Indian Languages Database
Record Details
Arte de la lengua chiquita
[Puebla de S[an]. Joseph de Chiquitos [i.e. San José de Chiquitos], Bolivia: , between 1730 and 1736
Physical Description: [452] p. ; 22 cm. (8vo)
Call number: Codex / Ind / 44 1-SIZE
Accession number: 99-136
Notes: Ms. codex. Title from caption on p. [1].
Author's name from ms. annotation at head of p. [315].
According to Backer-Somervogel, Ignace Chomé was born in Douai, France in 1696, and entered the Jesuit order in 1714, where he demonstrated an aptitude for languages. He was sent as a missionary to Paraguay in 1727 where he stayed until 1767. He died en route on his way back to Europe in 1768.
Place of composition taken from annotation on p. [1] which is now quite faded and written in the same area as caption title. This annotation reads: Del puebla de S[an]. Joseph de Chiquitos.
Approximate date of composition can be speculated as the decade of the 1730s. A letter from the author to Pere Vanthiennen and dated "De Tarija [Bolivia], le 3 d'octobre 1735" appeared in the Lettres édifiantes et curieuses, écrites des missions etrangeres, par quelques missionnaires de la Compagnie de Jesus, dated Paris, 1739. Another letter from the author to Père Vanthiennen and dated "A la ville de Las Corrientes [Argentina], ce 26 septembre 1730" also appeared in an earlier edition of Lettres édifiantes et curieuses, écrites des missions etrangeres, par quelques missionnaires de la Compagnie de Jesus, dated Paris, 1736.
Manuscript consists of the study of the language of the Chiquito Indians of Bolivia including grammar and glossaries.
John Carter Brown Library copy imperfect: many leaves are wormed and stained; some leaves have been encased in mylar.
John Carter Brown Library copy originally bound in contemporary mottled boards; all leaves have been removed from the binding with some being encased in mylar and other gatherings have been housed between acid free paper; the spine piece has been discarded but the boards have been retained. All parts of the manuscript are now housed in a phase box.
Digital facsimile copy of book available.
Languages: Chiquito
Genre: Grammar / Vocabulary
Region: Spanish America
