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Glite Dictionary
🧑‍🌾 A native person 🗣️ A native language
Costanoan

Costanoan

9.9
A language once spoken by Native people on the central California coast
  • noun
  • /kɒstəˈnoʊən/
  • Specialized
: idioma costano
  • Linguists are working to document the grammar and vocabulary of Costanoan.

Examples

  • The last fluent speaker of Costanoan passed away in the twentieth century.

  • Several words in English are derived from Costanoan place-names in California.

  • The Costanoan language has a rich history.

  • Many Costanoans lived in small villages along the coast.

  • Linguists are working to preserve the rich vocabulary of the Costanoan languages.

  • The Costanoan people have a unique cultural heritage tied to their language.

  • Efforts are being made to revitalize Costanoan among younger generations.

Synonyms

Costanoan language
vsCostanoan
  • Specialized
9.9

A Native American language spoken in central California by the Costanoan people

is no longer spoken on the central California coast

Compounds

Costanoan language
  • Specialized
9.9

A Native American language spoken in central California by the Costanoan people

Surface Forms

Costanoan singular
Costanoans plural

Etymology

The word Costanoan comes from the Spanish word costa meaning 'coast' plus the ending -an meaning 'from', so it originally meant 'people from the coast' and was later used for the group of related languages those coastal people spoke.