Muisca language

{{Short description|Language of Colombia, spoken by the Muisca}} {{Cleanup lang|iso=chb|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox language | name = Muisca | altname = Mosca, Chibcha | nativename = {{Transliteration|chb|Muysc cubun}} | pronunciation = {{IPA|*[mʷɨsk kuβun]}} | region = Bogotá savanna, Altiplano Cundiboyacense | state = Colombia | map = Colombia_MuiscaLocationMap.jpg | mapcaption = Map of Muisca people and language | ethnicity = Muisca | extinct = by 1770<ref>{{cite book|last=Ardila|first=Olga|year=2016|title=El muysca y la muerte de las lenguas|publisher=en 'Muysca: Memoria y presencia'. Universidad Nacional de Colombia|quote=Finally, in the 18th century, a new linguistic policy prohibited the use of indigenous languages and imposed the use of Spanish, according to a royal decree of 1770 from Charles III. This policy sought to achieve "that the different languages used in all domains become extinct and only Spanish is spoken. '''By this time, Muysca was already considered an extinct language'''}} (Ardila, 2016:264) :"...the languages with a higher level of contact and greater recognition are more vulnerable, as was the case of the Muysca language, with a significant population at the arrival of the Spanish, and '''which has been extinct since the 18th century''', despite having been recognized and taught as a general language." (Ardila, 2016: 274-275) (Original text in Spanish).</ref> | ref = linglist | familycolor = Chibchan | fam1 = Chibchan | fam2 = Core | fam3 = Magdalenic | dialects = | script = only numerals | iso2 = chb | iso3 = chb | glotto = chib1270 | glottorefname = Chibcha | notice = IPA | revived = (undated figure of >150 speakers){{citation needed|date=April 2025}} | fam4 = Southern | fam5 = Muisca–Duit<ref>{{Citation |last=Constenla Umaña |first=Adolfo |title=Chibchan languages |date=2012-01-13 |work=The Indigenous Languages of South America |pages=391–440 |editor-last=Campbell |editor-first=Lyle |url=https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110258035.391/html |access-date=2026-05-19 |publisher=DE GRUYTER |doi=10.1515/9783110258035.391 |isbn=978-3-11-025513-3 |editor2-last=Grondona |editor2-first=Verónica|url-access=subscription }}</ref> }}

'''Muisca''' or '''Muysca''' (*{{IPA|/ˈmɨska/}} *{{IPA|[ˈmʷɨska]}}{{sfn|González de Pérez|2006|p=63}}),{{sfn|Uricoechea|1854}} also known as '''Chibcha''',<ref name=":1" /> '''Mosca''' and '''Muysca of Bogotá''',{{sfn|Gómez|2020|pages=}} is an extinct language formerly spoken by the Muisca people, one of the many indigenous cultures of the Americas, historically only in the Savanna of Bogotá. The Muisca inhabit the Altiplano Cundiboyacense of what today is Colombia. "Chibcha" was, according to Pedro Simón, the language's indigenous name,<ref name=":1">Carl Henrik Langebaek, ''Los Muiscas: La historia milenaria de un pueblo chibcha'', Penguin Random House, 2019, p. 35</ref> however colonial-era dictionaries contradict this and indicate the indigenous name was ''muysccubun''.<ref>Jorge Augusto Gamboa Mendoza, El Cacicazgo muisca en los años posteriores a la Conquista, <nowiki>Instituto Colombiano de Antropología e Historia</nowiki>, 2017, p. 15</ref>

== Name == The name of the language '''{{lang|chb|Muysc cubun}}''' means 'language of the people', from {{lang|chb|muysca}} 'people' and {{lang|chb|cubun}} 'language' or 'word'.

== Revival == Despite the disappearance of the language in the 17th century (approximately), several language revitalization processes are underway within the current Muisca communities. The Muisca people remain ethnically distinct and their communities are recognized by the Colombian state.<ref>[https://www.radionacional.co/cultura/las-raices-muiscas-que-sobreviven-en-suba Las raíces muiscas que sobreviven en Suba]. Radio Nacional de Colombia.</ref> The language is within the language sub-group magdalénicos.<ref>Costenla Umaña A (2008) Estado actual de la subclasificación de las lenguas chibchenses y de la reconstrucción fonológica y gramatical del protochibchense. Lingüística Chibcha 27: 117–135.</ref>

An important revival-effort has been provided by the remaining Muisca communities or cabildos.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |date=2008 |title=Proceso de revitalización lingüística de la Lengua Muisca de la comunidad de Cota |url=https://repository.javeriana.edu.co/bitstream/handle/10554/52000/Proceso%20de%20revitalización%20lingüística%20de%20la%20Lengua%20Muisca%20de%20la%20comunidad%20de%20Cota%20%281%29.pdf?sequence=1 |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=repository.javeriana.edu.co}}</ref>

=== Modern uses ===

==== Education ==== The only public school in Colombia currently teaching Chibcha (to about 150 children) is in the town of Cota, about {{convert|30|km|mi}} by road from Bogotá. The school is named ''Jizcamox'' (healing with the hands) in Chibcha.<ref name=":0" />

==== Constructed languages ==== {{Main|Myska language}}

== Dialects == Modern Muisca scholars such as Diego Gómez{{sfn|Gómez|2013}} have found that the variety of languages was much larger than previously thought and that in fact there was a Chibcha dialect continuum that extended throughout the Cordillera Oriental from the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy to the Sumapaz Páramo.{{sfn|Gómez|2013}} The quick colonization of the Spanish and the improvised use of traveling translators reduced the differences between the versions of Chibcha over time.<ref>Gamboa Mendoza, Jorge. (2016) El cacicazgo muisca en los años posteriores a la Conquista: del psihipqua al cacique colonial. instituto Colombiano de Antropología e Historia.</ref> The language recorded in dictionaries was only the dialect spoken around the colonial capital-city of Santafé de Bogotá.<ref>Betancourt, Juan Cobo, ''The Muisca and the Problem of Religion'', Chapter 1, footnote 19</ref>

== Classification == {{Expand section|date=February 2025}}{{Main|Chibchan languages}} The Muysca language is part of the Chibcha linguistic family. The Chibcha linguistic family includes several indigenous languages of Central America and Northwestern South America.

== History == thumb|upright=2|Distribution of Chibchan languages across southern Central and northwestern South America. The southernmost (23) is Muisca. In prehistorical times, in the Andean civilizations called preceramic, the population of northwestern South America migrated through the Darién Gap between the isthmus of Panama and Colombia. Other Chibchan languages are spoken in southern Central America and the Muisca and related indigenous groups took their language with them into the heart of Colombia where they comprised the Muisca Confederation, a cultural grouping.

===Spanish colonization=== {{main|Spanish conquest of the Muisca}}

{{see also|Spanish conquest of the Chibchan Nations}} As early as 1580 the authorities in Charcas, Quito, and Santa Fe de Bogotá mandated the establishment of schools in native languages and required that priests study these languages before ordination. In 1606 the entire clergy was ordered to provide religious instruction in Chibcha. The Chibcha language declined in the 18th century.<ref name="wdl">{{Cite web | title = Chibcha Dictionary and Grammar | work = World Digital Library | access-date = 2013-05-23 | url = http://www.wdl.org/en/item/8988/ }}</ref>

In 1770, King Charles III of Spain officially banned use of the language in the region <ref name="wdl" /> as part of a de-indigenization project. The ban remained in law until Colombia passed its constitution of 1991.

===Modern history===

Since 2008 a Spanish–Muyscubun dictionary containing more than 3000 words has been published online. The project was partly financed by the University of Bergen, Norway.{{sfn|Gómez|2008–2022}}

== Documentation == The sources of the Muysca language are seven documents prepared in the first decade of the 17th century and are considered a legitimate and reliable documentary set of the language. Important scholars who have contributed to the knowledge of the Muisca language include Juan de Castellanos, Bernardo de Lugo, José Domingo Duquesne and Ezequiel Uricoechea. === RM 158 === Manuscript 158 of the National Library of Colombia has a Grammar, an annex called "Modos de hablar en la lengua Mosca o Chipcha" {{sic}}, a Spanish-Muysca vocabulary and a "Catheçismo en la lengua Mosca o Chipcha" {{sic}}. It was transcribed by María Stella González and published by the Caro y Cuervo Institute in 1987. According to the researcher, this manuscript "was written at times when the language was still spoken.<ref>González de Pérez, María Stella. ''Trayectoria de los estudios sobre la lengua chibcha o muisca''. Bogotá 1980. Instituto Caro y Cuervo.</ref>" González's transcription has been one of the most consulted works by modern linguists interested in the language.

=== Manuscripts from the Biblioteca Real de Palacio === Three documents from the Biblioteca Real de Palacio are compendiums of the Muysca language and are part of the so-called Mutis Collection, a set of linguistic-missionary documents of several indigenous languages of the New Kingdom of Granada and the Captaincy General of Venezuela, collected by Mutis, due to the initial wishes of the Tsarina of Russia Catherine the Great, who wanted to create a dictionary of all the languages of the world<ref name="giraldo&gomez">Gómez & Giraldo. Transcription of the Moscow Vocabulary of 1612. Manuscript II/2924 from the Royal Library of the Royal Palace of Madrid. ICANH. 2011.</ref>

==== Manuscript II/2922 ==== This manuscript is made up of three books: the first titled "De la gramática breve de la lengua Mosca"; the second contains three titles: "Confesionarios en la Lengua Mosca chibcha" {{sic}}, "Oraciones en Lengua Mosca chibcha" {{sic}} and "Catecismo breve en Lengua Mosca chibcha" {{sic}}; The third book is titled "Bocabulario de la Lengua Chibcha o Mosca" {{sic}}. It was transcribed by Diego Gómez and Diana Girlado between 2012 and 2013.<ref>Gómez & Giraldo (2012-2013). Gramática, confesionario, catecismo breve y vocabulario de la lengua mosca-chibcha. Anonymous. ICANH.</ref>

==== Manuscript II/2923 and Manuscript II/2924 ==== These manuscripts are actually a single vocabulary, one copies the other. The first was transcribed by Quesada Pacheco in 1991 and the second by Gómez y Giraldo between 2012 and 2013<ref>Gómez & Giraldo (2012-2013). Vocabulario mosco - 1612. Anonymous. ICANH.</ref>

=== Lugo Grammar === thumb|alt=Lugo grammar|Folio 9 recto of ''Gramática en la lengua general del Nuevo Reino, llamada Mosca'', by fray Bernardo de Lugo, printed in Madrid, Spain, in 1619.

It was published in Madrid, Spain, in the year 1619. It consists of a grammar, a confessional in Spanish and a confessional in Muysca. For the elaboration of his work, Lugo devised a sort or type in order to express a vowel that was not part of the phonetic inventory of Spanish and that was necessary to capture if a correct pronunciation was wanted, he called it "Inverse Ipsilon" and today we know it as "The Lugo's y". In other sources it appears simply expressed with the grapheme ''y''.

=== The Bodleian Library pamphlets === Recently, a couple of doctrinal texts of the Muysca language were discovered in the Bodleian Library, which were sewn into the final part of an anonymous grammar of the Quechua language, published in Seville in 1603. The first of them is a brief Grammar, and the second a brief Christian Doctrine. These pamphlets are considered the earliest known texts of the General Language of the New Kingdom of Granada and although their orthography is inconsistent and a little different from the known ones, these pamphlets are associated with the variety spoken in Santafé and its surroundings<ref>Gómez, Diego F. ''Los folletos muyscas de la Biblioteca Bodleiana (1603): los textos más tempranos de la lengua general del Nuevo Reino de Granada.'' en Revista Internacional de Lingüística Iberoamericana: 36, 2, 2020.</ref>

== Phonology == Because Muisca is an extinct language, various scholars as Adolfo Constenla (1984), González de Pérez (2006) and Willem Adelaar with the collaboration of Pieter Muysken (2004) have formulated different phonological systems from the available data.

=== Adolfo Constenla === The proposal of Adolfo Constenla,{{sfn|Constenla Umaña|1984|pages=65-111}} a Costa Rican scholar of Chibchan, has been the basis of the other proposals and his appreciations are still valid, even more so because they were the result of the use of the comparative method with other Chibcha languages and lexicostatistics.

==== Consonants ==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! colspan="2" | !Bilabial !Alveolar !Palatal !Velar !Labiovelar !Glottal |- ! colspan="2" | Plosive |{{IPA link|p}} |{{IPA link|t}} |{{IPA link|tʲ}} |{{IPA link|k}} |{{IPA link|p͡kʷ}} / {{IPA link|k͡p|p͡k}} | |- ! colspan="2" | Affricate | |{{IPA link|ts}} | | | | |- ! rowspan="2" |Fricative !voiceless | |{{IPA link|s}} | | | |{{IPA link|h}} |- !voiced |{{IPA link|β}} | | |{{IPA link|ɣ}} | | |- ! colspan="2" |Nasal |{{IPA link|m}} |{{IPA link|n}} | | | | |- ! colspan="2" |Vibrant | |{{IPA link|r}} | | | | |- ! colspan="2" |Approximant | | |{{IPA link|j}} | |{{IPA link|w}} | |}

==== Vowels ==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! !Front !Central !Back |- !Close |{{IPA link|i}} |{{IPA link|ɨ}} |{{IPA link|u}} |- !Mid |{{IPA link|e}} | |{{IPA link|o}} |- !Open | |{{IPA link|a}} | |}

=== Adelaar & Muysken === In ''The languages of the Andes'', Willem Adelaar and Pieter Muysken present a phonological chart based on the orthography developed during the colonial period, which diverges in some aspects from that used in Spanish according to the needs of the language.{{sfn|Adelaar & Muysken|2007|pages=83-90}}

==== Consonants ==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! colspan="2" | !Bilabial !Alveolar !Palatal !Velar !Labiovelar !Glottal |- ! colspan="2" | Plosive |{{IPA link|p}} |{{IPA link|t}} |{{IPA link|tʲ}} |{{IPA link|k}} |{{IPA link|p͡kʷ}} / {{IPA link|k͡p|p͡k}} | |- ! colspan="2" | Affricate | |{{IPA link|ts}} |{{IPA link|tʃ}} | | | |- ! rowspan="2" |Fricative !voiceless |{{IPA link|ɸ}} |{{IPA link|s}} |{{IPA link|ʃ}} | | |{{IPA link|h}} |- !voiced |{{IPA link|β}} | | |{{IPA link|ɣ}} | | |- ! colspan="2" |Nasal |{{IPA link|m}} |{{IPA link|n}} | | | | |- ! colspan="2" |Vibrant | |{{IPA link|r}} | | | | |- ! colspan="2" |Approximant | | |{{IPA link|j}} | |{{IPA link|w}} | |}

=== Proposal by González ===

In his book ''Aproximación al sistema fonológico de la lengua muisca'', González presents the following phonological table{{sfn|González de Pérez|2006|p=65}}.

==== Consonants ==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! colspan="2" | !Bilabial !Alveolar !Retroflex !Palatal !Velar !Glottal |- ! colspan="2" | Plosive |{{IPA link|p}} |{{IPA link|t}} | | |{{IPA link|k}} | |- ! colspan="2" | Affricate | | |{{IPA link|tʂ}} | | | |- ! rowspan="2" |Fricative !voiceless | |{{IPA link|s}} |{{IPA link|ʂ}} | | |{{IPA link|h}} |- !voiced |{{IPA link|β}} | | | |{{IPA link|ɣ}} | |- ! colspan="2" |Nasal |{{IPA link|m}} |{{IPA link|n}} | | | | |- ! colspan="2" |Approximant | | | |({{IPA link|j}}) |({{IPA link|w}}) | |}

González does not present approximants, although she considers [w] as a semivocalic extension of bilabial consonants, as Adolfo Constenla presented it at the time, for example in {{Transliteration|chb|cusmuy}} *[kusmʷɨ], */kusmɨ/, she considers it a phonetic characteristic and not a phonological one.

=== Proposal by Gómez ===

For the [https://muysca.cubun.org/ Muysc Cubun Research Group's website] from the National University of Colombia, Diego Gómez uses the following inventory for its phonetic reconstructions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gómez |first=Diego F. |title=Muysc cubun - Lengua Muisca |trans-title='Muysc cubun' - the Muisca Language |url=https://muysca.cubun.org/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260503211649/https://muysca.cubun.org/ |archive-date=May 3, 2026 |access-date=May 3, 2026 |website=Muysc cubun |language=es}}</ref>

==== Consonants ==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | ! rowspan="2" |Bilabial ! colspan="3" |Alveolar ! rowspan="2" |Postalveolar ! rowspan="2" |Palatal ! colspan="3" |Alveolar ! rowspan="2" |Glottal |- !Plain !Labialized !Palatalized !Plain !Labialized !Palatalized |- ! rowspan="2" |Plosive !voiceless | |{{IPA link|t}} |{{IPA link|tʷ}} |{{IPA link|tʲ}} | | |{{IPA link|k}} |{{IPA link|kʷ}} |{{IPA link|kʲ}} | |- !voiced |{{IPA link|b}} |{{IPA link|d͡z}} |{{IPA link|d͡zʷ}} | | | |{{IPA link|ɡ}} |{{IPA link|ɡʷ}} | | |- ! colspan="2" | Affricate | |{{IPA link|t͡s}} | | |{{IPA link|t͡ʃ}} | | | | | |- ! rowspan="2" |Fricative !voiceless | |{{IPA link|s}} | | |{{IPA link|ʃ}} |{{IPA link|ɕ}} | | | |{{IPA link|h}} |- !voiced | |{{IPA link|z}} | | |{{IPA link|ʒ}} | | | | | |- ! colspan="2" |Nasal |{{IPA link|m}} |{{IPA link|n}} | | | | | | | | |- ! rowspan="2" |Approximant !oral |{{IPA link|w}} | | | | |{{IPA link|j}} | | | | |- !nasal |{{IPA link|w̃}} | | | | | | | | | |}

==== Vowels ==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! !Front !Central !Back |- !Close |{{IPA link|i}} | |{{IPA link|u}} |- !Mid |{{IPA link|e}} |{{IPA link|ə}} |{{IPA link|o}} |- !Open | |{{IPA link|a}} | |} All vowels can be plain, glottalized, or aspirated.

== Grammar == Muysca is an agglutinative language, characterized by roots that are usually monosyllabic or bisyllabic (to a lesser extent longer), which combine to form extensive expressions. Typologically, it is a final core language. In addition, it is an inflectional language, which means that the roots receive prefixes and suffixes. The closest living language to Muysca is Uwa. Compared to other northern Chibcha languages, Muysca presents more recent innovations.

=== Nouns === In Muysca, nouns do not decline for gender, number, or case. If these are to be specified, adjectives can be applied to the noun.

{{interlinear | style1 = font-size:120% | number = (1a) | indent = 3 | top = (Lugo, 1619:3r)|fulano muysca cha cho guy|fulano person male good COP|So-and-so is a good male }}

{{interlinear | style1 = font-size:120% | number = (1b) | indent = 3 | top = (Lugo, 1619:3r)|muysca fuhucha cho|person woman good|Good woman }}

=== Adjective === Adjectives do not agree with the noun they modify. According to its form, it can be basic, derived or periphrastic.

The periphrastic form, to form a predicative expression, uses the ''3rd person + verbal root/name (+n) + ma-gue'':

{{interlinear | style1 = font-size:120% | number = (2) | indent = 3 | top = (Ms. II/2923; fol. 29v)|a-taba-n ma-gue|3-meanness-FOC 2-COP|he/she/it is stingy }}

=== Verbs === {{Expand Spanish|Conjugación de verbos muiscas|section=yes|date=April 2025}}{{Empty section|date=March 2026}}

== Vocabulary ==

=== Numbers === thumb|right|120px|Numbers 1-10 and 20 in Chibcha {{main|Muisca numerals}}

Counting 1 to 10 in Chibcha is {{lang|chb|ata}}, {{lang|chb|boza}}, {{lang|chb|mica}}, {{lang|chb|muyhyca}}, {{lang|chb|hyzca}}, {{lang|chb|taa}}, {{lang|chb|cuhupqua}}, {{lang|chb|suhuza}}, {{lang|chb|aca}}, {{lang|chb|hubchihica}}.{{sfn|Gómez|2008–2022}} The Muisca only had individual lexemes for the numbers one to ten and the number 20: {{Transliteration|chb|gueta}}, used extensively in their complex lunisolar Muisca calendar. For numbers higher than 10 they used additions; {{lang|chb|quihicha ata}} ("ten plus one") for eleven. Higher numbers were multiplications of twenty; {{lang|chb|guehyzca}} would be "five times twenty"; 100.

=== Words === This list is a selection from the online dictionary and is sortable. Note the different potatoes and types of maize and their meaning.{{sfn|Gómez|2008–2022}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Muysccubun !! English |- | {{Transliteration|chb|aba}} || "maize" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|aso}} || "parrot" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|ba}} || "finger" or "finger tip" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|bhosioiomy}} || "potato [black inside]" (''species unknown'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|chihiza}} || "vein" (of blood) or "root" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|cho}} || "good" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|chyscamuy}} || "maize [dark]" (''species unknown'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|chysquyco}} || "green" or "blue" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|coca}} || "finger nail" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|fo}} || "fox" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|foaba}} || ''Phytolacca bogotensis'', plant used as soap |- | {{Transliteration|chb|fun}} || "bread" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|funzaiomy}} || "potato [black]" (''species unknown'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|fusuamuy}} || "maize [not very coloured]" (''species unknown'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|gaca}} || "feather" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|gaxie}} || "small" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|gazaiomy}} || "potato [wide]" (''species unknown'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|guahaia}} || "dead body" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|guexica}} || "grandfather" and "grandmother" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|guia}} || "bear" or "older brother/sister" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|hichuamuy}} || "maize [of rice]" (''species and meaning unknown'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|hosca}} || "tobacco" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|iome}} || "potato" (''Solanum tuberosum'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|iomgy}} || "flower of potato plant" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|iomza}} || "potato" (''species unknown'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|iomzaga}} || "potato [small]" (''species unknown'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|muyhyza}} || "flea" (''Tunga penetrans'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|muyhyzyso}} || "lizard" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|nygua}} || "salt" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|nyia}} || "gold" or "money" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|phochuba}} || "maize [soft and red]" (''species and meaning unknown'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|pquaca}} || "arm" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|pquihiza}} || "lightning" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|quye}} || "tree" or "leaf" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|quyecho}} || "arrow" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|quyhysaiomy}} || "potato [floury]" (''species unknown'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|quyiomy}} || "potato [long]" (''species unknown'') |- | '{{Transliteration|chb|saca}} || "nose" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|sasamuy}} || "maize [reddish]" (''species unknown'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|simte}} || "owl [white]" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|soche}} || "white-tailed deer" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|suque}} || "soup" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|tyba}} || "hi!" (to a friend) |- | {{Transliteration|chb|tybaiomy}} || "potato [yellow]" (''species unknown'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|xiua}} || "rain" or "lake" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|usua}} || "white river clay" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|uamuyhyca}} || "fish"; ''Eremophilus mutisii'' |- | {{Transliteration|chb|xieiomy}} || "potato [white]" (''species unknown'') |- | {{Transliteration|chb|xui}} || "broth" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|ysy}} || "that", "those" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|zihita}} || "frog" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|zoia}} || "pot" |- | {{Transliteration|chb|zysquy}} || "head" or "skull" |}

=== Greetings === The following greetings have been taken directly from written sources from the 17th century when the language was alive.

* {{Transliteration|chb|choâ}} - Hello, {{Transliteration|chb|choâ mzone}} – how are you? * {{Transliteration|chb|choâ mibizine}} - To greet several people. * {{Transliteration|chb|chogue}} – Fine! * {{Transliteration|chb|mua, z, choâ umzone}} – What about you? (And you are well?) * {{Transliteration|chb|haspqua sihipquaco}} – Greetings!

=== Usage today === Words of {{Transliteration|chb|Muysc cubun}} origin are still used in the department of Cundinamarca, of which Bogotá is the capital, and the department of Boyacá, with capital Tunja. These include ''curuba'' (Colombian fruit banana passionfruit), ''toche'' (yellow oriole), ''guadua'' (a large bamboo used in construction) and ''tatacoa'' ("snake"). The Muisca descendants continue many traditional ways, such as the use of certain foods, use of ''coca'' for teas and healing rituals, and other aspects of natural ways, which are a respected part of culture in Colombia.

As the Muisca did not have words for imported technology or items in early colonial times, they borrowed them from Spanish, such as "shoe"; ''çapato'',<ref>{{in lang|es}} ''Diccionario muysca – español''. Gómez, Diego F. 2009–2017 [http://muysca.cubun.org/zapato "Shoe" in ''muysccubun'']</ref> "sword"; ''espada'',<ref>{{in lang|es}} [http://muysca.cubun.org/espada "Sword" in ''muysccubun'']</ref> "knife"; ''cuchillo''<ref>{{in lang|es}} ''Diccionario muysca – español''. Gómez, Diego F. 2009–2017 [http://muysca.cubun.org/cuchillo "Knife" in ''muysccubun'']</ref> and other words.

== Toponyms == {{main|List of Muisca toponyms}}

Most of the original Muisca names of the villages, rivers and national parks and some of the provinces in the central highlands of the Colombian Andes are kept or slightly altered. Usually the names refer to farmfields ({{Transliteration|chb|ta}}), the Moon goddess Chía, her husband Sué, names of ''caciques'', the topography of the region, built enclosures ({{Transliteration|chb|''ca''}}) and animals of the region.<ref name="excelsio">{{in lang|es}} [http://www.excelsio.net/2011/11/sabe-el-origen-del-nombre-de-su.html Etymology Municipalities Boyacá] – Excelsio.net</ref>

== See also == {{portal|Colombia|Language}} *Quechuan languages *Spanish conquest of the Chibchan Nations *Muisca numerals, Muisca calendar

==References== {{reflist|20em}}

==Bibliography== * {{cite book |last=Adelaar & Muysken|year=2007|title=The languages of the Andes|publisher= Cambriage University Press}} * {{cite journal |last=Casilimas Rojas |first=Clara Inés |year=2005 |title=Expresión de la modalidad en la lengua uwa |url=https://www.vjf.cnrs.fr/sedyl/amerindia/articles/pdf/A_29-30_13.pdf |journal=Amerindia |volume=29/30 |pages=247–262 |language=es |access-date=2016-07-11}} * {{cite journal |last=Constenla Umaña |first=Adolfo |date=1984 |title=Los fonemas del muisca |journal=Estudios de lingüística chibcha |volume=3 |pages=65–111}} * {{cite AV media |last=Gamboa Mendoza |first=Jorge |year=2016 |title=Los muiscas, grupos indígenas del Nuevo Reino de Granada. Una nueva propuesta sobre su organizacíon socio-política y su evolucíon en el siglo XVI |language=es |trans-title=The Muisca, indigenous groups of the New Kingdom of Granada. A new proposal on their social-political organization and their evolution in the 16th century |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAJ-EM5h4N0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/NAJ-EM5h4N0 |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|publisher=Museo del Oro |format=video |access-date=2016-07-11}}{{cbignore}} * {{cite book |last=Gamboa Mendoza |first=Gamboa |year=2013 |title=El cacicazgo muisca en los años posteriores a la Conquista: del psihipqua al cacique colonial |publisher= Instituto Colombiano de Antropología e Historia }} * {{cite web |last=Gómez |first=Diego F |year=2008–2022 |title=Diccionario muysca – español |publisher=muysca.cubun.org |language=es |url=http://muysca.cubun.org/Categor%C3%ADa:Diccionario}} * {{cite book |last=Gómez |first=Diego F |year=2013 |title=Comparación léxica entre el muysca de Bogotá y el uwa central. Muysca: memoria y presencia. Bogotá |publisher=Universidad Nacional de Colombia |language=es}} * {{cite journal |last=Gómez |first=Diego F |year=2020 |title=Los folletos muyscas de la Biblioteca Bodleiana (1603): los textos más tempranos de la lengua general del Nuevo Reino de Granada |journal= Revista internacional de lingüística iberoamericana |volume=18 |issue=36 |pages=195–216 |publisher=Iberoamericana Editorial Vervuert |doi=10.31819/rili-2020-183610 |s2cid=256616900 |language=es }} * {{cite book |last=González de Pérez |first=María Stella |year=2006 |title=Aproximación al sistema fonético-fonológico de la lengua muisca |publisher=Bogotá Instituto Caro y Cuervo |pages=53–119 |language=es}} * {{cite book |last1=Quesada Pacheco |first1=Miguel Ángel |last2=Rojas Chaves |first2=Carmen |year=1999 |title=Diccionario boruca – español, español – boruca |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xOuCfzqoX-0C&q=boruca++idioma+luna |publisher=Universidad de Costa Rica |pages=1–207 |isbn=9789977675480 |language=es |access-date=2016-07-11}} * {{cite journal |last=Reichel-Dolmatoff |first=Gerardo |year=1947 |title=La lengua chimila |trans-title=The Chimila language |url=http://www.persee.fr/doc/jsa_0037-9174_1947_num_36_1_2358 |journal=Journal de la Société des Américanistes |volume=36 |pages=15–50 |doi=10.3406/jsa.1947.2358 |language=es |access-date=2016-07-11}} * {{cite book |last=Uricoechea |first=Ezequiel |title=Memoria sobre las antigüedades neo granadinas |year=1854 |publisher=Librería de F. Schneider |language=es}}

==Further reading== * {{cite book |last=Arango |first=Teresa |year=1954 |title=Precolombia: Introducción al estudio del indígena colombiano |language=es |trans-title=PreColombia: Introduction to the Study of Colombian Indigenous People |location=Madrid |publisher=Sucesores de Rivadeneyra}} * {{cite web |last1=Botiva Contreras |first1=Álvaro |last2=Herrera |first2=Leonor |author3-link=Ana María Groot |last3=Groot |first3=Ana Maria |last4=Mora |first4=Santiago |year=1989 |title=Colombia prehispánica: regiones arqueológicas |language=es |trans-title=Pre-Hispanic Colombia: Archeological Regions |url=http://www.banrepcultural.org/blaavirtual/arqueologia/prehisp/apendice.htm |publisher=Instituto colombiano de Antropología Colcultura |access-date=2016-07-11}} * {{cite book |last1=Martín |first1=Rafael |last2=Puentes |first2=José |year=2008 |title=Culturas indígenas colombianas |trans-title=Indigenous Cultures of Colombia}} * {{cite book |last=Triana |first=Miguel |author-link=Miguel Triana |year=1922 |title=La civilización Chibcha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-uVlAAAAMAAJ |pages=1–222 |language=es |access-date=2016-07-11}} * {{cite journal |last=Wiesner García |first=Luis Eduardo |year=2014 |title=Etnografía muisca |trans-title=Muisca Ethnography |url=http://www.banrepcultural.org/blaavirtual/geografia/geohum2/muisca1.htm |journal=Central Andean Region |volume=IV |location=Bogotá |publisher=Instituto Colombiano de Cultura Hispánica |pages=2 |language=es |access-date=2016-07-11}}

== External links == {{Incubator|chb}} * {{in lang|es}} [http://www.wdl.org/en/item/8988/ ''Diccionario y gramática chibcha''] – World Digital Library * {{in lang|es}} [http://muysca.cubun.org Muysc cubun Project] – with Muysc cubun–Spanish dictionary * {{in lang|es}} [https://archive.org/search.php?query=Chibcha Archives and sources on the Chibcha language] – Rosetta Project * {{in lang|es}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDdtcYz_ME8 Animated video about the last Muisca rulers] – '''''Muysccubun''''' is spoken with Spanish subtitles * [https://ids.clld.org/contributions/243 Muisca] (Intercontinental Dictionary Series)

Category:Chibcha language Category:Chibchan languages Category:Extinct languages of South America Category:Indigenous peoples in Colombia Category:Languages of Colombia