About the Language:
Quechua is a group of Indigenous languages originating in the Andes region of South America, particularly in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and surrounding areas. It is one of the most widely spoken Indigenous language groups in the Americas and remains an important part of Andean cultural identity.
About the Interview:
In this interview, Professor Yasmin shares their experience speaking Quechua and describes the role the language plays in their culture, identity, and everyday life.
Yasmin Rosio Cedamanos Del Carpio – Quechua
Translation Note: This interview was originally conducted in Spanish and has been translated into English for this website. The translation is intended to preserve the interviewee’s original meaning and responses as accurately as possible.
VRS: What is your full name?
YRC: My name is Yasmin Rosío Cedamanos Del Carpio.
VRS: Where were you born, and where do you currently live?
YRC: I was born in Lima, Peru. I now live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
VRS: What is the name of the Indigenous language that you speak?
YRC: Quechua Chanka.
VRS: How did you learn this language?
YRC: My native language is Spanish. After looking for and trying classes at some institutes and with some very enthusiastic people who, however, used teaching methods that were not very pedagogical, I started taking classes at the Language Center of the Catholic University in Lima. They had established well-planned courses that helped me get closer to Quechua. Also, at that institution I met Professor Luis Medina, with whom I have continued taking classes privately and with whom I am still learning Quechua Chanka.
VRS: Do you regularly speak this language day-to-day? Who do you speak it with?
YRC: No, unfortunately I do not have a community with whom to speak Quechua.
VRS: What has your experience been speaking this language in North Carolina, a state that does not have much representation of Indigenous languages?
YRC: Only in my classes with my students, since in 2025 I began teaching a basic Quechua Chanka course in the Department of Romance Languages at UNC-Chapel Hill.
VRS: Have you noticed a decrease in the number of native speakers of your language? Why or why not do you think this is happening?
YRC: Regarding native speakers, it is not something I have noticed. However, in my experience as a Quechua learner, I have noticed that many people are interested in the language, and that makes me very happy. When I was studying at the university, about 20 years ago in Lima, I registered for Quechua classes several times, but there were never enough students enrolled, so the class never opened. In recent years, however, I have had classmates in my courses who want to learn Quechua like I do, either because they are interested in developing skills in an Indigenous language of our country, because they want to connect with their identities and roots, or because they want to work with a Quechua-speaking community, such as doctors, lawyers, or public servants.
I think that in Peru, although I have not seen studies on this, interest in learning the language has increased in recent years. However, I do not see that there has been an increase in the Quechua-speaking community in Lima, where I am from, probably because Lima maintains a situation of diglossia that keeps Quechua in the private sphere. On the other hand, in the United States, the number of Quechua courses being taught at universities has increased, with approximately seven universities offering them. This excites me because it shows that there are people everywhere who are interested in connecting with Andean culture.
VRS: How do you feel about speaking your language in public? Why?
YRC: Insecure. Since it is a language that I am still learning, speaking it in public makes me feel nervous.
VRS: What do you think North Carolina could do to encourage or motivate more people to learn about or speak Indigenous languages?
YRC: There could be some kind of club or association that creates spaces for people to converse in Indigenous languages.
VRS: Has your relationship with your language changed over time? Why or why not?
YRC: Yes. Since it is a language I learned as an adult and, in addition, I do not have a community with whom to speak it, I really need to dedicate a lot of time to practicing because I tend to forget vocabulary and grammatical structures. When I have more time to practice, I feel more confident, more motivated to practice, and even interested in doing research related to Quechua because I am a linguist. But if I stop practicing, I feel less confident.
VRS: Can you share a memory that you have that connects you with your language?
YRC: In Lima, when you grow up as a Spanish monolingual, you do not realize that many of the words and structures we use in Spanish come from Quechua. When I began formally learning Quechua, I realized how great its influence is on everyday words such as yapa, wawa, calato, papa, ñaña, and cancha, which are also not commonly used outside of Peru. When I realized this, I became even more fascinated by Quechua.
VRS: What is your favorite word or phrase in your language?
YRC: In Quechua, I love “Yus pagarusunki” (“May God repay you”), which is used to say thank you. Although I use añay or sulpayki more often, I really like hearing that phrase because of the mixture of Spanish and Quechua.
VRS: How do younger generations in your community interact with the language?
YRC: I think that in Peru there are more opportunities to study and work if you speak Spanish, so I completely understand why young people stop speaking their mother tongues when those languages are not Spanish. In addition, there are more economic opportunities if you speak English, so young people tend to prioritize the languages that will give them more opportunities.
VRS: What concerns, if any, do you have about the future of your language?
YRC: I think that in recent years, in Peru, there have been laws to promote the use of Quechua and other Indigenous languages in schools and state institutions. However, there has not been a plan that makes these measures possible and effective. I am concerned that they will simply remain good intentions and that Quechua-speaking communities will not be given equitable and fair treatment regarding their right to use their language.
VRS: What advice would you give to someone who is interested in learning an Indigenous language?
YRC: Do not give up. Learning an Indigenous language, like any other language, requires time and practice, so you have to approach it with enthusiasm, but also with practice.
VRS: What do you wish more people knew about Indigenous languages and your language?
YRC: We should not forget that Indigenous languages, like all languages, have an important cultural component inherent to them. Knowing about the native speakers of Quechua, as well as their environment, is relevant to understanding the language, just as learning the vocabulary and grammatical structures is.
VRS: For instructors only: What method or methods have been the most successful when teaching the language?
YRC: I try to implement the communicative approach. I want my students to learn at least one new phrase in each class, to balance the teaching of grammar with oral communication, and to always have the cultural component integrated into the class.
VRS: For instructors only: What are some common misconceptions you hear when teaching your language to other people?
YRC: I have had several Quechua teachers, and I think some of the mistakes are romanticizing the language and portraying it with excessively positive adjectives, and, on the other hand, trying to have students memorize large lists of vocabulary.
In the audio above, Yasmin shared her favorite phrase in Quechua, which is used to say “thank you.”
