Multilingualism and mixed language in the mines of Potosí (Bolivia)

A specialized mining lexicon emerged in Potosí, Bolivia, during its colonial heyday (c. 1610), blending Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara elements to such an extent that the first dedicated vocabulary was documented in 1610. This unique language served as a bridge between free indigenous workers—likely speaking a mix of Spanish and Quechua—and forced laborers (mitayos), possibly communicating in a combination of Aymara and Quechua. The study, employing historical sociolinguistics, reveals how linguistic contact and multilingualism shaped this distinct mining language, contributing to Potosí's status as one of the largest cities in the Western hemisphere at the time.

Muysken, P. (2019). Multilingualism and mixed language in the mines of Potosí (Bolivia). International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 2019(258), 121–142. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijsl-2019-2031