la lengua y cultura n'dee/n'nee/ndé; Ndé miizaa .
  5. Web site: Toponimia en lengua Ndé .