Next to the Great Wall of China, the City of Petra (Jordan), Christ the Redeemer (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), the Temple of Kukulkan (Chichen Itza, Mexico), the Flavian Amphitheatre, Roman Colosseum (Rome, Italy) and the Taj Mahal Mausoleum (Agra, India), our citadel of Cusco has been recognized worldwide as Machu Picchu, two words that mean “old mountain.”
In Quechua, the pronunciation of “Machu Picchu” has a distinctive rhythm: Machu: It is pronounced “Ma-chu,” with emphasis on the first syllable. The “ch” sound is soft, as in the word “chocolate.” Picchu: This term is pronounced “Pi-kchu,” where the “kch” sound is unique and may seem complex at first.
In phonetic-phonological terms, the lexical unit Machu Picchu has two accents: /máchu/ ‘machu’ and /píkchu/ ‘picchu’ respectively. Since it contains two accents, the unit is interpreted as two separate words, each one keeping its form. However, the same unit can be interpreted phonetically as one when only one accent is detected: /machupíkchu/, with the word ‘machu’ losing its voice strength when it merges with ‘picchu’. This explains the appearance of the word joined graphically.
According to the Academia Mayor de la Lengua Quechua (Qhichwa Simi Hamutana Kuraq Suntur), an institution dedicated to the research and vindication of the Quechua language, Machu Picchu is written together. The Academia Mayor maintains that it is a compound word, therefore the word must be presented in a fused form (this was announced in the program Reporte semana on Frecuencia Latina on Sunday, April 4, 2011).
For others, mainly Spanish speakers, Machu Picchu is made up of two terms separated by a space. School tradition (books, encyclopedias, posters, teachers), the government itself (administrative documents) and tourism companies have taught to write the "old mountain" as Machu Picchu. If we look for the spelling of the word, historians (Kauffmann, 2006; Rostworowski, 1993; Rowe, 1990; Burger, 2004; Wright, 1999; Reinhard, 1991) have written it that way.
In morphological and semantic terms, the word Machu Picchu is a compound word that refers to a single significant entity. It behaves like a lexical unit. Its morphological constituents have their own order and combination; they cannot be separated or inverted because the unitary meaning would be affected. Morphologically and semantically, we are dealing with a compound word.
Orthographically, compound words are not only written in a fused form (such as bocacalle, centipede, toothpick, vinegar and sacarargo in Spanish), but are also presented with a hyphen (physical-chemical, Peruvian-Japanese) or without it (red cross, frogman, key words) to refer to the world. Spelling is regulated and fixed, in the case of the Spanish language, by the Royal Spanish Academy; but also by the same writers or users of the language. In these terms, what would be the spelling for the citadel of the Incas? Machu Picchu? Or Machupichu?
Quechua, also called Runa simi, was the language spoken by the Incas and is the native language that has spread the most throughout South America. Today it is spoken by an average of 12 million people in different regions of Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Argentina and Bolivia.
Today, Spanish is spoken in Machu Picchu.
The name “Machu Picchu” comes from Quechua, the ancestral language of the Andean people. It is composed of two words such as “Machu” which means “old” or “elderly”, and “Picchu”, which translates to “mountain” or “summit”. Therefore, “Machu Picchu” could be interpreted as “the old mountain” or the “ancient mountain”.
This name refers both to the site’s location on top of a mountain, as well as its antiquity. Understanding its meaning reinforces the cultural appreciation and historical importance of the site.
Using the correct name of Machu Picchu preserves the Inca cultural legacy and respects the Quechua language. In addition, it improves the perception of tourists, promoting an authentic experience and increasing the global recognition of the site as a World Heritage Site, which favors responsible and conscious tourism.
Key sounds in the pronunciation of Machu Picchu
In Quechua, the pronunciation of “Machu Picchu” has a distinctive rhythm:
Machu: It is pronounced “Ma-chu,” with emphasis on the first syllable. The “ch” sound is soft, as in the word “chocolate.”
Picchu: This term is pronounced “Pi-kchu,” where the “kch” sound is unique and may seem complex at first. It is important not to omit the “k.”
So, the full pronunciation would be something like “Ma-chu Pi-kchu,” respecting the original sounds.
Many make mistakes such as:
Pronouncing “Machu” as “Matchu,” adding an English sound.
Ignoring the “k” in “Picchu,” saying simply “Pichu.”
Changing the accent, saying “Ma-chú Pic-chú,” instead of leaving it neutral.
These mistakes, though minor, can change the meaning.
Listen to natives: If possible, listen to native Quechua speakers to familiarize yourself with the rhythm and sounds. You can find recordings or videos of Quechua experts to help train your ear.
Emphasize vowels: In Quechua, vowels are clear and should be pronounced distinctively. Make sure to pronounce the “a” as in “bed” and the “u” as in “moon,” without transforming them into closer sounds.
Pronounce the “ch” correctly: The “ch” sound in “Machu” and “Picchu” should be like the Spanish “chico.” Avoid pronouncing it as “sh,” which is a common mistake.
Practice slowly: At first, pronounce the words slowly and clearly. Break “Machu Picchu” into syllables: “Má-chu” and “Pik-chu,” and repeat several times until you feel comfortable.
Avoid name alteration: Don’t alter the name, such as saying “Machu Pichu” or “Machu Pichu.” Keep the pronunciation true to Quechua.
Repeat with confidence: Constant practice is key. The more you repeat, the more natural the correct pronunciation will become.
Correct spelling of Machu Picchu
“Machu Pichu”: One of the most frequent alterations is writing “Pichu” instead of “Picchu.” The letter “c” in “Picchu” is key and should not be replaced with “h.”
“Machu Pichu” with doubled “ch”: Sometimes, you see it written as “Machu Pichchu” (doubling the “ch”). This is incorrect, as the correct form is “Picchu,” with only one “ch.”
“Machupicchu” without a space: It is incorrect to write “Machupicchu” as a single word. The correct spelling is “Machu Picchu,” with a space between the two terms.
“Machu Pichu” with an “i” instead of a “u”: Some errors include writing “Machu Pichu” with an “i” (like “Machu Pichi”) instead of the correct “u” in “Picchu.”
It is important to remember that the correct spelling of Machu Picchu respects both the Quechua language and the authentic form of the name.
