Chicham languages

The extinct Palta language was classified as Chicham by Jacinto Jijón y Caamaño about 1940 and was followed by Čestmír Loukotka, but Kaufman (1994) states that there is "little resemblance". However, only 4 words are known. The most promising external connections are with the Cahuapanan languages and perhaps a few other language isolates in proposals variously called Jívaro-Cahuapana (Hívaro-Kawapánan) (Jorge Suárez and others) or Macro-Jibaro or Macro-Andean (Morris Swadesh and others, with Cahuapanan, Urarina, Puelche, and maybe Huarpe). The unclassified language Candoshi has also been linked to Chicham, as David Payne (1981) provides reconstructions for Proto-Shuar as well as Proto-Shuar-Candoshi. However, more recently, linguists have searched elsewhere for Candoshi's relatives. ==Language contact==

Jolkesky (2016) notes that there are lexical similarities with the Quechuan, Kwaza, Taruma, Yanomami, Katukina-Katawixi, Kandoshi, Tupi, and Arawan language families due to contact. This suggests that Chicham had originated further downstream in the Central Amazon region. ==Family division==

Chicham consists of four languages: : 1. Shuar : 2. Achuar-Shiwiar : 3. Awajun : 4. Huambisa Mason (1950) Internal classification of the Chicham languages by Mason (1950): • Chicham • Aguaruna • Alapico • Indanza • Iransa • Maranza • Santiago • Patocuma • Chiguasa • Yuganza • Wambisa • Uambisa • Cherembo • Chirapa • Chiwando • Candoa • Cangaime • Mangosisa • Achuale • Capawari • Copatasa • Machine • Pindu • Wampoya • Antipa • Maca • Walakisa • Zamora • Pintuc • Ayuli • Morona • Miazal • Upano • Bolona • Bracamoro (Pacamuru) Jolkesky (2016) Internal classification by Jolkesky (2016): ( = extinct) • Jivaro • Aguaruna • Palta • Jivaro, Nuclear • Achuar-Shiwiar • Wambisa • Shuar ==Proto-language==

Payne's (1981) Proto-Shuar reconstruction is based on data from Shuar, Achuar, Aguaruna, and Huambisa, while his Proto-Shuar-Candoshi reconstruction also integrates data from Candoshi and Shapra. For reconstructions of Proto-Shuar and Proto-Shuar-Candoshi by Payne (1981), see the corresponding Spanish article. ==References==