The South American country of Peru is a desirable but not very affordable travel destination for the average traveler. And yet people go there to look at the ancient buildings of the Incas under the very clouds, learn how to read the knotted letter and buy a pair of multi-colored ponchos made of llama wool that can turn even the grayest day into a bright holiday. The official language of Peru is Spanish, but in regions where the Indian population predominates, the Quechua and Aymara languages also have the status of official languages.
Some statistics and facts
- The Spanish conquest of Peru began in 1524, when the conquistadors first set foot on the land of the local Incas. It was then that the current state language of Peru first sounded on the newly discovered lands.
- Quechua is the largest native-born Indian language in the Americas. In total, it is owned by almost 14.5 million people.
- Aymara is the language of the nationality of the same name living in the Andes. He is considered the native of more than a million Indians.
- Linguists point out an undeniable similarity between Aymara and Quechua - about a third of the vocabulary in these languages coincides.
- The Bible was even translated into Quechua during the conquest. So the Spaniards promoted Christianity, appreciating the potential of the language and the number of its speakers.
On the basis of Quechua, the secret language of women healers arose. It is called kalyahuaya and is used by Peruvian and Bolivian sorceresses and healers.
The Incas and their legacy
Quechua is not in vain recognized as the official language of Peru, because before the colonization of the continent, it was he who was the main one in the state of Chincha, and then Tahuantinsuyu, in the place of which there is a modern country of Peruvians. The writing of literary Quechua was developed from the Latin alphabet and is taught in schools. In ancient times, it existed in the form of a kipu - a nodular letter, which the Incas used to transfer data between settlements, conduct accounting and other purposes.
Tourist notes
Peru is a country where traveling through a basic knowledge of Spanish can seem very difficult. English in Peru is spoken only in the capital and in a very few large hotels and restaurants in tourist places. For the most part, Peruvians do not speak foreign languages, and therefore you should take at least a Russian-Spanish phrasebook on your trip.
