Maká (mac'a)

Maká is a Matacoan language spoken by about 1,500 people in the Chaco region of Paraguay and Argentina. It is spoken mainly in the Presidente Hayes Department, particularly in the city of Villa Hayes, and also in Maca in the Central Department, and around Asunción, the capital of Paraguay. In Argentina it is spoken in the city of Clorina in Formosa Province.

Dialects of Maká include Towolhi and Enima(g)a. It is written with the Latin alphabet and is taught in some schools. There appear to be several spelling systems. The New Testament of the Bible have been translated into Maká.

Maká alphabet and pronunciation

Maká alphabet and pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Maká (Excel)

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

  1. Pa' Jesús qa yit'ij pa'aj: —Qu' iyini'ƚ qa it'iƚij: “Intata, neniwqinhetji'ha aka' qiji' ii. Yape namets pa' ƚahats'ij qu' qi'ija qu' enek'enhei.
  2. Esƚisi'ƚij ha'ne neƚuji' pa'qu' hetuji'ƚ in ƚunye'jek week neƚuts.
  3. Iwu'mi'ƚyik'ui pe' uƚ'ets haqsi'ji'ƚijkii in yijunyejeyi'ƚek in hiwejinƚi'iƚ week nekhewe' uƚ'ax yaqsi'jtaxi'ƚ ye'mijkii. Hasu'uj etswejinƚi'iƚij qu' netswumi'ƚju' pa' witaqjaajinkeye'j.”—

Source: https://www.bible.com/en-GB/bible/1108/LUK.11.MCA

Translation

  1. 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.
  2. Give us day by day our daily bread.
  3. 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

Videos in and about Maká

Links

Information about the Maká language
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maká_language
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Мака_(матакский_язык)
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idioma_maká
https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makų_kalba
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/mca/
http://www.proel.org/index.php?pagina=mundo/amerindia/macropanoan/matakoan/maka
http://www.language-archives.org/language/mca
https://www.sil.org/resources/search/language/mca

Matacoan languages

Iyo'wujwa Chorote, Maká, Nivaclé, Wichí Lhamtés Güisnay, Wichí Lhamtés Nocten, Wichí Lhamtés Vojez

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 20.05.24. Last modified: 22.05.24

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