Alternate Names: Ache-Guayaki, Axe, “Guaiaqui” (pej.), “Guayakí” (pej.), “Guoyagui” (pej.)
Dialects: Ache gatu, Ache purä, Ache wa, Ñacunday River Ache (“Ache irollä” (pej.)). 3 dialects remaining, Ache purä is dormant. High Intelligibility between Ache gatu and Ache wa, only Ñancunday River Ache’s intelligibility is low for the other two dialects.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 1,000 (2006 census). 50 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 1,420.
Language Use: Home, friends; mixed use: Religion. All ages. Positive attitudes. 80% also use Paraguayan Guaraní [gug]. Less than 1% also use Portuguese [por]. 30% also use Spanish [spa].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 20%. Literacy rate in L2: 80% in Guaraní [gug]. Taught in primary schools. Poetry. New media. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 1978–2007.
Typology: SOV; postpositions; noun head initial; content q-word initial; clause constituents indicated by word order; both tense and aspect; passives; nontonal; 15 consonant and 12 vowel phonemes.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Paraguay
Other Comments: Christian, traditional religion.