The double L in the word llama has perplexed English speakers for years. If you’re short on time, here’s the quick answer: llamas have 2 Ls because the word originated from the South American Quechua language word “llama,” which naturally contains 2 Ls.

In this comprehensive article, we’ll explore the linguistic history behind this uniquely spelled animal name. We’ll cover topics like the evolution of the word llama across languages, reasons behind the double letters, and how the name changed as llamas spread to English-speaking regions.

The Origins and Meanings Behind “Llama”

The word “llama” traces its origins back to the Quechua language, which was spoken by the Inca civilization in modern-day Peru. Quechua was the language of the Inca Empire, which dominated the Andean region of South America from the 15th to 16th centuries.

The Quechua Language Root

In Quechua, the word for the animal we know as the llama is “llama.” This indicates that llama is derived from the original Quechua term. Linguists believe “llama” ultimately comes from a proto-Quechuan word “ʎama” or “ɵama.”

The double “L” in llama is essential to pronounce the word properly in Quechua. In Quechua orthography, the double letter indicates the palatal lateral approximant sound (/ʎ/). This sound does not naturally occur in English, but is common in many indigenous South American languages.

Meanings and Connotations of “Llama” in Quechua

In the Quechua language, “llama” can refer to a few different, but related, meanings:

  • The llama animal
  • “Llama” as a verb meaning “to drive (a llama)” or “to travel/transport by llama”
  • “Llama” can also translate as “flock of llamas” or “llama herd”

So the word encapsulated the importance of the llama animal to Quechua society. Llamas were a vital source of transportation, meat, wool and skins for the Inca civilization. Llamas were also culturally significant, even revered, in Inca society. They were sometimes sacrificed in religious rituals.

The term “llama” became popularized in English in the late 18th century. English speakers borrowed the word to refer specifically to the llama animal. Since then, “llama” has retained its Quechua origins as the name for this iconic South American camelid mammal.

The name’s roots in Quechua reflect the indigenous history of the llama’s domestication by ancient Andean cultures like the Inca.

Spread of Llamas and Their Name to Other Languages

Adoption Into Spanish

Llamas originated in the Andes mountains of South America over 6,000 years ago. As one of only two domesticated animals from the Americas, along with the alpaca, llamas were a vital part of pre-Columbian societies like the Inca.

The Quechua people called them “llama”, likely derived from the verb “llamkay” meaning “to load up or to carry”.

When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the early 16th century, they adopted the Quechua name into their own language. As llamas were an essential beast of burden across the former Inca Empire, the Spanish relied on them heavily to transport silver from the mines at Potosí to ports on the coast.

The spread of the Spanish language cemented “llama” as the universal name across South and North America.

Translation to English

The first recorded use of “llama” in English dates from around 1555. English explorers and traders visiting South America often remarked in their travel writings about these curious long-necked animals that the natives used as pack animals.

However, written English of this period had no standardized spelling, resulting in multiple variants like “lama” and “lamah” appearing in texts.

It wasn’t until the late 18th century that “llama” became the accepted standard spelling in English. By then, more specimens had reached Europe alive for display in royal menageries. As the llama grew in popularity with zoo visitors, its uniquely double “L” name was cemented across the English-speaking world.

Today, llamas can be found on farms and in backyards across North America, symbols of their ancient heritage.

Reasons for the Double Letter

Conventions in Quechua Spelling

The double letter in “llama” can be traced back to the spelling conventions of Quechua, the indigenous language of the Andean region where llamas originate. Quechua utilizes a set of three laryngeal phonemes that are unfamiliar to speakers of Spanish and English.

To represent these unfamiliar sounds when writing Quechua words in the Latin alphabet, Spanish colonists adopted the digraphs “lh”, “ll”, and “ch.” The “ll” digraph was used to represent the palatal lateral approximant sound in Quechua.

When the Spanish borrowed the Quechua word for llama, which was likely “llama” or something similar, they maintained the original “ll” spelling. This preserved the integrity of the word and its connection to its Quechuan roots.

The double letter does not actually affect pronunciation in Spanish – it simply maintains a convention.

Maintaining Integrity of the Original Word

In addition to maintaining Quechuan spelling conventions, preserving the double letter in “llama” keeps the word intact when adopted into other languages like English. Dropping one of the L’s would fundamentally change the word and obscure its origins.

Similar logic explains why other Spanish words derived from indigenous American languages, like “guacamole” and “chili”, also conserve their original spellings. English speakers have generally adopted these words wholesale rather than altering the spellings.

So in short, the double L in “llama” reflects a desire to accurately represent another language’s phonetic system and maintain fidelity to the original indigenous word. This helps convey the llama’s Andean roots.

The spelling signifies respect for the llama’s cultural history in a region where indigenous languages were often marginalized during Spanish colonization. Overall, preserving that little extra L helps enrich the story behind this iconic South American animal.

Other Words With Double Letters

Llama is not the only word in the English language that contains double letters. Here are some other common examples of words with repeated letters:

Double Consonants

Many words in English have double consonants, like these:

  • Bookkeeper
  • Committee
  • Immense
  • Essential
  • Balloon
  • Accidentally

The double consonants are often used to shorten the vowel sound before it, compared to if there was only a single consonant. For example, the “oo” in “bookkeeper” is pronounced shorter than the “oo” in “bookkeeper” would be.

Double Vowels

Some words contain repeated vowels:

  • Vacuum
  • Repeating
  • Cooing
  • Neon
  • Peep

A double vowel usually indicates a longer vowel sound or separates two vowel sounds rather than shortening them.

Reasons for Double Letters

There are a few reasons why words in English might contain repeated letters:

  • To shorten vowel sounds before consonants, like in “letter” vs “leter”
  • To indicate a longer vowel sound, like the “ee” in “peek”
  • To show that a vowel sound should be pronounced separately, like the “oo” in “cooperate”
  • To preserve etymology or links to root words, like the “mm” in “immense” relating to “massive”

Conclusion

As we’ve explored, the llama’s distinctive double L spelling traces back to the original Quechua word. Across translations to Spanish then English, the name retained its unique form – two Ls and all.

The persistence of the double letter points to the importance of maintaining ties to the llama’s South American linguistic history. So next time you come across the woolly beast with the curious name, you can impress friends with the linguistic legend behind its legacy!

Similar Posts