Yokutsan (also Yokuts) is a family of languages spoken in the interior of southern California in and around the San Joaquin valley.

The Yawelmani dialect has been a focus of much linguistic research.

Family members

The Yokutsan family consists of 3 languages (Far Northern Valley, Foothill Yokuts, Palewyami) which in turn consist of numerous dialects and subdialects.

(1) Valley Yokuts

dialects:

• Far Northern Valley

subdialects:

• Yachikumne (a.k.a. Chulamni)
• Lower San Joaquin
• Chalostaca
• Lakisamni
• Tawalimni

• Northern Valley

subdialects:

• Nopṭinṭe
• Merced
• Chawchila
• Northern Hill

• Chukchansi
• Kechayi
• Dumna

• Southern Valley

subdialects:

• Wechihit
• Nutunutu-Tachi
• Chunut
• Wo’lasi-Choynok
• Koyeti-Yawelmani (a.k.a. Yowlumni)
• Wowol
• Telamni

(2) Foothill Yokuts

dialects:

• Gashowu
• Kings River

subdialects:

• Chukaymina
• Michahay
• Ayitcha (a.k.a. Aiticha, Kocheyali)
• Choynimni (a.k.a. Choinimni)

• Tule-Kaweah

subdialects:

• Wikchamni
• Yawdanchi (a.k.a. Nutaa)
• Bokninuwad

• Buena Vista

subdialects:

• Tulamni
• Hometwali

(3) Palewyami (a.k.a. Poso Creek, Altinin)

It has been proposed that the Yokutsan family is related to the hypothetical Penutian stock. The proposed relationship is currently undemostrated, but many linguists find the evidence so far to be promising, especially regarding the relationship between Yokutsan and the Utian family (termed "Yok-Utian" by Catherine Callaghan).

Bibliography

• Callaghan, Catherine. (1997). Evidence for Yok-Utian. International Journal of American Linguistics, 63, 121-133.
• DeLancey, Scott; & Golla, Victor. (1997). The Penutian hypothesis: Retrospect and prospect. International Journal of American Linguistics, 63, 171-202.
• Golla, Victor. (1964). Comparative Yokuts phonology. University of California publications in linguistics (No. 34); Studies in Californian linguistics. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
• Mithun, Marianne. (1999). The languages of Native North America. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-23228-7 (hbk); ISBN 0-521-29875-X.

Yawelmani

• Archangeli, Diana B. (1985). Extrametricality in Yawelmani. Linguistic review, 4 (2), 101-120.
• Archangeli, Diana B. (1986). Yokuts harmony: Evidence for coplanar representation in nonlinear phonology. Linguistic inquiry, 16, 335-372.
• Archangeli, Diana B. (1988). Underspecification in Yawelmani phonology and morphology. Outstanding dissertations in linguistics. New York: Garland Pub. ISBN 0-8240-5175-0. (Revision of 1984 doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
• Archangeli, Diana B. (1991). Syllabification and prosodic templates in Yawelmani. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, 9, 231-283.
• Gamble, Geoffrey. (1975). Consonant symbolism in Yokuts. International Journal of American Linguistics, 41, 306-309.
• Harris, Zellig. (1944). Yokuts structure and Newman's grammar. International Journal of American Linguistics, 10, 196-211.
• Hockett, Charles. (1967). The Yawelmani basic verb. Language, 26, 278-282.
• Hockett, Charles. (1973). Yokuts as a testing ground for linguistic methods. International Journal of American Linguistics, 39, 63-79.
• Hymes, Dell H. (1964). Language in culture and society: A reader in linguistics and anthropology. New York: Harper & Row.
• Kuroda, S.-Y. (1967). Yawelmani phonology. Special technical report (No. 15); M.I.T. research monograph series (No. 43). Cambridge, MA: M.I.T. Press, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Research Laboratory of Electronics.
• Kroeber, Alfred L. (1906). The Yokuts and Yuki languages. In B. Laufer & H. A. Andrews (Eds.), Boas anniversary volume (pp. 64-79). New York: G.E. Stechert & Co. (Reprinted as separate book 1906).
• Kroeber, Alfred L. (1906). The Yokuts and Yuki languages. New York: Stechert. (Originally in Laufer & Andrews 1906).
• Kroeber, Alfred L. (1907). The Yokuts language of south central California. University of California publications in American archaeology and ethnology (Vol. 2, pp. 165-377).
• Laufer, Berthold,; & Andrews, H. A. (Eds.). (1906). Boas anniversary volume: Anthropological papers written in honor of Franz Boas. New York: G.E. Stechert & Co.
• Newman, Stanley S. (1932). The Yawelmani dialect of Yokuts. International Journal of American Linguistics, 7, 85-89.
• Newman, Stanley S. (1940). Linguistic aspects of Yokuts style. Anthropological Record, 5 (1), 4-15. (Reprinted in Hymes 1964).
• Newman, Stanley S. (1944). Yokuts language of California. Viking Fund publications in anthropology (No. 2). New York: Viking Fund. (Reprinted 1963 & 1968, New York: Johnson Reprint Corp.).
• Newman, Stanley S. (1946). The Yawelmani dialect of Yokuts. In C. Osgood & H. Hoijer (Eds.), Linguistic structures of native America (pp. 222-248). New York: The Viking Fund.
• Newman, Stanley S. (1964). Linguistic aspects of Yokuts style. In D. H. Hymes, Language in culture and society. New York: Harper & Row. (Originally published as Newman 1940).
• Newman, Stanley S. (1966). Word classes in Yokuts. Lingua, 17, 182-199.
• Osgood, Cornelius; & Hoijer, Harry (Eds.). (1946). Linguistic structures of native America. Viking fund publications in anthropology (No. 6). New York: The Viking Fund. (Reprinted 1963, 1965, 1967, & 1971, New York: Johnson Reprint Corp.).
• Pullum, Geoffrey. (1973). Yokuts bibliography: An addendum. International Journal of American Linguistics, 39, 269-271.
• Steriade, Donca. (1986). Yokuts and the vowel plane. Linguistic inquiry, 17, 129-146.