Mutsun language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mutsun |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan Bautista | ||||
| Native to | United States | |||
| Region | California | |||
| Ethnicity | Ohlone | |||
| Extinct | 1930, with the death of Ascencion Solórzano de Cervantes | |||
| Language family | ||||
| Writing system | Latin | |||
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Mutsun (also known as San Juan Bautista Costanoan) is an old language that was spoken in Northern California. It was the main language for a group of Ohlone people who lived near the Mission San Juan Bautista. Today, groups like the Tamien Nation and the Amah Mutsun band are working hard to bring the language back to life. They are even using a modern alphabet to help with this effort.
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Learning About the Mutsun Language
The last person known to speak Mutsun fluently was a woman named Maria Ascención Solórsano de Garcia y de Cervantes. She shared a lot of information about the Mutsun language and their culture. This information was very important for people who wanted to study the language.
A Spanish missionary and linguist named Felipe Arroyo de la Cuesta wrote many notes about how the language worked. Later, another linguist, John Peabody Harrington, also took many detailed notes from Solórsano.
Harrington's notes were used by Marc Okrand to write a special book about Mutsun grammar in 1977. This book is still the only grammar ever written for any Ohlone language. Today, experts from different countries are talking about the best ways to help bring the Mutsun language back.
Sounds of Mutsun
Like all languages, Mutsun has its own special sounds and an alphabet. The sounds are made using different parts of the mouth, like the lips, tongue, and throat.
Mutsun Vowels
Mutsun has five main vowel sounds. These are similar to the vowel sounds you might hear in English, but they are pronounced in a specific way. Sometimes, vowels can be held longer, which changes the meaning of a word.
Mutsun Consonants
Mutsun also has many consonant sounds. Some of these sounds are like the 'm' or 'n' in English. Others are unique to Mutsun. For example, some sounds are made by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth in a special way.
The Mutsun Alphabet
The modern alphabet used for Mutsun helps people learn how to read and write the language. It includes letters like a, c, d, e, h, i, k, l, L, m, n, N, o, p, r, s, S, t, T, ts, tY, u, w, y, and '. This alphabet helps students and speakers learn the correct pronunciation of words.
