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Description:
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Aymara, a member of the Jaqi family of languages (Jaqaru, Kawki, Aymara),
is a language of the high Andean plain between the highest peaks of the
Andes mountains and of the shores of the world's highest navigable lake.
Aymara is the first language of approximately one-third of the population
of Bolivia, the dominant language of the southern area of Perz throughout
Puno and down towards the coast in Moquegua, Tacna, with branches into
Arequipa, and is the indigenous language of northern Chile. Aymara is a
suffixing language with complex morphophonemics. The bulk of the
grammatical resources are found within the morphology. Syntax is
morphologically marked; verbal person suffixes mark simultaneously
object/subject; data source is marked at all levels of grammar. Within the
nominal system inclusive/exclusive and humanness are marked. The Aymara
sentence is defined by the use of sentence suffixes. These sentence
suffixes are independent of root classes and may occur on all classes.
Every sentence must be marked by one or more sentence suffix, which serves
to define the sentence type. Aymara has 26 consonant phonemes and three
vowel phonemes. Fifteen of the consonants are voiceless stops which occur
in five contrasting positions of articulation; and in three manners. Vowel
dropping is significant, complex and pervasive, marking case and phrase
structure as well as style.
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