Names
The language is known by several names to both its speakers and outsiders. Traditionally it has been known as "Carib" or "Carib proper" in English, after its speakers, called the "Caribs" in English. It is known ''Caribe'' in Spanish, ''Galina'' in French, and ''Karaïeb'' in Dutch. However, the speakers call themselves ''Kalina'' or ''Karìna'' (variously spelled), and call their language ''Karìna auran'' . Other variants include ''Kaliʼna'', ''Kariʼnja, Cariña'', ''Kariña'', ''Kalihna'', ''Kalinya''; other native names include ''Maraworno'' and ''Marworno''.Classification
Kariʼnja is classified as a Cariban language, in the Guianan Carib branch.Geographic distribution
Due to contact with Kariʼnja invaders, some languages have Kariʼnja words incorporated into them, despite being Arawakan languages linguistically. A Carib-based ''lengua generale'' was once used in the old missions of the Oyapock and surrounding regions, apparently surviving at least along the Uaçá tributary into the 20th century. In Suriname, there is a village called Konomerume which is located near the Wajambo River. With about 349 people living there, a majority identify as ethnically Kariʼnja and as for who knows the language, the adults are reported to at least have a decent knowledge of it. Those above the age of 65 use the language as a primary language among the members of the community. Speakers between the ages of 45 and 65 tend to use the language only when speaking with older residents or elder members of their family, while for the most part using the official languages: Dutch andDialects
Carib dialects (with number of speakers indicated in parentheses): *Venezuelan Carib (1000) *Guyanese Carib (2000) *Western Surinamese Carib (500) *Eastern Surinamese and French Guianese Carib (3000) **Suriname has two dialects of Kariʼnja: ''Aretyry'' which is spoken in the west and central parts of the country, and ''Tyrewuju'' which is what the majority of Kariʼnja speakers in Suriname use.Phonology
In the Kariʼnja language, there are four syllable patterns: V, CV, VC, CVC; C standing for consonants while V means a vowel. Regarding phonemes, consonants are divided into two groups: obstruents (voiceless stops—p, t, k) and resonants (voiced stops—b, d, g, s). Kariʼnja has a typical 6 vowel system after *ô merged with *o, being ''a e i o u ï.'' Compared to past Kariʼnja, the modern day Kariʼnja has replaced the ''e'' in many words to ''o''. Allophones for /r w t/ include sounds as � β,v tʃ /s/ before /i/ may be pronounced as � /n/ before a consonant may be pronounced as �and also �elsewhere. Another sound, ranging ~x often occurs before a voiced or voiceless consonant, and succeeding a vowel, it can also be an allophone of /ʔ/.Alphabet
The Carib alphabet consists of 15 letters: a, e, i, j, k, `, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u, w, y.Grammar
There are 17 particles within Kariʼnja which include the ''ky-'' prefix and the ''-ng'' suffix.Vocabulary
All four dialects of Kariʼnja have loan words from the primary language of the area (Brazil, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana). For example, the Kariʼnja spoken in Suriname borrows words from Dutch and Sranantongo.Examples
Some of the words show instances in which the ''e'' has been replaced with ''o'' in present-day Kariʼnja. The two statements beneath the singular words show examples of two suffixes.References
External links