Waiwai (Uaiuai, Uaieue, Ouayeone) is a

Cariban language The Cariban languages are a Language family, family of languages Indigenous to north-eastern South America. They are widespread across northernmost South America, from the mouth of the Amazon River to the Colombian Andes, and they are also spok ...

of northern

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 ...

, with a couple hundred speakers across the border in southern

Guyana Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown, Guyana, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the co ...

and

Suriname Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America, also considered as part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a developing country with a Human Development Index, high level of human development; i ...

. Katawiana, or Parukuto, is a dialect; Karahawyana is unattested but may be the same.

Phonology

Consonants

Vowels

* /o/ can be heard as �when following palatal consonants /tʃ, ʃ/. * /a/ can be heard as �when preceded by sounds /j, tʃ/, and followed by sounds /w, m, s/.

References

External links

*
Waiwai Collection
of Niels Fock from the Archive of the Indigenous Languages of Latin America, containing audio recordings of ceremonial chants and photographs made in the 1950s.
Wai Wai
( Intercontinental Dictionary Series) Languages of Brazil Cariban languages Languages of Guyana {{IndigenousAmerican-lang-stub