The Uru–Chipaya family is an indigenous language family of Bolivia. The speakers were originally fishermen on the shores of Lake Titicaca, Lake Poopó, and the Desaguadero River. Chipaya has over a thousand speakers and sees vigorous use in the native community, but all other Uru languages or dialects are extinct. Loukotka (1968) also lists the Chango language, once spoken on the coast of Chile from Huasco to Cobija in Antofagasta Province. The population has since been Araucanized.

Proposed external relationships

Stark (1972) proposed a Maya–Yunga–Chipayan macrofamily linking Mayan with Uru–Chipaya and Yunga (Mochica).

Language contact

Jolkesky (2016) notes that there are lexical similarities with the Kunza, Pukina, Pano, Jaqi, Kechua, Mapudungun, and Moseten-Tsimane language families due to contact.

Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for Uro (Uru) and Chipaya. ! gloss !! Uro !! Chipaya ! one ! two ! three ! head ! eye ! hand ! woman ! water ! sun ! maize