Patwin (Patween, ) is a critically endangered Wintuan language of Northern California. As of 2021, there was one documented first language speaker of Patwin. As of 2010, Patwin language classes were taught at the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation (formerly Rumsey Rancheria) tribal school.
Patwin has two (excl. Southern Patwin) or three (incl. Southern Patwin) dialects: "River Patwin (or Valley Patwin) was traditionally spoken along the Sacramento River in Colusa County ... Hill Patwin, was spoken in the plains and foothills to the west."
Southern Patwin became extinct shortly after contact. It is very poorly attested, and may be a separate Southern Wintuan language.
As of 2012, the Tewe Kewe Cultural Center of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation has "a California Indian Library Collection and an extensive Patwin language and history research section."
Phonemes
Consonants
Patwin has 25 consonant phonemes. In the table below, the IPA form(s) of each consonant are given. This is followed by the form commonly used in Lawyer (2021)'s grammar, if this is different from the IPA form.
Bilabial Alveolar Post-alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal median lateral Plosive voiceless () aspirated glottalized voiced Nasal Fricative Affricate voiceless glottalized Trill/Flap ~ Approximant
/ʔ/ is a marginal phoneme, occurring exclusively at morpheme boundaries. Its distribution is not entirely predictable, however. Glottalized and aspirated consonants occur only syllable-initially. Some or all of the "alveolar" consonants (both central and lateral) would be more accurately described as being retracted alveolar consonants.
Vowels
Patwin has 10 vowels:
Short Long Front Back Front Back High (close) Mid Low (open)
Patwin vowels have a simple length distinction (short vs. long). All vowels are voiced and oral.
Orthography
+ Patwin Alphabet a a· b č č’ d e e· h i i· k kʰ k’ l ɬ ƛ ƛ’ m n o o· p pʰ p’ r s t tʰ t’ u u· w y ʔ
References
Further reading Lawyer, Lewis. 2015. "Patwin Phonemics, Phonetics, and Phonotactics". International Journal of American Linguistics. 81 (2). 221–260 Lawyer, Lewis. 2015. "A Description of the Patwin Language". Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Davis.
External links Overview at the Survey of California and Other Indian Languages California Language Archive: Patwin World Atlas of Language Structures: Patwin CILC Patwin ethnographic and linguistic bibliography Patwin language bibliography Map showing Patwin dialect groups OLAC Patwin resources, on Wintu page