Tataviam language

The Tataviam language was spoken by the Tataviam people of the upper Santa Clara River basin, Santa Susana Mountains, and Sierra Pelona Mountains in southern California. It had become extinct by 1916 and is known only from a few early records, notably a word list collected by the linguist John P. Harrington in 1917.

Language family

Uto-Aztecan

Most scholars have recognized Tataviam as belonging to the Uto-Aztecan language family, Northern Uto-Aztecan division.

They have been uncertain whether it should be considered a member of the Takic branch or a separate isolate-branch of Uto-Aztecan.

• Takic branch: along with Tongva (Gabrieliño and Fernandeño), Serrano, Payomkowishum (Luiseño), Cahuilla, and others; (Goddard 1996:7; King and Blackburn 1978:535; Mithun 1999:539) or perhaps a
• Separate isolate-branch of Uto-Aztecan: like Tubatulabal and Hopi (Hinton 1994:85).

Chumashan

An alternative suggestion by some scholars is that Tataviam was a Chumashan language, from a Ventureño language and others, of the Chumash-Venturaño and other Chumash groups, that had been influenced by the neighboring Uto-Aztecan speaking peoples (Beeler and Klar 1977).

See also

• Indigenous languages of California
• Survey of California and Other Indian Languages
• John Peabody Harrington
• Native American history of California
• Native Americans in California
• Traditional narratives (Native California)

External links

• Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, tribal government website
• native-languages.org
• Tataviam language overview at the Survey of California and Other Indian Languages

References

• Beeler, Madison, and Kathryn A. Klar. 1977. "Interior Chumash". Journal of California Anthropology 4:287-305.
• Bright, William. 1975. "The Alliklik Mystery". Journal of California Anthropology, 2:228-230.
• Goddard, Ives. 1996. "Introduction". In Languages, edited by Ives Goddard, pp. 1–16. Handbook of North American Indians, William C. Sturtevant, general editor, vol. 17. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
• Hinton, Leanne. 1994. Flutes of Fire: Essays on California Indian Languages. Heyday Books, Berkeley, California.
• Hudson, Travis. 1982. "The Alliklik-Tataviam Problem". Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology 4:222-232.
• Johnson, John R., and David D. Earle. 1990. "Tataviam Geography and Ethnohistory". Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology 12:191-214.
• King, Chester, and Thomas C. Blackburn. 1978. "Tataviam". In California, edited by Robert F. Heizer, pp. 535–537. Handbook of North American Indians, William C. Sturtevant, general editor, vol. 8. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

Languages of California Italics indicate extinct languages Algic Wiyot Yurok Athabascan Tolowa Hupa Mattole Kato Wailaki Chumashan Obispeño Island Chumash Purisimeño Ineseño Barbareño Ventureño Ohlone Karkin Chochenyo Ramaytush Tamyen Awaswas Mutsun Rumsen Chalon Hokan Chimariko Karuk Achomawi Atsugewi Northeastern Pomo Eastern Pomo Southeastern Pomo Northern Pomo Central Pomo Southern Pomo Kashaya Washo Mojave Kumeyaay Yana Yahi Penutian Klamath-Mudoc Yokuts Wintu Bay Miwok Coast Miwok Lake Miwok Plains Miwok Central Sierra Miwok Northern Sierra Miwok Southern Sierra Miwok Valley Maidu Northeast Maidu Northwest Maidu Nisenan Shastan Konomihu New River Shasta Okwanuchu Shasta Uto Aztecan Cahuilla Cupeño Kawaiisu Kitanemuk Luiseño-Juaneño Mono Northern Paiute Panamint Serrano Tataviam Tongva Ute Wintuan Nomlaki Patwin Southern Patwin Wintu Yokutsan Buena Vista Yokuts, Chukchansi, Gashowu Yokuts, Kings River Yokuts, Palewyami, Tule-Kaweah Yokuts, Valley Yokuts Yukian Yuki, Wappo Language isolates Esselen, Chimariko, Karuk, Salinan, Takelma Asian Chinese Korean Tagalog Vietnamese Indo-European American English California English Chicano English Spanish Armenian Punjabi Russian