Iipay
/ˈiː.paɪ/noun
Iipay is a name for a Northern Kumeyaay Indigenous people and their Yuman language in Southern California.
Did you know?Iipay is also written Ipai, and the language belongs to the endangered Yuman–Cochimí family spoken across the California–Baja California borderlands.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-contact period
Yuman
Iipay
“An Indigenous self-designation associated with the northern branch of the Kumeyaay peoples; the precise internal etymology is not securely established.”
18th Century
Spanish
Diegueño
“A colonial Spanish label for several Kumeyaay-speaking communities, derived from association with Mission San Diego.”
19th Century
English
Ipai
“An English-language spelling used by anthropologists and linguists for the northern Kumeyaay language and people.”
20th Century
English
Iipay
“A revived or standardized spelling used in modern Indigenous, linguistic, and educational contexts.”
Modern English
English
Iipay
“A contemporary name for the Northern Kumeyaay people and their language.”