Tucanoan (also Tukanoan, Tukánoan) is a

language family A language family is a group of languages related through descent from a common ancestor, called the proto-language of that family. The term ''family'' is a metaphor borrowed from biology, with the tree model used in historical linguistics ...

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

, and

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

Language contact

Jolkesky (2016) notes that there are lexical similarities with the Arutani, Paez, Sape, Taruma, Witoto-Okaina, Saliba-Hodi, Tikuna-Yuri, Pano, Barbakoa, Bora-Muinane, and Choko language families due to contact.

Classification

Chacon (2014)

There are two dozen Tucanoan languages. There is a clear binary split between Eastern Tucanoan and Western Tucanoan.Nikulin, Andrey V. 2019.
The classification of the languages of the South American Lowlands: State-of-the-art and challenges / Классификация языков востока Южной Америки
'. Illič-Svityč (Nostratic) Seminar / Ностратический семинар, Higher School of Economics, October 17, 2019. * Tucanoan ** Western Tucanoan *** ? Cueretú (Kueretú) *** Napo ****

Orejón ''Enterolobium cyclocarpum'', commonly known as conacaste, guanacaste, caro caro, devil's ear tree, monkey-ear tree, or elephant-ear tree, is a species of flowering tree in the family Fabaceae, that is native to tropical regions of the America ...

( M'áíhɨ̃ki, Maijiki, Coto, Koto, Payoguaje, Payaguá, Payowahe, Payawá) **** Correguaje–Secoya ***** Correguaje (Koreguaje, Korewahe, Caquetá) ***** Siona–Secoya (Upper Napo, Baicoca–Siecoca) ****** ? Macaguaje ( Kakawahe, Piohé) ****** Siona (Bai Coca, Sioni, Pioje, Pioche-Sioni, Tetete) ******

Secoya The Secoya (also known as Angotero, Encabellado, Huajoya, Piojé, Siekopai) are an Indigenous peoples living in the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazon. They speak the Secoya language Pai Coca, which is part of the Western Tucanoan language group. In ...

(Sieko Coca, Airo Pai, Piohé) ****** ? Tama ** Eastern Tucanoan *** South **** Tanimuca ( Retuarã) **** ? Yauna (Jaúna, Yahuna, Yaúna) *** West **** Barasana–Macuna *****

Macuna The Macuna are a Tucanoan-speaking group of the eastern part of the Amazon basin, located around the confluence of the Pira Paraná River and Apaporis river, in the Colombian Vaupés Department and the Brazilian state of Amazonas. There are ...

( Buhagana, Wahana, Makuna-Erulia, Makuna) *****

Barasana Barasana (alternate names ''Barazana'', Panenua'', ''Pareroa'', or ''Taiwano is an exonym applied to an Amazonian people, considered distinct from the Taiwano, though the dialect of the latter is almost identical to that of the Barasana, and outs ...

(Southern Barasano, Paneroa, Eduria, Edulia, Comematsa, Janera, Taibano, Taiwaeno, Taiwano) **** Cubeo–Desano ***** Cubeo (Cuveo, Kobeua, Kubewa) ***** Yupua–Desano ****** ? Yupuá ****** Desano–

Siriano Siriano (also called "Selea" or "Sürá") are a Tucanoan people indigenous to Colombia and Brazil. Their total population is estimated at 750, with most living in Colombia. Their exogamous culture means that, glossologically, speakers are identifi ...

( Desano) *** East **** Central ***** Tucano (Tukana, Dasea) ***** Waimaha–Tatuyo ****** Waimajã ( Bara, Northern Barasano) ****** Tatuyo **** North ***** Kotiria–Piratapuyo ****** Guanano (Wanana, Wanano, Kotedia, Kotiria, Wanana-Pirá) ****** Piratapuyo ( Waikina, Uiquina) ***** Pisamira–Yuruti ****** Pisamira– Carapano (Carapana, Karapana) ****** Tuyuca–Yuruti ******* Tuyuka (Tejuca, Teyuka, Tuyuca, Bara, Barasana) *******

Yurutí Yurutí, or Wajiara, is a Tucanoan language of Colombia, with around 1,200 speakers in Colombia and Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries a ...

Plus unclassified Miriti. Most languages are, or were, spoken in Colombia.

Jolkesky (2016)

Internal classification by Jolkesky (2016):Jolkesky, Marcelo Pinho De Valhery. 2016.
Estudo arqueo-ecolinguístico das terras tropicais sul-americanas
'. Ph.D. dissertation,

University of Brasília A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...

. ( = extinct) * Tukano ** Tukano, Western *** '' Kueretu'' *** Tukano, Western, Nuclear **** '' Mai Huna'' **** Koreguaje-Pioje ***** Koreguaje-Tama ****** '' Koreguaje'' ****** '' Tama'' ***** Pioje (Baicoca–Siecoca) ****** '' Makaguaje'' ****** '' Sekoya'' ****** '' Siona'' ****** '' Tetete'' ** Tukano, Eastern *** '' Tanimuka''; '' Retuarã''; '' Yahuna'' *** Tukano, Eastern, West **** Kubeo-Desano ***** '' Kubeo'' ***** Desano-Yupua ****** '' Desano''; ''

'' ****** '' Yupua'' **** '' Makuna''; '' Barasano''; '' Eduria'' *** Tukano, Eastern, East **** Tukano-Tatuyo ***** ''

Tukano The Tucano people (sometimes spelt Tukano)(In Tucano language, Tucano: ye’pâ-masɨ (m.sg.), ye’pâ-maso (f.sg.), ye’pâ-masa (pl.)), are a group of indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous South Americans in the northwestern Amazon, a ...

'' ***** Tatuyo-Bara-Waimaha ****** '' Tatuyo'' ****** '' Bara''; '' Waimaha'' **** Tuyuka-Wanano ***** Wanano-Piratapuyu ****** '' Wanano'' ****** ''

Piratapuyo The Pira-tapuya, or variations like Pira-Tapuia, Piratapuyo, etc., or Tapuya () for short, are an indigenous people of the Amazon regions. They live along the Vaupés River in Colombia and in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. Languages The Pira-ta ...

'' ***** Tuyuka-Karapanã ****** '' Karapanã''; '' Pisamira'' ****** '' Tuyuka''; '' Yuruti''

Loukotka (1968)

Below is a full list of Tucanoan language varieties listed by Loukotka (1968), including names of unattested varieties. ;Western group *Tama - spoken on the Yarú River and

Caguán River The Caguán River (, ) is a river of Colombia. It is a tributary of the Caquetá River in the Amazon River basin. It defines the eastern boundary of the Napo moist forests ecoregion. See also *List of rivers of Colombia Atlantic Ocean Amazon ...

, Caquetá territory, Colombia, but now perhaps extinct. *Coreguaje - spoken at the sources of the

Caquetá River Caquetá may refer to: * Caquetá River, or Japurá River, in Colombia and Brazil * Caquetá Territory, a former territory of Colombia * Caquetá Department Caquetá Department () is a department of Colombia. Located in the Amazonas region ...

, department of Cauca, Colombia. *Amaguaje / Encabellado / Rumo - extinct language once spoken on the

Aguarico River The Aguarico River (, meaning "rich water") is a river in northeastern Ecuador. It is the main river of the Sucumbíos province. In the last part of its course it marks the Ecuadorian-Peruvian border. It empties into the Napo River. It has a le ...

department of Loreto Loreto () is Peru's northernmost department and region. Covering almost one-third of Peru's territory, Loreto is by far the nation's largest department, slightly smaller than Japan; it is also one of the most sparsely populated regions due to ...

, Peru. *Siona / Zeona / Ceño / Kokakañú - language spoken at the sources of the

Putumayo River The Putumayo River or Içá River (, ) is one of the tributaries of the Amazon River, southwest of and parallel to the Japurá River. Course The Putumayo River forms part of Colombia's border with Ecuador, as well as most of the border with Per ...

and

, Putumayo territory, Colombia. *Ificuene - spoken between the Güepi River and

, Loreto. (Unattested.) *Eno - language spoken by a few individuals at the mouth of the San Miguel River, Caquetá territory, Colombia. (Unattested.) *Secoya - language spoken on the

, Oriente province, Ecuador. (Johnson and Peeke 1962.) *Icaguate - extinct language once spoken on the Caucaya River and

, Putumayo territory, Colombia. *Macaguaje - spoken in the same territory on the

Mecaya River Mecaya River is a river of Colombia. It is part of the Amazon River basin. See also *List of rivers of Colombia Atlantic Ocean Amazon River Basin * Amazon River ** Guainía River or Negro River *** Vaupés River or Uaupés River **** Pa ...

and Caucaya River and around Puerto Restrepo, by a few families. *Tetete / Eteteguaje - extinct language once spoken at the sources of the Güepi River, Loreto. (Unattested.) *Pioje / Angotero / Ancutere - spoken on the

Napo River The Napo River () is a tributary to the Amazon River that rises in Ecuador on the flanks of the east Andean volcanoes of Antisana, Sincholagua and Cotopaxi. The total length is . The river drains an area of ca 103,000 km2. The mean annual dis ...

Tarapoto River Tarapoto, founded in 1782 as Santa Cruz de los Motilones de Tarapoto, is a commercial hub town in the San Martín Province of the Department of San Martín of northern Peru. It is an hour by plane from Lima, in the high jungle plateau to the eas ...

, and

, Loreto. *Cóto / Payoguaje - spoken at the mouth of the

, Loreto, Peru. ;Yahuna group *Yahuna / Jaúna - spoken on the Apoporis River, territory of Amazonas, Colombia. *Tanimuca / Opaina - spoken by a small tribe on the Popeyaca River and Guacayá River, Amazonas, Colombia. *Dätuana - spoken north of the preceding tribe on the Apoporis River. *Menimehe - spoken by a very little known tribe at the mouth of the Mirití-paraná River and

. (Unattested.) ;Yupua group *Yupua / Hiupiá - spoken on the

Coca River The Coca River is a river in eastern Ecuador. It is a tributary of the Napo River. The two rivers join in the city of Puerto Francisco de Orellana Puerto Francisco de Orellana (), also known as El Coca (), is the capital of province of Orell ...

, a tributary of the Apoporis River, Colombia. *Kushiita - once spoken at the mouth of the Apoporis River, state of Amazonas, Brazil. Now perhaps extinct. (Unattested.) *Durina / Sokó - spoken on the Carapato River, Amazonas territory, Colombia. ;Coretu group *Coretu / Kueretú - spoken on the Mirití-paraná River, state of Amazonas, Brazil. ;Cubeo group *Cubeo / Kobéua / Kaniwa / Hahanana - spoken on the Caiarí River and Cuduiarí River, state of Amazonas, Brazil. Dialects are: **Dyuremáwa / Yiboia-tapuya - spoken on the Querarí River, Amazonas. **Bahukíwa / Bahuna - spoken by a tribe that originally spoke a language of the Arawak stock, on the Cuduiarí River. **Hehénawa - spoken on the Cuduiarí River. **Hölöua - spoken on the Cuduiarí River, now perhaps extinct. (Unattested.) ;Särä group *Särä - spoken between the

Tiquié River The Tiquié River is a tributary stream of the Vaupés River. It runs between the Vaupés and the state of Amazonas, in the border region between Colombia and Brazil. It is a black water river. Its length is 374 km according to satellite measur ...

and Piraparaná River, Vaupés territory, Colombia. *Ömöa - spoken at the sources of the

, Colombia. *Buhágana / Karawatana - spoken on the Piraparaná River, Colombia. *Macuna - spoken at the mouth of the Apoporis River, Colombia. ;Erulia group *Erulia / Paboa / Eduria - spoken on the Piraparaná River, Colombia. *Tsaloa - spoken on the Piraparaná River. *Palänoa - spoken on the middle course of the Piraparaná River. ;Desána group *Desána / Wína / Vina - spoken between the

and Caiarí River, partly in Colombia and partly in Brazil. *Chiránga / Siriána - spoken on the Paca-igarapé River, Colombia. ;Tucano group *Tucano / Tocano / Dace / Dagseje / Dajseá / Tocana - language of a large tribe that lived on the Vaupés and

; state of Amazonas, Brazil. *Uaíana - on the Caiary River, Colombia. *Tuyuca / Doxcapura - spoken on the

and Papury River, partly in Brazil, partly in Colombia. *Arapaso / Koréa - extinct language once spoken on the Yapú River, Amazonas, Brazil. The last survivors now speak only Tucano. (Unattested.) *Waikína / Uiquina / Uaíkana / Pira-tapuya - spoken on the Papury River, Colombia. *Uantya / Puçá-tapuya - once spoken on the Macú-igarapé River, Colombia. *Bará / Pocanga - spoken at the sources of the

, Colombia. *Uasöna / Pisa-tapuya - spoken on the Caiary River, Colombia. *Tsölá / Teiuana - spoken on the

and Piraparaná River, Colombia. *Urubú-tapuyo - extinct language once spoken at the sources of the Caiary River, Colombia. *Pamöá / Tatú-tapuyo - spoken at the sources of the Papury River and on the Tuyigarapé, Colombia. *Patsoca / Iuruty-tapuyo - once spoken on the Abio River and Apoporis River, Colombia. *Möxdöá / Carapana-tapuya - spoken between the Papury River and Caiary River, Colombia. *Uanána / Wanána / Kotédia - spoken on the Caiarí River near the

Cachoeira dos Araras Cachoeira ( Portuguese, meaning waterfall) is an inland municipality of Bahia, Brazil, on the Paraguaçu River. The town exports sugar, cotton, and tobacco and is a thriving commercial and industrial centre. The municipality contains 56% of the ...

, Brazil.

Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items.

Proto-language

Proto-Tukanoan reconstructions by Chacon (2013):Chacon, Thiago (2013). On Proto-Languages and Archaeological Cultures: pre-history and material culture in the Tukanoan Family. In ''Revista Brasileira de Linguística Antropológica''. Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 217-245.

References

Bibliography

* Campbell, Lyle. (1997). ''American Indian languages: The historical linguistics of Native America''. New York: Oxford University Press. . * Kaufman, Terrence. (1990). Language history in South America: What we know and how to know more. In D. L. Payne (Ed.), ''Amazonian linguistics: Studies in lowland South American languages'' (pp. 13–67). Austin: University of Texas Press. . * Kaufman, Terrence. (1994). The native languages of South America. In C. Mosley & R. E. Asher (Eds.), ''Atlas of the world's languages'' (pp. 46–76). London: Routledge.

External links

* Proel
Familia Tucanoana
{{Authority control Language families Indigenous languages of the South American Northwest Indigenous languages of Western Amazonia