Keres (), also Keresan (), is a Native American language, spoken by the Keres Pueblo people in New Mexico. Depending on the analysis, Keres is considered a small language family or a language isolate with several dialects. The varieties of each of the seven Keres pueblos are mutually intelligible with its closest neighbors. There are significant differences between the Western and Eastern groups, which are sometimes counted as separate languages. Family division In 2007, there was an estimate total of 10,670 speakers. Eastern Keres: total of 4,580 speakers (1990 census) Cochiti Pueblo Kotyit dialect: 600 speakers (2007) San Felipe Pueblo Katishtya dialect: 2,340 speakers (2007) Kewa Pueblo (formally Santo Domingo Pueblo) Kewa dialect: 2,850 speakers (2007) Zia Pueblo Ts'ia dialect: 500 speakers (2007) Santa Ana Pueblo Tamaiya dialect: 390 speakers (2007) Western Keres: total of 3,391 speakers (1990 census) Acoma Pueblo Áakʼu dialect: 1,930 speakers (2007) Laguna Pueblo Kawaika dialect: 2,060 speakers (2007) Genetic relationships Keres is now considered a language isolate. In the past, Edward Sapir grouped it together with a Hokan–Siouan stock. Morris Swadesh suggested a connection with Wichita. Joseph Greenberg grouped Keres with Siouan, Yuchi, Caddoan, and Iroquoian in a superstock called Keresiouan. None of these proposals has been validated by subsequent linguistic research. Phonology Keresan has between 42 and 45 consonant sounds, and around 40 vowel sounds, adding up to a total of about 85 phonemes, depending on the analysis and the language variety. Based on the classification in the World Atlas of Language Structures, Keres is a language with a large consonant inventory. The great number of consonants relates to the three-way distinction between voiceless, aspirated and ejective consonants (e.g. /t tʰ tʼ/), and to the larger than average number of fricatives (i.e. /s sʼ ʂ ʂʼ ʃ ʃʼ h/) and affricates, the latter also showing the three-way distinction found in stops. The large number of vowels derives from a distinction made between long and short vowels (e.g. /e eː/), as well as from the presence of tones and voicelessness. Thus, a single vowel quality may occur with seven distinct realizations: /é è e̥ éː èː êː ěː/, all of which are used to distinguish words in the language. Consonants The chart below contains the consonants of the proto-Keresan (or pre-Keresan) from Miller & Davis (1963) based on a comparison of Acoma, Santa Ana, and Santo Domingo, as well as other features of the dialects