Valley Yokuts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Valley Yokuts
Region	San Joaquin Valley, California
Ethnicity	Yokuts
Native speakers	unknown  (2007) 20–25 fluent and semi-speakers
Language family	Yok-Utian ? Yokuts Nim Valley Yokuts
Dialects	Chukchansi
Historical distribution with dialects

Valley Yokuts is a dialect cluster of the Yokutsan language family of California.

Chukchansi, which is still spoken natively, has language classes and a preschool for children. It is also taught at a local elementary school. Though there are no longer any native speakers, Tachi has a Headstart language program.

Divisions of Valley Yokuts

Varieties

Valley Yokuts is sometimes considered three languages.

• Far Northern Valley Yokuts (a.k.a. Delta Yokuts) †

Yachikumne (a.k.a. Chulamni)

Chalostaca

Lakisamni

Tawalimni

• Northern Valley Yokuts

Nopṭinṭe

Chawchila

Chukchansi

Kechayi

Dumna

• Southern Valley Yokuts

Wechihit

Nutunutu–Tachi

Chunut (a.k.a. Sumtache)

Wo’lasi–Choynok

Wowol

Telamni

Koyeti–Yawelmani

Of these, Yawelmani /jɑːwɛlˈmɑːni/, also known as Yowlumni, is the best known. See also Chukchansi dialect.

Grammar

• ablaut
• suffix

deeyi 'to lead'

deeyen 'he will lead'

deyhin 'he led'

diyhatinhin 'he wanted to lead'

diyee’iy 'place where one got the lead' (subjective)

diyaa’an 'he is leading'

deydiyen 'he will lead repeatedly'

diyidyiisaahin ’anam 'they led each other repeatedly'

diyeediyic’ 'one who is leading repeatedly' (subjective)

deyday 'act of leading repeatedly' (subjective)

• reduplication

’ɔɔṭ’hun 'he stole' - ’ɔɔṭ’uṭ’hun 'he stole often'

’ɔɔṭ’al 'he might steal' - ’ɔɔṭ’uṭ’al 'he might steal often'