Awa-Cuaiquer
A language of Colombia
| Population | 20,000 in Colombia (1986 SIL). Population total all countries: 22,000. |
| Region | Pacific slopes of Andes, Nariño, from Ecuador border north, near Barbacoas. Also in Ecuador. |
| Language map |
Southern Colombia |
| Alternate names | Awa, Awa Pit, Coaiquer, Cuaiquer, Kwaiker, Quaiquer |
| Dialects | Distantly related to Chachi [cbi] and Colorado [cof]. |
| Classification | Barbacoan, Pasto |
| Language use | Most men also use Spanish. |
| Language development | Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: Below 5%. Grammar. NT: 2002. |
| Writing system | Latin script. |
| Comments | SOV. Swidden agriculturalists. |
Also spoken in:
Ecuador
| Language name | Awa-Cuaiquer |
| Population | 2,000 in Ecuador (2007), decreasing. 1,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 2,000 in Ecuador (2000). |
| Region | Extreme north, on the western slopes of the Andes, Colombia-Ecuador border, Esmeraldes Carchi and Imbabura provinces. |
| Language map |
Ecuador, reference number 2 |
| Alternate names | Cuaiquer |
| Language use | Home, religion. All ages. Negative language attitude. Also use Spanish. |
| Comments | Call themselves both Awa and Înkal Awa both in Ecuador and Colombia. |
Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:
Academic Publications
Anonymous. 1979. Sistemas fonológicos de idiomas colombianos 4.
HEINZE, Carol, editor. 1978. Estudios chibchas 2.
HENRIKSEN, Lee A., author. 1979. "Algunas observaciones sobre un texto cuaiquer."
![]()
HENRIKSEN, Lee A.; LEVINSOHN, Stephen H., authors. 1977. "Progression and prominence in Cuaiquer discourse."
![]()
HENRIKSEN, Lee A.; OBANDO O., Pedro V., authors. 1985. Mane pɨnkɨh kamshimtus (Una gramática pedagógica del cuaiquer con ejercicios prácticos, tomo 1).
![]()
HENRIKSEN, Lee; HENRIKSEN, Lynne, transcribers. 1969. Muestra de Vocabulario de la lengua Cuaiquer / Cwaiquer.
![]()
LONGACRE, Robert E.; WOODS, Frances M., editors. 1977. Discourse grammar: Studies in indigenous languages of Colombia, Panama, and Ecuador, 2.
![]()

