in what part of latin america is quechua the language of the inca empire spoken
Quechuan languages Quechua (/ˈkɛtʃuə/, in AmE also /ˈkɛtʃwɑː/)[4], known as Runasimi ("people's language") in the Quechuan language, is an indigenous language family, with variations spoken by the Quechua peoples, primarily living in the Andes and highlands of South America.[5] Derived from a common ancestral language, it is the most widely spoken language family of indigenous peoples of the Americas, with a total of probably some 8–10 million speakers.[6] Approximately 25% (7.7 million) of Peruvians speak some variation of Quechua.[7][8] It is perhaps most widely known for being the main language of the Inca Empire. The colonisers initially encouraged its use, but from the middle of their reign they suppressed it. However, Quechua ultimately survived, and variants are still widely spoken today.