Abstract

VINOGRADOV, Igor  and  SANCHEZ-FERNANDEZ, Manuel Alejandro. Ko’alh and Kumiay: a lexical comparison of two Yuman languages. Cuad. Lingüíst. Col. Méx. [online]. 2025, vol.12, e340.  Epub Sep 08, 2025. ISSN 2007-736X.  https://doi.org/10.24201/clecm.v12.340.

This paper offers a first attempt at a comparative study of two languages of the Yuman family spoken in the north of the state of Baja California, Mexico: Ko’alh and Kumiay. Both languages lack a comprehensive linguistic description and are currently at high risk of extinction. The lexical-statistical method allows establishing that Ko’alh and Kumiay share a high percentage of their core vocabulary (87.5%), which indicates a notable phylogenetic closeness, although does not provide a clear answer to the question of their status as two languages or two dialects of the same language. In a complementary way, this paper presents additional considerations, based on selected grammatical features and sociolinguistic aspects, which point in favor of considering Ko’alh and Kumiay as two independent languages.

Keywords : Yuman family; lexicostatistics; comparative study; core vocabulary; language and dialect.

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