Abstract

VIGIL OLIVEROS, Nila. Not-so-optimistic news about Quechua. Some clarifications about the article by Luis Andrade. Forma. func. [online]. 2023, vol.36, n.2, e7190.  Epub June 12, 2023. ISSN 0120-338X.  https://doi.org/10.15446/fyf.v36n2.97190.

Regarding the data from the last census of Peru in 2017, Andrade argues that there is a slight growth in Quechua compared to the census ten years ago, and this could be the result of both top-down and bottom-up policies. We believe that this should be examined more carefully and that the effects he assumes are not present. While the author is cautious in pointing out that his work has not considered the distribution by age groups, which could change the results, what we have observed, when reviewing the Quechua data by age quintiles, is that there is no growth in Quechua, but rather a trend of its weakening. This is because intergenerational transmission, a key factor for language growth, has not only not been maintained but has decreased compared to 2007.

Keywords : census; Quechua; intergenerational transmission; language growth; language vitality.

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