Mocoví (moqoit)

Mocoví is a Southern Guaicuruan language spoken mainly in eastern Chaco Province, central and northern Santa Fe Province, and southern Formosa Province in the northeast of Argentina. There are between 4,000 and 7,000 speakers of Mocoví out of a population of about 12,000 Mocoví people. It is one of the official languages of Chaco Province, along with Spanish, Toba Qom and Wichí, and is spoken by people of all ages. In Santa Fe Province, Mocoví is spoken mainly by older people, while young people are more likely to speak Spanish.

Mocoví is called moqoit or moqoit la’qaatqa by Mocoví people. It was first documented by Lafone Quevedo, who published a grammar of the language in 1892. A way to write it with the Latin alphabet was developed by missionaries in the 1950s, based on a spelling system they developed for Toba Qom. The Bible has been translated into Mocoví.

As part of efforts to revitalise the langauge, there are classes for Mocoví adults to learn to read and write their language. The language is also taught in secondary schools, and used as a medium of instruction in primary schools, particularly in Charata and Villa Ángela in Chaco, and Melincué and Recreo in Santa Fe.

Mocoví alphabet & pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Mocoví (Excel)

Sample text (The Lord's Prayer - Luke 11: 2-4)

Ca' so Jesús 'naaco': —Ma' nqouagaxaiñii, ca 'ñiỹaco': Qami' qota'olec ñiiso'ot na piguim, qaỹapacqajnauec qaimaqachin da qadeenaxachi'. Ñaq nelachiriño' ma'le ca ro'ueenataxanaxaqui', qaiyi qaỹo'uet quena 'laua cá'maq vi'saque, 'nejem dá'maq qaỹo'ueetetac quena piguim.
Nañaañiroxorom ca qonoq nala'guit na na'xa'a.
Chaqai palaxachi' na qarasauaxaset, ma' qomi' qai'neeta sapalaxataq ná'ogue ná'maq se no'uen ca 'neeta'pegue coqomi'. Chaqai sqa shiñichiguita qomi' ca qane'guenaxac, qaidaata quiyim 'ootaxañiseguelgoto qomi' queca se no'uen.

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/332/LUK.11.MCV91

Translation

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.11.KJV

Sample videos

Information about Mocoví | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about Mocoví
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mocoví_language
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idioma_mocoví
http://www.mpi.nl/DOBES/projects/chaco/mocovi
http://www.native-languages.org/mocovi.htm
https://idiomas.becasyempleos.com.ar/idioma-mocovi/
https://www.repositorio.unicamp.br/acervo/detalhe/131859
https://pueblosoriginarios.com/lenguas/mocovi/mocovi.html

Guaicuruan languages

Kadiwéu, Mocoví, Pilagá, Toba Qom

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 27.05.24. Last modified: 27.05.24

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