The Cariban languages are a
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
of languages Indigenous to north-eastern
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
. They are widespread across northernmost South America, from the mouth of the
Amazon River to the
Colombian Andes
The Andean region, located in central Colombia, is the most populated natural region of Colombia. With many mountains, the Andes contain most of the country's urban centers.[Macushi is the only language among them with numerous speakers, estimated at 30,000. The Cariban family is well known among linguists partly because one language in the family— Hixkaryana—has a default ]word order
In linguistics, word order (also known as linear order) is the order of the syntactic constituents of a language. Word order typology studies it from a cross-linguistic perspective, and examines how languages employ different orders. Correlatio ...
of object–verb–subject. Prior to their discovery of this, linguists believed that this order did not exist in any spoken natural language
A natural language or ordinary language is a language that occurs naturally in a human community by a process of use, repetition, and change. It can take different forms, typically either a spoken language or a sign language. Natural languages ...
.
In the 16th century, Cariban peoples expanded into the Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, forming part of the West Indies in Caribbean, Caribbean region of the Americas. They are distinguished from the larger islands of the Greater Antilles to the west. They form an arc w ...
. There they killed or displaced, and also mixed with the Arawak peoples
The Arawak are a group of Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of northern South America and of the Caribbean. The term "Arawak" has been applied at various times to different Indigenous groups, from the Lokono of South Ameri ...
who already inhabited the islands. The resulting language— Kalhíphona or Island Carib—was Carib in name but largely Arawak in substance. The Carib male conquerors took Arawak women as wives, and the latter passed on their own language on to the children. For a time, Arawak was spoken by women and children and Carib by adult men, but as each generation of Carib-Arawak boys reached adulthood, they acquired less Carib until only basic vocabulary and a few grammatical elements were left. That form of Island Carib became extinct in the Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, forming part of the West Indies in Caribbean, Caribbean region of the Americas. They are distinguished from the larger islands of the Greater Antilles to the west. They form an arc w ...
in the 1920s, but it survives as Garífuna
The Garifuna people ( or ; pl. Garínagu in Garifuna language, Garifuna) are a people of mixed free African people, African and Indigenous people of the Americas, Amerindian ancestry that originated in the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent (An ...
, or "Black Carib," in Central America
Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
. The gender distinction has dwindled to only a handful of words. Dominica
Dominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. It is part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of t ...
is the only island in the eastern Caribbean
The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...
to retain some of its pre-Columbian
In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era, also known as the pre-contact era, or as the pre-Cabraline era specifically in Brazil, spans from the initial peopling of the Americas in the Upper Paleolithic to the onset of European col ...
population, descendants of the Carib Indians, about 3,000 of whom live on the island's east coast.
Genetic relations
The Cariban languages share irregular morphology with the Jê and Tupian families. Ribeiro connects them all in a Je–Tupi–Carib family. Meira, Gildea, & Hoff (2010) note that likely morphemes in proto-Tupian and proto-Cariban are good candidates for being cognates, but that work so far is insufficient to make definitive statements.
Language contact
Jolkesky (2016) notes that there are lexical similarities with the Guato, Kawapana, Nambikwara, Taruma, Warao, Arawak
The Arawak are a group of Indigenous peoples of northern South America and of the Caribbean. The term "Arawak" has been applied at various times to different Indigenous groups, from the Lokono of South America to the Taíno (Island Arawaks), w ...
, Bororo
The Bororo are indigenous people of Brazil, living in the state of Mato Grosso. They also extended into Bolivia and the Brazilian state of Goiás. The Western Bororo live around the Jauru and Cabaçal rivers. The Eastern Bororo (Orarimogodoge) l ...
, Jeoromitxi, Karaja, Rikbaktsa, and Tupi language families due to contact.
Extensive lexical similarities between Cariban and various Macro-Jê languages suggest that Cariban languages had originated in the Lower Amazon region (rather than in the Guiana Highlands). There they were in contact with early forms of Macro-Jê languages, which were likely spoken in an area between the Parecis Plateau and upper Araguaia River
The Araguaia River ( , Karajá language, Karajá: ♂ ''Berohokỹ'' eɾohoˈkə̃ ♀ ''Bèrakuhukỹ'' ɛɾakuhuˈkə̃ is one of the major rivers of Brazil, and a tributary of the Tocantins River.
Geography
The Araguaia River comes from ...
.
Family division
The Cariban languages are closely related. In many cases where one of the languages is more distinct, this is due to influence from neighboring languages rather than an indication that it is not closely related. According to Kaufman (2007), "Except for Opon, Yukpa, Pimenteira and Palmela (and possibly Panare), the Cariban languages are not very diverse phonologically and lexically (though more so than Romance, for example)."[Kaufman, Terrence. 2007. "South America". In: R. E. Asher and Christopher Moseley (eds.), ''Atlas of the World’s Languages'' (2nd edition), 59–94. London: Routledge.]
Previous classifications
Good data has been collected around ca. 2000 on most Cariban languages; classifications prior to that time (including Kaufman 2007, which relies on Kaufman 1994) are unreliable.
Several such classifications have been published; the one shown here, by Derbyshire (1999) divides Cariban into seven branches. A traditional geographic classification into northern and southern branches is cross referenced with (N) or (S) after each language.
*Cariban
**Galibi
The Kalina, also known as the Caribs or mainland Caribs and by several other names, are an Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous people native to the northern coastal areas of South America. Today, the Kalina live largely in villages o ...
Kaliña">/nowiki>Kaliña">Kaliña.html" ;"title="/nowiki> /nowiki>Kaliña/nowiki> (N)
**Guiana Carib (Taranoan languages">Taranoan):
***Trio: Tiriyó– Akuriyó , Salumá language">Salumá (N), Carijona language">Carijona–Hianákoto language">Hianákoto (S)
***Kashuyana: Sikiana (N), Kaxuiâna language">Kaxuiâna [Warikyana">Kaxuiâna_language.html" ;"title="Sikiana language">Sikiana (N), Kaxuiâna language">Kaxuiâna [Warikyana (S)
***Waiwai: Hixkaryána (S), Waiwai language">Waiwai (N)
***:Kaufman breaks this up into its constituent branches
**North Amazonian Carib:
***Yawaperi: Atruahí [Atrowari, Waimiri">Atruahí language">Atruahí [Atrowari, Waimiri(N)
***Pemong: Macushi–Pemon language">Pemon
The Pemon or Pemón (Pemong) are Indigenous people living in areas of Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana.See pp.112,113 and 178 of ''Venezuela: the Pemon'', in '' Condé Nast Traveler'', December 2008. The Pemon people are divided into many dialects ...
[Arekuna],
Akawaio–
Patamona (= Kapong, Ingariko) (N)
***Paravilyana: Pawishiana language, Pawishiana
***:Kaufman breaks this up into its constituent branches, adding
Purukotó to Pemong;
Boanarí to Atruahí;
Paravilyana and
Sapará to Pawishiana
**Central Carib:
***
Wayana
The Wayana (alternate names: Ajana, Uaiana, Alucuyana, Guaque, Ojana, Oyana, Orcocoyana, Pirixi, Urukuena, Waiano etc.) are a Carib-speaking people located in the southeastern part of the Guiana highlands, a region divided between Brazil, Surin ...
–
Apalaí (N)
***
Maquiritari ekwana(S)
***
Mapoyo–
Yabarana–
Pémono (N)
***:Kaufman adds
Chaima umaná Arakajú (to Wayana);
Yao and
Tiverikoto
Tiverikoto (Tivericoto) is an extinct and poorly attested Cariban language. Terrence Kaufman
Terrence Kaufman (1937 – March 3, 2022) was an American linguist specializing in documentation of unwritten languages, lexicography, Mesoamerican h ...
;
Wajumará (to Makiritare)
***:
Tamanaku is close to Mapoyo
**South Amazonian Carib:
***Bakairi:
Bakairí,
Kuikúro alapálo, Amonap Matipuhy ahukwa (S)
***Arara:
Txikão kpeng, Chikaon Arára ará(N)
***:To Arara Kaufman adds extinct
Juma ,
Apiaká-Apingi ,
Yarumá
**Yukpa:
***
Japrería (N)
***
Yukpa (N)
***
Coyaima (N)
**
Panare (N)
**
Opon pón-Karare
*Unclassified:
**
Pimenteira
**
Palmela
Palmela () is a town and municipality in Portugal. As of 2011, the population was 62,831, covering an area of 465.12 km².
The municipality is located in the Lisboa Region and Setúbal District, about south of Lisbon. The municipal holiday ...
The extinct
Patagón de Perico language of northern Peru also appears to have been a Cariban language, perhaps close to Carijona.
Yao is so poorly attested that Gildea believes it may never be classified.
Loukotka (1968)
Below is a full list of Cariban language varieties listed by
Loukotka (1968), including names of unattested varieties.
Western languages: Caraib / Calinago / Karib – language spoken by the insular and continental Caraibes, with many dialects:
*Dialect of the insular Caraibes, once spoken on the
Lesser Antilles Islands, now by only a few old individuals in a reserve on the island of
Dominica
Dominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. It is part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of t ...
.
*Dialect of Pomeroon / Caribisi / Acarabisi – spoken on the
Macarani River and
Pomeroon River, Guyana.
*Tabare / Cariña – dialect spoken by the inhabitants of the villages of
El Guasey,
Cachipo,
Cachama, and
San Joaquín de Parire (
Mapicure) in the state of Anzoátegui and in the village of
Tapaquire in the state of Bolívar, Venezuela.
*Caribe – extinct dialect once spoken by the descendants of Caraibes and by the mixed population on the plains of Barcelona, states of Monagas and Anzoátegui, Venezuela.
*Carif / Moreno – dialect combined with Arawakan, spoken by the Negro Indian mixed population of British Honduras, in Guatemala on the Gulf of Honduras, and on Roatan Island in Honduras, Central America.
*Cariniaco – extinct dialect once spoken at the mouth of the
Caura River, state of Bolívar, Venezuela.
*Mayé – extinct dialect once spoken on the
Casipore River, Amapá territory, Brazil. (Unattested.)
*Paracoto – extinct dialect once spoken at the mouth of the
Araguari River, Amapá
Araguari is a municipality in western Minas Gerais state, Brazil. It is in the northern Triângulo Mineiro region, on the Jordão River, a tributary of the Paranaíba River, at an elevation between . The municipality of Araguari has an area of , w ...
and at the mouth of the Mana River, French Guiana. (Unattested.)
*Carane – once spoken at the old mission of São Paulo d'Oiapoque, Amapá territory. (Unattested.)
*Norac / Norag – once spoken on the
Approuague River, French Guiana, later on the
Anotarí River; now extinct. (Unattested.)
*Itutan – once spoken on the lower course of the
Casipore River and in the
Serra Lombard, Amapá. (Unattested.)
*Curucuane – once spoken on the lower course of the
Casipore River, south of the Itutan tribe. (Unattested.)
*Aricarí – once spoken near the Curucuane tribe on the lower course of the
Calçoene River. (Unattested.)
*Sapai – once spoken on the
Mana River, French Guiana. (Unattested.)
*Piriou – once spoken in French Guiana on the middle course of the
Oyapoque River. (Unattested.)
*Mersiou – once spoken on the
Aratye River,
Inini River, and
Aua River, French Guiana, now probably extinct. (Unattested.)
*Acoqua – once spoken at the sources of the
Approuague River, and on the
Camopi River, French Guiana. (Unattested.)
*Wai – spoken on the
Tamouri River, French Guiana; now perhaps extinct. (Unattested.)
*Taira – spoken in the same colony as the Wai tribe on the
Iracoubo River. (Unattested.)
*Acuria – originally spoken on the
Nickerie River
The Nickerie River is a river in the northwestern part of Suriname.
The river originates in the Bakhuis Mountains and then flows to the North where it forms part of the border between the Coronie and Nickerie districts. The river then turns W ...
and
Coppename River
The Coppename is a river in Suriname (South America) in the district of Sipaliwini, forming part of the boundary between the districts of Coronie and Saramacca.
Course
The Coppename river begins in the Wilhelmina Mountains. Its tributaries are ...
, Suriname; now on the
Berbice River, Guyana. (Unattested.)
*Chacoi – spoken by a few mixed individuals between the
Berbice River and
Essequibo River
The Essequibo River (; originally called by Alonso de Ojeda; ) is the largest river in Guyana, and the largest river between the Orinoco and Amazon River, Amazon. Rising in the Acarai Mountains near the Brazil–Guyana border, the Essequibo flows ...
, Guyana. (Unattested.)
*Parabaiana – once spoken on the middle course of the
Marouini River, French Guiana. (Unattested.)
*Caicuchiana – once spoken in French Guiana, south of the Parabaiana tribe. (Unattested.)
;Eastern languages
*Waiana / Oayana – spoken on the
Palumeu River and
Lawa River, Suriname, and on the
Jarí River and
Paru River, state of Pará, Brazil; once also between the
Maroni River
The Maroni () or Marowijne (; ) is a river in South America that forms the border between French Guiana and Suriname.
Course
The Maroni runs through the Guianan moist forests ecoregion.
It originates in the Tumuk Humak Mountains and forms ...
and
Marouini River, French Guiana.
*Amicuan – extinct language once spoken at the sources of the
Marouini River, French Guiana. (Unattested.)
*Upurui – once spoken on the upper course of the
Jarí River, now by a few individuals at the sources of the
Parú de Leste River, state of Pará, Brazil.
*Apalai / Aparai – spoken on the middle course of the
Parú de Leste River and between this river and the upper course of the
Maicuru River, Pará.
*Carapeuara – extinct language once spoken in the state of Pará south of the Apama tribe on the
Maicuru River. (Unattested.)
*Palanc – extinct language once spoken in French Guiana on the middle course of the
Apima River and
Yaroupi River and on the
Unani River. (Unattested.)
*Rucuyene – extinct language once spoken in the same colony on the
Lawa River.
*Noyene – once spoken on the
Cuc River, state of Pará. (Unattested.)
*Yapacoye – once spoken on the left bank of the
Itany River, French Guiana. (Unattested.)
*Aracajú / Uaraguazú – extinct language mixed with many Tupi elements, once spoken on the
Gurupamba River and
Parú de Leste River, Pará.
;Trio group
*Trio / Diáu / Tirió – spoken on the
Tapanahoni River,
Corentijn River, and
Palumeu River, Suriname, and between the sources of the
Parú de Leste River and
Parú de Oeste River
The Paru de Oeste River (Erepecuru River) is a tributary of the Trombetas River in Pará in north-central Brazil.
Geography
In addition to the main river, it has a "loop" known as the Cuminá River, which finally merges into the Paru de Oeste Ri ...
, state of Pará.
*Urucuyana / Waiano – spoken on the left bank of the
Parú de Leste River, Pará.
*Wama – spoken by a tribe at the sources of the
Oelemari River
Oelemari River (also Ulemari) is a river of Suriname. The Oelemari River flows into the Litani which is a tributary to the Marowijne. The river is sourced from the Oranjegebergte which in turn is a subdivision of the Tumuk Humak Mountains. Gold ...
, Suriname.
*Tliometesen / Oyaricule – spoken by a few individuals between the
Litani River
The Litani River (), the classical Leontes (), is an important water resource in southern Lebanon. The river rises in the fertile Beqaa Valley, west of Baalbek, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea north of Tyre. Exceeding in length, the ...
and
Tapanahoni River, Suriname.
*Ocomayana / Kumayena / Comayana – spoken at the sources of the
Coeroeni River, Suriname, and at the sources of the
Oronoque River in Guyana.
*Pianocoto – once spoken at the sources of the
Trombetas River
The Trombetas is a large river on the northern side of the Amazon River.
Course
The Trombetas is long, and is navigable by 500 ton vessels for a stretch of . The Trombetas river gives birth to very many rivers, including the Anamu river.
It is ...
and the
Jamunda River, now at the mouth of the
Marapi River
The Marapi (Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ماراڤي), or Mount Marapi (, , Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ڬونوواڠ ماراڤي), is a complex volcano in West Sumatra, Indonesia, and is the most active volcano in Sumatra. Like that of its Mount Merapi, qu ...
in the
Parú de Oeste River
The Paru de Oeste River (Erepecuru River) is a tributary of the Trombetas River in Pará in north-central Brazil.
Geography
In addition to the main river, it has a "loop" known as the Cuminá River, which finally merges into the Paru de Oeste Ri ...
, Pará.
*Aramihoto – spoken by a small tribe in Suriname on the upper course of the
Coeroeni River. (Unattested.)
*Prohyana – spoken in the same colony in the
Eilerts de Haan Gebergte. (Unattested.)
*Maipuridjana – spoken in Suriname on the
Sipaliwini River. (Unattested.)
*Rangú – spoken at the sources of the
Parú de Oeste River
The Paru de Oeste River (Erepecuru River) is a tributary of the Trombetas River in Pará in north-central Brazil.
Geography
In addition to the main river, it has a "loop" known as the Cuminá River, which finally merges into the Paru de Oeste Ri ...
, Pará.
*Acuriyo – spoken at the sources of the
Tapanahoni River, Suriname. (Unattested.)
*Aramisho – spoken on the upper course of the
Parú de Leste River, Pará. (Unattested.)
*Aramayana – spoken by the southern neighbors of the Aramisho tribe. (Unattested.)
*Aramagoto – spoken between the upper courses of the
Parú de Leste River and the
Parú de Oeste River
The Paru de Oeste River (Erepecuru River) is a tributary of the Trombetas River in Pará in north-central Brazil.
Geography
In addition to the main river, it has a "loop" known as the Cuminá River, which finally merges into the Paru de Oeste Ri ...
, Pará. (Unattested.)
*Pianoi – spoken at the sources and on the upper course of the
Citaré River, Pará. (Unattested.)
;Chiquena group
*Chiquena / Shikiana – spoken on the
Apiniwau River, Guyana, and at the sources of the
Panemá River, Pará. (Farabee 1924, pp. 195–196.)
*Zurumata – once spoken in a village of the same name on the upper course of the
Trombetas River
The Trombetas is a large river on the northern side of the Amazon River.
Course
The Trombetas is long, and is navigable by 500 ton vessels for a stretch of . The Trombetas river gives birth to very many rivers, including the Anamu river.
It is ...
, Pará, now probably extinct. (Unattested.)
*Ingarüne – spoken at the sources of the
Panemá River and its tributaries. (Unattested.)
*Salumá / Charúma – spoken between the upper courses of the
Trombetas River
The Trombetas is a large river on the northern side of the Amazon River.
Course
The Trombetas is long, and is navigable by 500 ton vessels for a stretch of . The Trombetas river gives birth to very many rivers, including the Anamu river.
It is ...
,
Uanabé River, and
Tunúru River, Pará.
*Prehnoma – spoken by a small tribe west of the Pianocoto tribe. (Unattested.)
*Caicusiana – spoken on the
Tunúru River south of the Salumá tribe. (Unattested.)
*Tunayana – spoken between the middle courses of the
Panemá River and
Tunúru River. (Unattested.)
*Sereu – spoken east of the sources of the
Cachorro River. (Unattested.)
*Cahuyana – spoken on the middle course of the
Trombetas River
The Trombetas is a large river on the northern side of the Amazon River.
Course
The Trombetas is long, and is navigable by 500 ton vessels for a stretch of . The Trombetas river gives birth to very many rivers, including the Anamu river.
It is ...
. (Unattested.)
*Marachó – spoken by an unknown tribe on the middle course of the
Cuminá River. (Unattested.)
*Pauxi / Pawiyana – spoken on the right bank of the middle course of the
Erepecurú River (
Cuminá River); now perhaps extinct.
*Waríkyana – extinct language once spoken on the lower course of the
Trombetas River
The Trombetas is a large river on the northern side of the Amazon River.
Course
The Trombetas is long, and is navigable by 500 ton vessels for a stretch of . The Trombetas river gives birth to very many rivers, including the Anamu river.
It is ...
. (Unattested.)
*Uayeué – spoken on the
Mapuera River and its tributary
Urubú de Silves River.
*Cachuena / Kaxiuâna / Casiana / Cachoarí – spoken by a few families at the mouth of the
Cachorro River.
*Mutuan – once spoken on the lower course of the
Nhamundá River.
*Cariguano – once spoken on the
Panemá River. (Unattested.)
*Conduri – extinct language once spoken at the mouth of the
Nhamundá River. (Unattested.)
*Paraugoaru – extinct language once spoken on the
Capó River, a tributary of the
Trombetas River
The Trombetas is a large river on the northern side of the Amazon River.
Course
The Trombetas is long, and is navigable by 500 ton vessels for a stretch of . The Trombetas river gives birth to very many rivers, including the Anamu river.
It is ...
. (Unattested.)
;Waiwai group
*Waiwai / Woaywai – spoken at the sources of the
Essequibo River
The Essequibo River (; originally called by Alonso de Ojeda; ) is the largest river in Guyana, and the largest river between the Orinoco and Amazon River, Amazon. Rising in the Acarai Mountains near the Brazil–Guyana border, the Essequibo flows ...
, Guyana and at the sources of the
Mapuera River, state of Pará, Brazil.
*Faranakaru – spoken at the sources of the
Mapuera River south of the Waiwai tribe. (Unattested.)
*Faranauaru – spoken on the left bank of the
Mapuera River. (Unattested.)
*Parucoto / Katawian – spoken on the middle course of the
Mapuera River and between the sources of the
Acarí River and
Cachorrinho River. (Farabee 1924, pp. 192–193.)
*Chiriwiyana – spoken at the sources of the
Acarí River. (Unattested.)
*Ororicó – spoken on the upper course of the
Cachorrinho River. (Unattested.)
*Cotonúru – spoken between the
Cachorro River and
Cachorrinho River. (Unattested.)
*Totocumu / Catuena – spoken between the sources of the
Acarí River and
Ipitinga River. (Unattested.)
*Chawiyana – spoken on the right bank of the upper course of the
Nhamundá River, Amazonas. (Unattested.)
*Uaiboí / Babui / Wabou – spoken on the middle course of the
Nhamundá River.
*Hishcariana / Ishkariyána / Tucano – spoken on the middle course of the
Nhamundá River.
*Xauwiyana – spoken by the neighbors of the Hishcariana tribe. (Unattested.)
*Uasaí – spoken by an unknown tribe on the
Urubu River and
Jatapu River, Amazonas. (Unattested.)
*Apoto / Apanto – extinct language once spoken south of the Uaiboi tribe on the
Nhamundá River. (Unattested.)
*Orocoto – once spoken between the
Urubu River and
Jatapu River. (Unattested.)
*Taguari – extinct language once spoken between the
Mapuera River and
Ipitinga River. (Unattested.)
*Pariquí – once spoken between the mouths of the
Uatumã River and
Negro River. (Unattested.)
*Tapicari – spoken on the
Mucajaí River. (Unattested.)
*Bonari / Boanari – once spoken on the
Uatumã River, Amazonas; now perhaps extinct.
;Yauapery group
*Yauapery / Atroahi – spoken on the middle course of the
Yauapery River, state of Amazonas.
*Uaimiri / Wahmirí – spoken at the sources of the
Curiuaú River, state of Amazonas.
*Crixaná / Quirixana – spoken between the middle course of the
Yauapery River and the
Curiuaú River, now probably extinct.
;Pauishana group
*Pauishana – spoken between the
Catrimani River and
Branco River
The Branco River (; Engl: ''White River'') is the principal affluent of the Rio Negro from the north.
Basin
The river drains the Guayanan Highlands moist forests ecoregion.
It is enriched by many streams from the Tepui highlands which separat ...
, territory of Rio Branco, Brazil.
;Macusi group
*Macusi / Makushí – spoken on the
Rupununi River, Guyana, and at the sources of the
Tacutu River and on the middle course of the
Branco River
The Branco River (; Engl: ''White River'') is the principal affluent of the Rio Negro from the north.
Basin
The river drains the Guayanan Highlands moist forests ecoregion.
It is enriched by many streams from the Tepui highlands which separat ...
, territory of Rio Branco, Brazil.
*Monoicó – spoken on the
Cotingo River, Brazil. (Unattested.)
*Keseruma – spoken on the
Tacutu River. (A. Meyer 1951.)
*Asepáng – spoken to the south of the Keseruma tribe. (Unattested.)
*Eliáng – spoken to the south of the Asepáng tribe. (Unattested.)
*Pezacó – spoken to the south of the Eliáng tribe. (Unattested.)
*Quenoloco – spoken at the sources of the
Cotingo River. (Unattested.)
*Teweia – spoken on the
Cotingo River. (Unattested.)
*Purucotó / Progoto – spoken on the
Uraricapará River, territory of Rio Branco.
*Wayumara / Azumara / Guimara – spoken between the
Mucajaí River and
Uraricoera River and in a part of
Maracá Island.
*Paraviyana / Paravilhana – extinct language once spoken between the
Tacutu River and
Caratirimani River, Rio Branco.
*Zapara / Sapará – spoken in the middle and eastern parts of
Maracá Island.
;Pemón group
*Taurepän / Taulipáng / Ipuricoto / Pemón – spoken between the
Uraricuena River and
Mount Roraima
Mount Roraima (; ) is the highest of the Pacaraima chain of tepuis (table-top mountain) or plateaux in South America. It is located at the junction of Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. A characteristic large flat-topped mountain surrounded by cliff ...
to the
Caroní River
The Caroní River is the second most important river of Venezuela, the second in flow, and one of the longest, from the Kukenan tepui through to its confluence with the Orinoco River. The name "Caroní" is applied starting from the confluenc ...
, in the border zone of Brazil and Venezuela.
*Arecuná – spoken at the sources of the
Caroní River
The Caroní River is the second most important river of Venezuela, the second in flow, and one of the longest, from the Kukenan tepui through to its confluence with the Orinoco River. The name "Caroní" is applied starting from the confluenc ...
and
Paragua River
The Paragua River is a river of Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, isl ...
, state of Bolívar, Venezuela.
*Ingaricó – spoken to the north of
Mount Roraima
Mount Roraima (; ) is the highest of the Pacaraima chain of tepuis (table-top mountain) or plateaux in South America. It is located at the junction of Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. A characteristic large flat-topped mountain surrounded by cliff ...
, border region of Brazil and Venezuela.
*Patamona – spoken on the
Potaro River and
Ireng River, Guyana. (F. Lutz 1912 passim, only a few words.)
*Camaracoto – spoken in the state of Bolívar, Venezuela, on the
Paragua River
The Paragua River is a river of Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, isl ...
and
Caroní River
The Caroní River is the second most important river of Venezuela, the second in flow, and one of the longest, from the Kukenan tepui through to its confluence with the Orinoco River. The name "Caroní" is applied starting from the confluenc ...
.
*Arinagoto – once spoken on the
Paragua River
The Paragua River is a river of Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, isl ...
, state of Bolívar, now perhaps extinct. (Unattested.)
*Paraparucota – once spoken between the
Caura River and
Cuchivero River, state of Bolívar; now extinct. (Unattested.)
*Quiriquiripa – extinct language once spoken on the left bank of the
Caura River. (Unattested.)
*Aguaricoto – extinct language once spoken on the lower course of the
Caura River, the same region. (Unattested.)
*Serecong / Sarrakong – once spoken in the same region at the sources of the
Mahú River. (Unattested.)
*Chiricum – once spoken by the western neighbors of the Taurepán tribe in the Rio Branco territory. (Unattested.)
*Achirigoto – once spoken on the left bank of the
Caura River, middle course, in the state of Bolívar. (Unattested.)
*Paudacoto – once spoken in the state of Bolívar at the sources of the
Aro River. (Unattested.)
*Cachirigoto – once spoken in the state of Bolívar south of the Camaracotó tribe. (Unattested.)
*Barinagoto – once spoken at the mouth of the
Caroní River
The Caroní River is the second most important river of Venezuela, the second in flow, and one of the longest, from the Kukenan tepui through to its confluence with the Orinoco River. The name "Caroní" is applied starting from the confluenc ...
, Bolívar state, Venezuela. (Unattested.)
*Arebato – once spoken in the village of Cuchara on the
Caura River in the state of Bolívar, now perhaps extinct. (Unattested.)
*Armacoto – once spoken in the same region between the
Paragua River
The Paragua River is a river of Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, isl ...
and
Merevari River. (Unattested.)
*Mauitsi – once spoken at the sources of the
Paragua River
The Paragua River is a river of Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, isl ...
in the same region. (Unattested.)
*Uaica / Waica – spoken by a few families on the
Yuruari River and
Cuyuni River, state of Bolívar.
*Acawai / Capong – spoken in Guyana on the
Moruca River,
Cuyuni River,
Acarabisi River, and
Pomeroon River.
;Maquiritaré group
*Decuána / Deukwana / Maquiritaré – spoken on the
Caura River,
Ventuari River
The Ventuari River is the largest tributary of the Orinoco in southern Venezuela. The Ventuari flows from south-central Venezuela in the Guiana Highlands southwest into the Orinoco River. It is long and its major tributary is the Manapiare River ...
,
Merevari River, and
Auari River, state of Bolívar and Amazonas territory, Venezuela, and between the
Cotingo River and
Majari River, territory of Rio Branco, Brazil.
*Yecuaná / Mayongcong – spoken on the
Caura River southwest of the Arecuna tribe, state of Bolívar, Venezuela.
*Ihuruána – spoken at the sources of the
Ventuari River
The Ventuari River is the largest tributary of the Orinoco in southern Venezuela. The Ventuari flows from south-central Venezuela in the Guiana Highlands southwest into the Orinoco River. It is long and its major tributary is the Manapiare River ...
, territory of Amazonas, Venezuela.
*Cunuaná / Kunuhana – spoken in the same territory at the sources of the
Cunucunuma River. (only four words.)
*Morononi – extinct language once spoken in the same territory on the
Ventuari River
The Ventuari River is the largest tributary of the Orinoco in southern Venezuela. The Ventuari flows from south-central Venezuela in the Guiana Highlands southwest into the Orinoco River. It is long and its major tributary is the Manapiare River ...
. (Unattested.)
*Puipuitene – extinct language once spoken on the same river in the same territory by the neighbors of the Decuaná tribe. (Unattested.)
*Acariana – once spoken by the neighbors of the Morononi tribe on the
Orinoco River
The Orinoco () is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers approximately 1 million km2, with 65% of it in Venezuela and 35% in Colombia. It is the List of rivers by discharge, f ...
. (Unattested.)
*Ocomesiane – once spoken in the same region on the
Padamo River. (Unattested.)
*Areviriana – once spoken by the eastern neighbors of the Ihuruána tribe. (Unattested.)
*Jure – once spoken on the left bank of the middle course of the
Ventuari River
The Ventuari River is the largest tributary of the Orinoco in southern Venezuela. The Ventuari flows from south-central Venezuela in the Guiana Highlands southwest into the Orinoco River. It is long and its major tributary is the Manapiare River ...
. (Unattested.)
*Pishauco / Pshavaco – once spoken on the Serra Tepequem, Rio Branco territory. (Unattested.)
*Mejepure – once spoken on the left ban1e of the lower course of the
Ventuari River
The Ventuari River is the largest tributary of the Orinoco in southern Venezuela. The Ventuari flows from south-central Venezuela in the Guiana Highlands southwest into the Orinoco River. It is long and its major tributary is the Manapiare River ...
. (Unattested.)
*Aberiana – once spoken by the neighbors of the Acariana tribe on the upper course of the
Orinoco River
The Orinoco () is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers approximately 1 million km2, with 65% of it in Venezuela and 35% in Colombia. It is the List of rivers by discharge, f ...
. (Unattested.)
;Mapoyo group
*Mapoyo / Nepoyo – spoken by a small tribe between the
Parguaza River and
Suapure River
Suapuare River is a river of Venezuela. It is part of the Orinoco River basin.
See also
*List of rivers of Venezuela
This is a list of rivers in Venezuela.
By drainage basin
This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries i ...
, state of Bolívar, Venezuela.
*Carinuaca – extinct language once spoken in the area between the Ihuruána and Yauarána tribes, territory of Amazonas, Venezuela. (Unattested.)
*Curasicana / Kurushikiána / Orechicano – once spoken at the sources of the
Biehita River, now by only a few individuals. (Unattested.)
*Wökiare / Uaiquire – unknown language spoken in the same region on the
Paru River. (Unattested.)
*Yauarána / Yabarána – language spoken in the same territory on the
Manapiare River.
*Quaqua – once spoken by the northern neighbors of the Mapoyo tribe. (Unattested.)
*Guaquiri – once spoken by the northern neighbors of the Curasicana tribe. (Unattested.)
*Pareca – spoken in the region west of the
Cuchivero River, now probably extinct. (Unattested.)
*Taparito – extinct language once spoken on the middle course of the
Caura River. (Unattested.)
*Cadupinapo – once spoken by the southern neighbors of the Achirigoto tribe. (Unattested.)
*Tabajari – now probably extinct, once spoken on the left bank of the
Erebato River, state of Bolívar. (Unattested.)
;Panare group
*Panáre – language of a small tribe, spoken at the sources of the
Cuchivero River, state of Bolívar, Venezuela.
*Abira – once spoken at the sources of the
Manapiare River. (Unattested.)
*Eye – once spoken by the southwestern neighbors of the Panáre tribe at the sources of the
Cuchivero River. (Unattested.)
;Tamanaco group
*Tamanaco – extinct language once spoken along the
Orinoco River
The Orinoco () is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers approximately 1 million km2, with 65% of it in Venezuela and 35% in Colombia. It is the List of rivers by discharge, f ...
from the mouth of the
Caroni River to the mouth of the
Cuchivero River, state of Bolívar, Venezuela.
*Chayma / Guarapiche / Sayma – extinct language once spoken on the
Guarapiche River, state of Anzoátegui, Venezuela.
*Cumanagota – extinct language once spoken on the
Cabo Codera and near
Cumaná
Cumaná () is the capital city of Venezuela's Sucre State. It is located east of Caracas. Cumaná was one of the first cities founded by Spain in the mainland Americas and is the oldest continuously-inhabited Hispanic-established city in Sout ...
, state of Sucre, Venezuela.
*Tivericoto – once spoken on the coast of the state of Monagas, Venezuela
*Palenque – once spoken between the
Unare River and
Tamanaco River, Guárico state.
*Caraca – once spoken around the modern capital of Caracas, Venezuela. (A. Espinosa (Vazquez de Espinosa) 1948, pp. 36–37, only a few words.)
*Ciparigoto – extinct language once spoken on the
Yaracuy River and
Aroa River, state of Yaracuy. (Unattested.)
*Teque – once spoken in the Guaire valley, state of Miranda. (Unattested.)
*Tacarigua – once spoken around Lake Valencia, Miranda. (Unattested.)
*Toromaina – once spoken on the
San Pedro River, federal district of Venezuela. (Unattested.)
*Arbaco – once spoken around the modern city of Victoria, state of Aragua. (Unattested.)
*Meregoto – once spoken on the western shore of
Lake Valencia in the state of Aragua. (Unattested.)
*Quiriquire – extinct language once spoken on the
Tuy River and
Misoa River, state of Miranda. (Oramas 1918a, only a few patronyms.)
*Chapacuare – once spoken in the Pascua valley, state of Guárico. (Unattested.)
*Tarma – once spoken near the modern city of
Maracay
Maracay () is a city in north-central Venezuela, near the Caribbean coast, and is the capital and most important city of the state of Aragua. Most of it falls under the jurisdiction of Girardot Municipality. The population of Maracay and its ...
, state of Aragua. (Unattested.)
*Mariche – once spoken in the
Baruta
Baruta (pop. 317,288) is a municipality within the Metropolitan District of Caracas in Venezuela.
Geography
Baruta is located geographically in the South-East section of the city. Its western limit is the '' Los Chaguaramos'' neighborhood ( ...
valley, state of Miranda. (Unattested.)
*Guayqueri – extinct language once spoken on the
Paoviejo River, state of Cojedes. (Gumilla 1745, pt. 2, pp. 67–68, only one phrase.)
*Tomuza – once spoken between the
Chico River and
Piritú River, states of Miranda and Anzoátegui. (Unattested.)
*Haerena / Guarena – once spoken between the
Guarenas River and
Guatire River, state of Anzoátegui. (Unattested.)
*Piritú – once spoken around the modern city of
Puerto Píritu
Puerto Píritu is a Venezuelan city located in the north-central coast of Anzoátegui State, with a population more than 11,000. It is the capital of the Fernando de Peñalver Municipality, and located 46 km from the centre of Barcelona, Ve ...
, state of Anzoátegui. (Unattested.)
*Tagare – once spoken on the coast of the
Gulf of Cariaco
The Cariaco Basin lies off the north central coast of Venezuela and forms the :es:Golfo de Cariaco, Gulf of Cariaco. It is bounded on the east by Margarita Island, Cubagua Island, and the Araya Peninsula; on the north by La Tortuga Island, Tortuga ...
, state of Sucre. (Unattested.)
*Pariagoto / Guayuno – extinct language once spoken on the
Paria Peninsula
The Paria Peninsula () is a large peninsula on the Caribbean Sea, in the state of Sucre in northern Venezuela.
Geography
Separating the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Paria, the peninsula is part of the mountain range, in the Venezuelan Coa ...
in the state of Sucre.
*Chamaygua – once spoken in the state of Sucre by the neighbors of the Cumanagota tribe. (Unattested.)
;Yao group
*Yao / Anacaioury – language once spoken by two tribes: one on the western part of the island of Trinidad; the other in French Guiana on the
Ivaricopo River and Cau River.
;Shebayi group
*Shebayi / Supaye – extinct language once spoken in the Guianas; exact location is unknown.
;Motilon group
*Yupe / Motilon – spoken by many tribes in the
Sierra de Perijá, state of Zulia, Venezuela, and in the department of Magdalena, Colombia. Dialects:
**Chague / Apon – spoken on the
Apon River, Zulia.
**Iroca – spoken on the
Casacará River, Magdalena.
*Macoa – spoken on the
Yasa River
Yasa was a bhikkhu during the time of Gautama Buddha. He was the sixth bhikkhu in the Buddha's Sangha (Buddhism), sangha and was the sixth to achieve arahanthood. Yasa lived in the 6th century BCE in what is now Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in north ...
and
Negro River, Zulia.
*Manastara – spoken on the
Becerril River, Zulia.
*Maraca – spoken by a tribe at the source of the
Machigue River and on the
Maraca River, Magdalena.
*Parirí – spoken to the south of the
Apon River.
*Shapáru / Chaparro – spoken by the western neighbors of the Parirí tribe, Zulia.
*Uasamo – spoken in the same area by the northern neighbors of the Shapáru tribe. (Unattested.)
*Susa – spoken in the central part of the
Sierra de Perijá, Magdalena. (Unattested.)
*Manaure – spoken on the left bank of the lower course of the
La Paz River, Magdalena. (Unattested.)
*Tucushmo – spoken by the northern neighbors of the Iroca tribe, Magdalena. (Unattested.)
*Socorpa – spoken in the same area by the northern neighbors of the Maracá tribe. (Unattested.)
*Curumaní – spoken south of the
Tucui River, Magdalena. (Unattested.)
*Socomba – spoken between the sources of the
Maracá River and
Tucui River, formerly also on the
Buenavista River, Magdalena. (Unattested.)
*Tucuco – spoken at the sources of the
Tucuco River, Zulia. (Unattested.)
*Shiquimu – spoken by the southwestern neighbors of the Shaparu tribe, Zulia. (Unattested.)
*Irapa – spoken by the eastern neighbors of the Shiguimu tribe. (Unattested.)
*Pshicacuo – spoken by the western neighbors of the Tucuco tribe. (Unattested.)
*Mishorca – spoken at the sources of the
Tucuco River by the neighbors of the Pariri tribe. (Unattested.)
*Yapreria / Sabril – spoken at the sources of the
Palmar River, Zulia. (Anonymous Madrid h.)
*Coyaima / Tupe – extinct language once spoken on the
César River
The Cesar River () is a river in northern Colombia which is a part of the Magdalena River, Magdalena Basin. It flows through the Cesar-Ranchería Basin and separates the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta from the mountain ranges of the Serranía del Pe ...
, Magdalena. (Castro Trespalacios 1946, only a few patronyms.)
*Burede – once spoken at the sources of the
Socuy River, Zulia. (Unattested.)
*Pemeno – once spoken at the mouth of the
Escalante River, Zulia. (Unattested.)
*Bubure / Bobure – once spoken in the state of Zulia around the modern cities of
Bobures and Gibraltar. (Unattested.)
*Quenagua – extinct language once spoken in Espiritu Santo Valley in the state of Zulia. (Unattested.)
*Umaquena – once spoken on the
Umaquena River, Zulia. (Unattested.)
*Sunesua – once spoken by the southern neighbors of the Quenaga tribe in the Espiritu Santo Valley, Zulia. (Unattested.)
*Lobatera – once spoken around the modern city of Lobatera, state of Táchira. (Unattested.)
*Táchira – once spoken on the
Táchira River, state of Táchira. (Unattested.)
*Tapano – once spoken in the state of Mérida between
Lake Onia and
Lake Motilon. (Unattested.)
*Miyuse – once spoken in the state of Mérida on the
Mucujepe River and
Tucani River. (Unattested.)
;Pijao group
*Pijao / Pinao – once spoken on the
Luisa River,
Otaima River,
Tuamo River,
Tetuán River,
Aipe River, and
Magdalena River
The Magdalena River (, ; less commonly ) is the main river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, ...
, now in the villages of Ortega,
Coyaima, and
Natagaima, department of Tolima, Colombia.
*Pantagora / Palenque – once spoken between the
Guarinó River and
San Bartolomé River, department of Calcias, Colombia. (Unattested.)
*Colima – extinct language once spoken on the right bank of the
Magdalena River
The Magdalena River (, ; less commonly ) is the main river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, ...
and on the
Negro River and
Pacho River, Cundinamarca department.
*Muzo – once spoken at the sources of the
Carare River and in the Paima Valley, department of Cundinamarca. (only a few words.)
*Nauta – once spoken by the northern neighbors of the Muzo tribe. (Unattested.)
*Panche – extinct language once spoken on the
Gualí River,
Mariquita River,
Guarinó River,
Coello River,
Villeta River,
Seco River,
Magdalena River
The Magdalena River (, ; less commonly ) is the main river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, ...
, and
Fusagasuga River, Cundinamarca.
*Agatá – once spoken in the department of Cundinamarca on the
Magdalena River
The Magdalena River (, ; less commonly ) is the main river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, ...
, east of the Chibcha tribe. (Unattested.)
*Amani – spoken by the western neighbors of the Pantagora tribe in the department of Caldas. (Unattested.)
*Neiva – once spoken around the modern city of
Neiva
Neiva () is the capital and most populated city of the Department of Huila, south central Colombia. It is located in the valley of the Magdalena River with a municipal population of 388,299. It is one of the most important cities in southern Co ...
in the department of Huila. (Unattested.)
*Manipo – once spoken at the mouth of the
La Plata River in the same area. (Unattested.)
*Ajie – unknown language of an extinct tribe that once lived in the territory of Meta at the sources of the
Tagua River and
Losada River. (Unattested.)
;Opone group
*Opone – extinct language once spoken on the
Opone River, department of Santander, Colombia.
*Carare – spoken by a few individuals on the
Carare River in the department of Santander.
*Yariguí – once spoken on the
Sogamoso River and in
Barranca Bermeja in the same department. (Unattested.)
*Hacaritama – once spoken around present-day
Hacaritama city in the department of Santander.
*Xiriguana – extinct language of a tribe once living in the department of Santander in the Cordillera de Lebaja. (Unattested.)
*Carate – once spoken around the modern city of
Ocaña, department of Norte de Santander. (Unattested.)
*Corbago – once spoken in the department of Magdalena in the
Sierra de Mene. (Unattested.)
*Guane – once spoken in the department of Santander at the sources of the
Tarare River. (Gumilla 1745, pt. 2, p. 40, only two words.)
*Chinato – extinct language once spoken on the upper course of the
Zulia River, department of Norte de Santander, around the modern city of
Cúcuta. (Unattested.)
*Zorca – once spoken in the same department in the San Cristóbal Valley (Unattested.)
*Cariquena – once spoken on the
Cariquena River in the state of Táchira, Venezuela. (Unattested.)
*Capacho – once spoken around the village of
Capacho in the state of Táchira, Venezuela. (Unattested.)
;Carijona group
*Guaque / Huaque / Murcielaga – extinct language once spoken on the
Inganos River, Caquetá territory, Colombia.
*Carijona / Kalihóna – language now spoken by a few individuals on the middle course 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 ...
, territory of Caquetá.
*Umáua / Hiánocoto / Máua – language spoken at the sources of the
Apoporis River in the territory of Caquetá.
*Saha / Tsahatsaha – spoken in the territory of Caquetá between the
Cuemani River and
Yarí River. (Unattested.)
*Riama – spoken between the
Yari River,
Apoporis River, and
Vaupés River
Vaupés River (Uaupés River) is a tributary of the Rio Negro (Amazon), Rio Negro in South America. It rises in the Vaupes Department of Colombia, flowing east through Vaupés Department. It forms part of the international border between the Depart ...
, territories of Caquetá and Vaupés. (Unattested.)
*Mahotoyana – spoken in the territory of Vaupés on the
Macaya River. (Unattested.)
*Ajajú – unknown language spoken on the
Ajaju River, Amazonas territory. (Unattested.)
;Patagon group
*Patagon – extinct language once spoken in the villages of Paca,
Olipanche, and Bagua and around the modern city of
Jaén, department of Cajamarca, Peru. (only a few words.)
;Arara group
*Arára / Ajujure / Cabanaé / Opinadkóm – extinct language once spoken on the right bank of the
Pacajá Grande River and on the upper course of the
Anapu River, Pará, Brazil.
*Apingi / Apeiaca / Apiacá de Tocantins – language spoken between the
Tocantins River
The Tocantins River ( , Parkatêjê dialect, Parkatêjê: ''Pyti'' ɨˈti is a river in Brazil, the central fluvial artery of the country. In the Tupi language, its name means "toucan's beak" (''Tukã'' for "toucan" and ''Ti'' for "beak"). It ...
and
Jacunda River, state of Pará. Now spoken by only a few individuals.
*Parirí – once spoken at the sources of the
Pacajá River,
Jacundá River, and
Arataú River, Pará, now perhaps extinct.
*Timirem / Antimilene – language of an unknown tribe that live in the virgin forests on the
Agua de Saúde River, Pará. (Unattested.)
*Yuma – extinct language once spoken on the
Jacaré River and
Ituxi River, territory of Rondônia. (Unattested.)
;Palmela group
*Palmela – extinct language once spoken at the mouth of the
São Simão River
The São Simão River is a river of Rondônia state in western Brazil.
See also
*List of rivers of Rondônia
List of rivers in Rondônia (States of Brazil, Brazilian State).
The list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries i ...
in the
Guaporé River, Rondônia.
;Pimenteira group
*Pimenteira – Portuguese name of an extinct language the original name of which is unknown, spoken once at the sources of the
Sant' Anna River and on Lake Pimenteira and between the
Piauí River and
Gurgueia River, state of Piauí, Brazil.
;Xingú group
*Yaruma / Aruma – spoken at the sources of the
Paranaíba River
The Paranaíba River is a Brazilian river whose source lies in the state of Minas Gerais in the Mata da Corda mountains, municipality of Rio Paranaíba, at an altitude of 1,148 meters; on the other face of this mountain chain are the sources of t ...
, state of Mato Grosso, now perhaps extinct.
*Bacairí / Bacaery – originally spoken between the
Batoví River and
Curisevú River, later on the
Paranatinga River, now by only a few families on the Posto Simões Lopes, Mato Grosso.
*Nahukwá / Naucuá / Anáukwá – language spoken between the
Curisevú River and
Culuene River, with many dialects:
**Yanumakapü / Nahukwá proper – northern dialect.
**Etagl – spoken in the village of
Etagl.
**Kuikutl / Guicurú / Cuicuro – spoken on the
Culuene River in the village of
Cuicuro.
**Kalapalo / Apalaquiri – spoken in the village of the same name on the
Culuene River.
**Matipú / Matipuhy – spoken in the village of the same name on the right bank of the
Curisevú River.
**Yamarikuná – spoken on the
Curisevú River.
**Suva / Tsúva – spoken by a few people on the right bank of the
Curisevú River. (Unattested.)
**Naravute / Naravóto – spoken on the
Curisevú River.
**Aipats – spoken on the
Curisevú River; now probably extinct. (Unattested.)
**Auwáwiti – spoken by a few people on the
Curisevú River. (Unattested.)
Meira (2006)
Preliminary internal classification of the Cariban languages according to
Sérgio Meira
Sérgio Meira de Santa Cruz Oliveira (born December 31, 1968) is a Brazilian linguist who specializes in the Cariban and Tupian language families of lowland South America and in the Tiriyó language in particular. He has worked on the classific ...
(2006):
[Meira, Sérgio. 2006]
A família lingüística Caribe (Karíb)
''Revista de Estudos e Pesquisas'' v.3, n.1/2, p.157-174. Brasília: FUNAI.
PDF
*Cariban
**Guianan branch
***
Karinya (Galibi);
Wayana
The Wayana (alternate names: Ajana, Uaiana, Alucuyana, Guaque, Ojana, Oyana, Orcocoyana, Pirixi, Urukuena, Waiano etc.) are a Carib-speaking people located in the southeastern part of the Guiana highlands, a region divided between Brazil, Surin ...
;
Apalaí (?);
Palmella (?)
***''
Taranoan'' group
****
Karihona
****
Tiriyó;
Akuriyó
***''
Parukotoan'' group
****
Katxuyana
****
Waiwai;
Hixkaryana
**Venezolano branch
***''Coastal'' group
***
Tamanaku
****
Chayma
****
Cumanagoto
***''Pemongan'' group
****
Pemong (Arekuna, etc.)
****
Kapong (Akawaio, etc.)
****
Makuxi
***
Panare
***
Ye’kwana (?)
***
Mapoyo (?);
Yawarana (?)
**Waimirian branch
***
Waimiri-Atroari (?)
**Yukpano branch
***
Yukpa (Motilón)
***
Hapreria (Japreria)
**Southern (or
Pekodian) branch
***
Bakairi
***''Xinguan'' group (or ''Kampot dialect cluster'')
****
Arára
****
Ikpeng
****
Apiaká do Tocantins
****
Parirí
****
Yarumá
**Kuikuroan branch
***
Kuikuro
The Kuikuro are an Indigenous peoples in Brazil, indigenous people from the Mato Grosso region of Brazil. Their language, Kuikuro language, Kuikuro, is a part of the Cariban language family. The Kuikuro have many similarities with other Xingu (peo ...
(Kalapalo, etc.)
***
Pimenteira (?)
Gildea (2012)
As of Gildea (2012), there had not yet been time to fully reclassify the Cariban languages based on the new data. The list here is therefore tentative, though an improvement over the one above; the most secure branches are listed first, and only two of the extinct languages are addressed.
[Gildea, Spike. 2012. "Linguistic studies in the Cariban family", in Campbell & Grondona, eds, ''The Indigenous Languages of South America: A Comprehensive Guide''. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter Mouton.]
*Cariban
**
Parukotoan
***
Katxúyana (Shikuyana, Warikyana)
***Waiwai:
Waiwai (Wabui, Tunayana),
Hixkaryana
**
Pekodian
***
Bakairí
***Arara:
Arara (Parirí),
Ikpéng (Txikão)
**Venezuelan Carib
***Pemóng–Panare
****Pemóng:
Kapóng (Akawaio, Patamuna, Ingarikó),
Makushi,
Pemón (Taurepang, Kamarakóto, Arekuna)
****
Panare
***Mapoyo–Tamanaku
****
Kumaná (Chaima, Cumanagota, Tamanaku)
****
Mapoyo-Yawarana (Mapoyo, Wanai, Yawarana, Pémono)
**Nahukwa:
Kuikúro, Kalapalo
**Guianan Carib
***
Kari'nja (Carib, Kalinya, Cariña, Galibi)
***
Makiritare (De'kwana, Maiongong, Ye'kwana)
***
Taranoan
****Tiriyo:
Akuriyo,
Tiriyo, Trio
****
Karihona
***
Wayana
The Wayana (alternate names: Ajana, Uaiana, Alucuyana, Guaque, Ojana, Oyana, Orcocoyana, Pirixi, Urukuena, Waiano etc.) are a Carib-speaking people located in the southeastern part of the Guiana highlands, a region divided between Brazil, Surin ...
*Unclassified:
**
Apalaí
**
Waimirí Atroarí
**Yukpa:
Yukpa,
Japréria
Meira et al. (2015)
Meira, Birchall & Chousou-Polydouri (2015) give the following
phylogenetic tree
A phylogenetic tree or phylogeny is a graphical representation which shows the evolutionary history between a set of species or taxa during a specific time.Felsenstein J. (2004). ''Inferring Phylogenies'' Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA. In ...
of Cariban, based on a
computational phylogenetic
Computational phylogenetics, phylogeny inference, or phylogenetic inference focuses on computational and optimization algorithms, heuristics, and approaches involved in phylogenetic analyses. The goal is to find a phylogenetic tree representing op ...
analysis of 100-item
Swadesh list
A Swadesh list () is a compilation of cultural universal, tentatively universal concepts for the purposes of lexicostatistics. That is, a Swadesh list is a list of forms and concepts which all languages, without exception, have terms for, such as ...
s.
[Meira S, Birchall J, Chousou-Polydouri S. 2015. ]
A character-based internal classification of the Cariban family
'. Talk presented at the 48th Annual Meeting of the Societas Linguisticae Europaea, Leiden, Netherlands, Sept. 4.
*Cariban
**
Opon-Carare
**
Yukpa
**Nuclear Cariban
***
Sapara
***
Pekodian
****
Bakairi
****
Arara,
Ikpeng
***
Kuhikugu
Kuhikugu is an archaeological site located in Brazil, at the headwaters of the Xingu River, in the Amazon Rainforest. The area around Kuhikugu is located in part of the Xingu Indigenous Park, Xingu National Park today. Kuhikugu was first uncovered ...
***Pemongan
****
Pemon
The Pemon or Pemón (Pemong) are Indigenous people living in areas of Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana.See pp.112,113 and 178 of ''Venezuela: the Pemon'', in '' Condé Nast Traveler'', December 2008. The Pemon people are divided into many dialects ...
****
Taurepang
****
Makushi
****
Patamuna;
Akawaio,
Arekuna
***Wayumaran
****
Wayumara
****
Purukoto
***
Parukotoan
****
Katxuyana
****
Hixkaryana,
Waiwai
***Kumanan
****
Chayma
****
Cumanagoto
***
Tamanaku
***Mapoyan
****
Yawarana
****
Pemono,
Mapoyo
***
Panare
***
Dekwana
***Guianan
****
Wayana
The Wayana (alternate names: Ajana, Uaiana, Alucuyana, Guaque, Ojana, Oyana, Orcocoyana, Pirixi, Urukuena, Waiano etc.) are a Carib-speaking people located in the southeastern part of the Guiana highlands, a region divided between Brazil, Surin ...
,
Apalai
****
Taranoan
*****
Karihona
*****
Tiriyo,
Akuriyo
***
Karina
***
Waimiri
Meira, Birchall & Chousou-Polydouri (2015) conclude that the Proto-Cariban
homeland
A homeland is a place where a national or ethnic identity has formed. The definition can also mean simply one's country of birth. When used as a proper noun, the Homeland, as well as its equivalents in other languages, often has ethnic natio ...
was located north of the
Amazon River, and that there is no evidence for a northward migration from the south, as previously proposed by
Rodrigues
Rodrigues ( ; Mauritian Creole, Creole: ) is a Autonomous administrative division, autonomous Outer islands of Mauritius, outer island of the Republic of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, about east of Mauritius. It is part of the Mascarene Isl ...
(1985).
( = extinct)
*Karib
**Karib, Western
***''
Karare''
***''
Opon''
**Karib, Central
***''
Apalai''
***Hianakoto
****''
Guake
This is a list of notable applications that use GTK and/or Clutter for their GUI widgets. Such applications blend well with desktop environments that are GTK-based as well, such as GNOME, Cinnamon, LXDE, MATE, Pantheon, Sugar, Xfce or ROX Deskto ...
''
****''
Hianakoto-Umawa''
****''
Karihona''
***''
Kariña
The Kalina, also known as the Caribs or mainland Caribs and by several other names, are an Indigenous people native to the northern coastal areas of South America. Today, the Kalina live largely in villages on the rivers and coasts of Venezuela ...
''
***''
Palmella''
***Tarano
****''
Akurio''
****''
Tiriyo''
***''
Wayana
The Wayana (alternate names: Ajana, Uaiana, Alucuyana, Guaque, Ojana, Oyana, Orcocoyana, Pirixi, Urukuena, Waiano etc.) are a Carib-speaking people located in the southeastern part of the Guiana highlands, a region divided between Brazil, Surin ...
''
**Karib, Southern
***Kuikuro
****''
Kalapalo''
****''
Kuikuro
The Kuikuro are an Indigenous peoples in Brazil, indigenous people from the Mato Grosso region of Brazil. Their language, Kuikuro language, Kuikuro, is a part of the Cariban language family. The Kuikuro have many similarities with other Xingu (peo ...
''
****''
Matipu''
****''
Nahukwa''
***
Pekodi
****Arara-Ikpeng
*****''
Arara''
*****''
Ikpeng''
****''
Bakairi''
***''
Pimenteira''
**Karib, Northern
***
Parukoto
****''
Kashuyana''
****Parukoto, Nuclear
*****''
Hishkaryana''
*****''
Sikiana''
*****''
Waiwai''
***Purukoto
****Kapong: ''
Akawayo''; ''
Patamona''
****''
Makushi''
****Pemon: ''
Arekuna''; ''
Ingariko''; ''
Kamarakoto''; ''
Taurepang''
****''
Purukoto''
***Venezuela
****De'kwana-Wayumara
*****''
De'kwana''
*****''
Wayumara''
****''
Eñepa''
****Kumana
*****''
Chayma''
*****''
Kumanagoto''
****Mapoyo-Yabarana
*****''
Mapoyo''
*****''
Pemono''
*****''
Yabarana''
****''
Tamanaku''
****Yao
*****''
Tiverikoto
Tiverikoto (Tivericoto) is an extinct and poorly attested Cariban language. Terrence Kaufman
Terrence Kaufman (1937 – March 3, 2022) was an American linguist specializing in documentation of unwritten languages, lexicography, Mesoamerican h ...
''
*****''
Yao''
***Yawaperi-Paravilhana
****Sapara-Paravilhana
*****''
Paravilhana''
*****''
Sapara''
****Yawaperi
*****''
Bonari''
*****''
Waimiri-Atroari''
***Yukpa-Japreria
****''
Japreria''
****''
Yukpa''
Vocabulary
Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Cariban (Karaib) languages.
Proto-language
Proto-Cariban phonology according to Gildea (2012):
:
:
Proto-Cariban reconstructions by Gildea (2007, 2012):
[Gildea, S. (2012). Linguistic studies in the Cariban family. In Campbell, L. & Grondona, V. (eds.), The Indigenous Languages of South America: A Comprehensive Guide. 441–494, Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. Accessed fro]
DiACL
, 9 February 2020.
See also
*
List of Spanish words of Indigenous American Indian origin
This is a list of Spanish language, Spanish words that come from indigenous languages of the Americas. It is further divided into words that come from Arawakan languages, Arawakan, Aymara language, Aymara, Carib languages, Carib, Mayan languages, ...
*
Arawak peoples
The Arawak are a group of Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of northern South America and of the Caribbean. The term "Arawak" has been applied at various times to different Indigenous groups, from the Lokono of South Ameri ...
*
Arawakan languages
Arawakan (''Arahuacan, Maipuran Arawakan, "mainstream" Arawakan, Arawakan proper''), also known as Maipurean (also ''Maipuran, Maipureano, Maipúre''), is a language family that developed among ancient Indigenous peoples in South America. Branc ...
*
Carib language
Carib or Kariʼnja is a Cariban language spoken by the Kalina people (Caribs) of South America. It is spoken by around 7,400 mostly in Brazil, The Guianas, and Venezuela. The language is currently classified as highly endangered, as it is onl ...
*
Taíno language
Taíno is an Arawakan language formerly spoken widely by the Taíno people of the Caribbean. In its revived form, there exist several modern-day Taíno language variants including Hiwatahia-Taino and Tainonaiki. At the time of Spanish contact ...
*
Garifuna language
Garifuna (Karif) is a minority language widely spoken in villages of Garifuna people in the western part of the northern coast of Central America.
It is a member of the Arawakan language family but an atypical one since it is spoken outsi ...
Further reading
*Anselmo, L.; Gutiérrez Salazar, M. (1981). Diccionario Pemón. Caracas: Ediciones CORPOVEN.
*Camargo, E. (2002). Léxico bilingüe aparai – português / português – aparai. (Languages of the World: Dictionaries, 28.). München: Lincom Europa.
*Courtz, H. (2008). A Carib Grammar and Dictionary. Toronto: Magoria Books.
*Gildea, S. Payne, D. (2007). Is Greenberg's “Macro-Carib” viable? Boletim do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi Ciências Humanas, 2:19–72.
*Girard, V. (1971a). Proto-Carib phonology. Berkeley: University of California at Berkeley. (Doctoral dissertation).
*Mattei-Müller, M. (1994). Diccionario ilustrado Panare-Español con índice español-panare. Caracas: Comisión Nacional Quinto Centenario.
*Pet. W. J. A. (1987). Lokono Dian: the Arawak Language of Suriname: A Sketch of its Grammatical Structure and Lexicon. Ithaca: Cornell University. (Doctoral dissertation).
*Puig, M. M. P. (1944). Diccionario de la Lengua Caribe Cuna. Panamá: La Estrella de Panamá.
*Vitorino, M. M. (1991). Dicionário bilíngüe Wai-Wai/Português, Português/Wai-Wai. Boa Vista: Missão Evangélica da Amazônia.
References
External links
Etnolinguistica.Org: online resources on native South American languagesKa'lina (Carib) Vocabulary List(from the World Loanword Database)
{{South American languages
Language families
Indigenous languages of the South American Northeast
Languages of Venezuela