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Quechua/ Inga

Quechua is the language of the Inca Empire, currently spoken by more than 13 million people in the Andean republics of South America, an area extending from southern Colombia to northern Argentina and Chile (and including Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador). Indiana University currently supports the study of Inga, the northernmost dialect of the Quechua language family.

Learning Inga, also known as Runa Simi ("the mouth or tongue of human beings") opens a gateway into the many wonders of indigenous cultures in the Andes.

The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) is now able to offer a four-semester sequence in Inga, meaning that Indiana University undergraduates can select Inga to fulfill their language requirement. In addition to introducing students to the language, our Inga courses teach about the rich culture of the Andes.