The Karirí languages, generally considered dialects of a single language, were a group of languages formerly spoken by the
Kiriri people
Kiriri people are indigenous people of Eastern Brazil. Their name is also spelled Cariri or Kariri and is a Tupi word meaning "silent" or "tactiturn."
History
The French Capuchin missionary Martin of Nantes (1638–1714) was the apostle of the ...
of
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
. It was spoken until the middle of the 20th century; the 4,000 ethnic Kiriri are now monolingual Portuguese speakers, though a few know common phrases and names of medicinal plants.
History
After the Dutch were expelled from
Northeast Brazil
The Northeast Region of Brazil ( pt, Região Nordeste do Brasil; ) is one of the five official and political regions of the country according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Of Brazil's twenty-six states, it comprises ni ...
in the 17th century, Portuguese settlers rapidly colonized the region, forcing Kariri speakers to become widely dispersed due to forced migrations and resettlement. Hence, Kariri languages became scattered across
Paraíba
Paraíba ( Tupi: ''pa'ra a'íba''; ) is a state of Brazil. It is located in the Brazilian Northeast, and it is bordered by Rio Grande do Norte to the north, Ceará to the west, Pernambuco to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Paraíba ...
,
Ceará
Ceará (, pronounced locally as or ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. It is the eighth-largest Brazilian State by population and the 17th by area. It is also one of the ...
,
Pernambuco
Pernambuco () is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.6 million people as of 2020, making it seventh-most populous state of Brazil and with around 98,148 km², being the 19 ...
,
Bahia
Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...
, and other states.
Languages
The four known Kariri languages are:
*
Kipeá (Quipea, Kariri)
*
Kamurú (Camuru)
*
Dzubukuá (Dzubucua, Kiriri)
*
Sabujá (Sapoyá, Pedra Branca)
There are short grammatical descriptions of Kipeá and Dzubukuá, and word lists for Kamurú and Sabujá. Ribeiro established through morphological analysis that Kariri is likely to be related to the
Jê languages
The Jê languages (also spelled Gê, Jean, Ye, Gean), or Jê–Kaingang languages, are spoken by the Jê, a group of indigenous peoples in Brazil.
Genetic relations
The Jê family forms the core of the Macro-Jê family. Kaufman (1990) finds t ...
.
Mason
Mason may refer to:
Occupations
* Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces
* Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...
(1950) lists:
*Cariri
**
Kipea
**
Camurú
**
Dzubucua
**
Pedra Branca
*
Sapuya
Varieties
Below is a full list of Kiriri languages and dialects listed by
Loukotka (1968), including names of unattested varieties.
*Kariri /
Quipea / Cariri - originally spoken in the
Serra dos Velhos, Paraíba state, later at the old missions of
Missão Velha
Missão Velha is a municipality in the state of Ceará in the Northeast region of Brazil.
See also
*List of municipalities in Ceará
This is a list of the municipalities in the state of Ceará (CE), located in the Northeast Region of Brazil. ...
,
Missão Nova,
Milagres,
Crato, and others, in the states of Paraíba, Pernambuco and Ceará. Now entirely extinct, and the survivors speak only Portuguese.
*Kiriri /
Dzubucua / Quiriri - extinct language once spoken on the islands of the
São Francisco River
The São Francisco River (, ) is a large river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil (after the Amazon, the Paraná and t ...
near
Cabrobó
Cabrobó is a city in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, 536 km away from the state's capital, Recife. The city is located just to the north of a section of the São Francisco River that contains many archipelagos.
History
The Truká peop ...
, Pernambuco. Now extinct, and the last survivors spoke only Portuguese.
*
Sapuyá / Sabuya - extinct language originally spoken in the Serra
Chapada
A chapada () is a plateau found in the Brazilian Highlands. The chapadas, which are usually described as mountain ranges, are capped by horizontal strata of sandstone. They show the original surface, which has been worn away by the rivers, leaving ...
, later in
Caranguejo, Bahia
*
Kamurú - originally spoken on the
Pardo River and in
Pedra Branca; the last survivors on the
Gongogi River
The Gongogi River (Portuguese: Rio Gongoji) is a river of Bahia state in eastern Brazil. It flows through the municipalities of Gongogi, Nova Canaã, Iguaí, and Itagibá. It empties into the De Contas River
See also
*List of rivers of Bahia ...
spoke only Portuguese.
;Unattested varieties
*Iñamum - once spoken on the Inhamum Island of the
São Francisco River
The São Francisco River (, ) is a large river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil (after the Amazon, the Paraná and t ...
, Pernambuco. (Unattested)
*Quesque - once spoken on the
Pajeú River, state of Pernambuco. (Unattested)
*Abacatiara - once spoken on an island in the
São Francisco River
The São Francisco River (, ) is a large river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil (after the Amazon, the Paraná and t ...
, Pernambuco. (Unattested)
*Icozinho - once spoken around the confluence of the
Salgado River and
Jaguaribe River
The Jaguaribe River is a highly seasonal river in Ceará state of northeastern Brazil. Two large dams were constructed across the Jaguaribe, the Orós Dam, completed in 1960, and the Castanhão Dam, completed in 2003. The Castanhão Dam flooded th ...
, Ceará. (Unattested)
*Icó - once spoken between the
Salgado River,
Piranhas River
The Piranhas River ( pt, Rio Piranhas-Açu), also known as the Açu River, is a river of northeastern Brazil. It originates in southeastern Paraíba state, near the border with Ceará, and flows north-northeast through Paraíba and Rio Grande do ...
and
Peixe River, Ceará. (Unattested)
*Calabaça - the Portuguese name of an extinct language of the
Salgado River, Ceará. (Unattested)
*Cariú - once spoken between the
Cariús River and
Bastiões River, Ceará. (Unattested)
*Corema - formerly spoken on the
Piancó River, state of Paraíba. (Unattested)
*Jucá - once spoken south of the sources of the
Jaguaribe River
The Jaguaribe River is a highly seasonal river in Ceará state of northeastern Brazil. Two large dams were constructed across the Jaguaribe, the Orós Dam, completed in 1960, and the Castanhão Dam, completed in 2003. The Castanhão Dam flooded th ...
and near
Arneiroz, Ceará. (Unattested)
*Ichú / Ansus - once spoken on the sources of the
Salgado River in the state of Ceará. (Unattested)
*Ariú / Peba - extinct language formerly spoken on the
Piranhas River
The Piranhas River ( pt, Rio Piranhas-Açu), also known as the Açu River, is a river of northeastern Brazil. It originates in southeastern Paraíba state, near the border with Ceará, and flows north-northeast through Paraíba and Rio Grande do ...
and
Sabugi River
The Sabugi River is a river of Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte states in northeastern Brazil.
See also
*List of rivers of Paraíba
*List of rivers of Rio Grande do Norte
List of rivers in Rio Grande do Norte (Brazilian State).
The list is arr ...
in the state of Paraíba. (Unattested)
*Bultrin - extinct language of the
Serra da Borborema
The Borborema Plateau (Portuguese ''Planalto da Borborema'', also known as the ''Serra da Borborema'') is a plateau in northeastern Brazil which extends across the states of Pernambuco, Paraíba, and Rio Grande do Norte. The plateau is the northea ...
of the state of Paraíba. (Unattested)
*Quixexeu - once spoken on the
Jaguaribe River
The Jaguaribe River is a highly seasonal river in Ceará state of northeastern Brazil. Two large dams were constructed across the Jaguaribe, the Orós Dam, completed in 1960, and the Castanhão Dam, completed in 2003. The Castanhão Dam flooded th ...
, Ceará. (Unattested)
*Quixelu - once spoken on the
Jaguaribe River
The Jaguaribe River is a highly seasonal river in Ceará state of northeastern Brazil. Two large dams were constructed across the Jaguaribe, the Orós Dam, completed in 1960, and the Castanhão Dam, completed in 2003. The Castanhão Dam flooded th ...
, Ceará. (Unattested)
*Aracapa - extinct language once spoken on
Aracapa Island in the
São Francisco River
The São Francisco River (, ) is a large river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil (after the Amazon, the Paraná and t ...
, Pernambuco. (Unattested)
''Tumbalalá'', now extinct, is an unattested and unclassified language, but words for Tumbalalá ritual objects used in their traditional ''
toré'' religion appear to be of Kariri origin, namely ''pujá'', ''kwaqui'', and ''cataioba''.
Other languages called 'Kariri'
The names ''Kariri'' and ''Kiriri'' were applied to many peoples over a wide area in the east of Brazil, in the lower and middle
São Francisco River
The São Francisco River (, ) is a large river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil (after the Amazon, the Paraná and t ...
area and further north. Most of their now-extinct languages are too poorly known to classify, but what is recorded does not suggest that they were all members of the Kariri family. Examples are:
*
Katembri (''Kiriri, Kariri, Kariri de
Mirandela
Mirandela () is a city and a municipality in northeastern Portugal. The city itself has a population of about 15,000. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 23,850, in an area of 658.96 km². Mirandela is famous for its cuisine, part ...
''
ear Banzaê and Quijingue">Banzaê.html" ;"title="ear Banzaê">ear Banzaê and Quijingue in
Bahia
Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...
])
**Kaufman (1990) classified it as Katembri–Taruma languages, Katembri–Taruma.
*Xukuru language, Xukurú (''Kirirí, Kirirí-Xokó'' [in the Serra do Urubá of Pesqueira, Pernambuco])
**Loukotka (1968) says this forms a
Xukuru languages, small family with
Paratió.
*
Xocó (''Xokó, Chocó''
n Sergipe">Sergipe.html" ;"title="n Sergipe">n Sergipe ''Kariri-Xocó, Kariri-Shoko, Cariri-Chocó'' [in
Alagoas
Alagoas (, ) is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco (N and NW); Sergipe (S); Bahia (SW); and the Atlantic Ocean (E). Its capital is the city of Maceió. It ...
], ''Xukuru-Kariri, Xucuru-Kariri, Xucuru-Cariri'' [in
Alagoas
Alagoas (, ) is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco (N and NW); Sergipe (S); Bahia (SW); and the Atlantic Ocean (E). Its capital is the city of Maceió. It ...
])
**Three populations. Not clear if this was one language or three. In the
Porto Real do Colégio
Porto Real do Colégio is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Alagoas.
Former indigenous languages
The unclassified extinct Wakoná language was formerly spoken in Penedo. Loukotka (1968) reported that the remaining ethnic descendant ...
and Palmeira dos Índios areas of
Alagoas
Alagoas (, ) is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco (N and NW); Sergipe (S); Bahia (SW); and the Atlantic Ocean (E). Its capital is the city of Maceió. It ...
.
Other nearby
language isolate
Language isolates are languages that cannot be classified into larger language families. Korean and Basque are two of the most common examples. Other language isolates include Ainu in Asia, Sandawe in Africa, and Haida in North America. The num ...
s and language families:
*
Natú (in the area of
Porto Real do Colégio
Porto Real do Colégio is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Alagoas.
Former indigenous languages
The unclassified extinct Wakoná language was formerly spoken in Penedo. Loukotka (1968) reported that the remaining ethnic descendant ...
,
Alagoas
Alagoas (, ) is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco (N and NW); Sergipe (S); Bahia (SW); and the Atlantic Ocean (E). Its capital is the city of Maceió. It ...
)
*
Wakoná (Aconã) (in
Penedo
Penedo is a municipality in the state of Alagoas in Brazil. The population is 63,846 (2020 est.) in an area of . Penedo lies south-west of the state capital of Maceió.
History
Founded in 1614, Penedo has many important examples of Portuguese a ...
,
Alagoas
Alagoas (, ) is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco (N and NW); Sergipe (S); Bahia (SW); and the Atlantic Ocean (E). Its capital is the city of Maceió. It ...
) (unattested)
*
Wasu (in
Joaquim Gomes, Alagoas
Joaquim Gomes is a municipality located in Alagoas, Brazil. It had a population of 24,081 as of 2020, and an area of 239 km².IBGE -
The extinct and unattested Wasu language
Wasu (Waçu, Wassú) is an extinct and unattested, presumed l ...
) (unattested)
*
Pankararú (in
Brejo dos Padres
Tacaratu is a municipality in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The population in 2020, according with IBGE is 26,106 and the area is 1264.5 km2.
Demographics
The indigenous Pankararú people live in Brejo dos Padres and other villages of Ta ...
,
Tacaratu
Tacaratu is a Municipalities of Brazil, municipality in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The population in 2020, according with Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, IBGE is 26,106 and the area is 1264.5 km2.
Demographics
The indi ...
,
Pernambuco
Pernambuco () is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.6 million people as of 2020, making it seventh-most populous state of Brazil and with around 98,148 km², being the 19 ...
)
*
Tuxá (in
Rodelas
Rodelas is a municipality in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil.
Geography
The municipality contains part of the Raso da Catarina Ecological Station, created in 2001.
The municipality was designated a priority area for conserv ...
,
Bahia
Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...
)
*
Truká (in
Cabrobó
Cabrobó is a city in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, 536 km away from the state's capital, Recife. The city is located just to the north of a section of the São Francisco River that contains many archipelagos.
History
The Truká peop ...
,
Pernambuco
Pernambuco () is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.6 million people as of 2020, making it seventh-most populous state of Brazil and with around 98,148 km², being the 19 ...
) (unattested)
*
Kapinawá
The Kapinawâ are an indigenous people of Buíque, Pernambuco in eastern Brazil.
In addition to their primary residence in Buíque
Buíque is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Pernambuco, mesoregion of Agreste. It has an estimated popul ...
(in
Buíque
Buíque is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Pernambuco, mesoregion of Agreste. It has an estimated population of 58,919 in a total area of 1345,1 km2. The Kapinawá Indigenous Reserve is located in the municipality of Buíque.
His ...
,
Pernambuco
Pernambuco () is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.6 million people as of 2020, making it seventh-most populous state of Brazil and with around 98,148 km², being the 19 ...
) (unattested)
*
Wamoé (Atikum) (in the
Serra Negra
Serra Negra is a municipality in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. It belongs to the meso-region of Campinas. Population (2020) was 29,452 inhabitants. Total area: 203,5 km2, demographic density: 112 inhabitants/km2
Location
The name of th ...
of
Pernambuco
Pernambuco () is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.6 million people as of 2020, making it seventh-most populous state of Brazil and with around 98,148 km², being the 19 ...
and surroundings)
*
Kambiwá (in Barreira,
Petrolândia
Petrolândia (''Petroland'', named in honour of Dom Pedro II) is a municipality in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. It is in the São Francisco Region. Petrolândia has a total area of 1056.6 square kilometers and had an estimated population of 3 ...
,
Pernambuco
Pernambuco () is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.6 million people as of 2020, making it seventh-most populous state of Brazil and with around 98,148 km², being the 19 ...
)
*
Yaté
Yaté is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The Yaté Dam and Blue River Provincial Park are located within the commune.
Geography Climate
Yaté has a tropical rainforest c ...
(Fulniô) (in
Águas Belas,
Pernambuco
Pernambuco () is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.6 million people as of 2020, making it seventh-most populous state of Brazil and with around 98,148 km², being the 19 ...
)
*
Baenan (near
Itaju,
Bahia
Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...
)
*
Kaimbé (in Caimbé,
Euclides da Cunha, Bahia
Euclides da Cunha is a municipality in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil.
History
The Masakara language and Kaimbé language
Kaimbé is an extinct unclassified language
An unclassified language is a language whose ge ...
)
*
Kamakã languages
The Kamakã languages are a small family of extinct Macro-Jê languages of Bahía, northeastern Brazil. The attested Kamakã languages are:
* (northern) Kamakã (dialects: Mongoyó/Mangaló), Kotoxó, Menién
* (southern) Masakará
Varietie ...
(in
Bahia
Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...
and
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais () is a state in Southeastern Brazil. It ranks as the second most populous, the third by gross domestic product (GDP), and the fourth largest by area in the country. The state's capital and largest city, Belo Horizonte (literally ...
states)
**
Masakará (in Massacará,
Euclides da Cunha, Bahia
Euclides da Cunha is a municipality in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil.
History
The Masakara language and Kaimbé language
Kaimbé is an extinct unclassified language
An unclassified language is a language whose ge ...
and Mirandela,
Banzaê,
Bahia
Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...
)
*
Tarairiú (in
Rio Grande do Norte
Rio Grande do Norte (, , ) is one of the states of Brazil. It is located in the northeastern region of the country, forming the northeasternmost tip of the South American continent. The name literally translates as "Great Northern River", ref ...
and
Ceará
Ceará (, pronounced locally as or ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. It is the eighth-largest Brazilian State by population and the 17th by area. It is also one of the ...
states)
*
Tremembé
Tremembé is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. It is part of the Metropolitan Region of Vale do Paraíba e Litoral Norte. The population is 47,714 (2020 est.) in an area of 191.09 km². The elevation is 560 m.
A shr ...
(in
Ceará
Ceará (, pronounced locally as or ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. It is the eighth-largest Brazilian State by population and the 17th by area. It is also one of the ...
and surroundings) (unattested)
*
Gamela (in
Viana, Maranhão)
The
Maxakalían,
Krenák (Botocudo, Aimoré), and
Purían families, which are probable
Macro-Jê languages
Macro-Jê (also spelled Macro-Gê) is a medium-sized language stock in South America, mostly in Brazil but also in the Chiquitanía region in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, as well as (formerly) in small parts of Argentina and Paraguay. It is centered o ...
, are spoken further to the south in
Espirito Santo
''Espirito'' (Brazilian for "Spirit") is the second album by Lawson Rollins. Rollins composed all of the music and co-produced the album with Persian-American musician and producer Shahin Shahida (of Shahin & Sepehr) and multi-platinum producer Do ...
and
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais () is a state in Southeastern Brazil. It ranks as the second most populous, the third by gross domestic product (GDP), and the fourth largest by area in the country. The state's capital and largest city, Belo Horizonte (literally ...
states.
Language contact
Ramirez et al. (2015) notes that Kariri languages display some lexical similarities with
Cariban languages
The Cariban languages are a family of languages indigenous to northeastern South America. They are widespread across northernmost South America, from the mouth of the Amazon River to the Colombian Andes, and they are also spoken in small pocke ...
. Similarities with
Katembri (also known as ''Kariri of Mirandela'' or ''Kaimbé'') may be due to either a Kariri superstratum or substratum in Katembri.
[Ramirez, H., Vegini, V., & França, M. C. V. de. (2015)]
Koropó, puri, kamakã e outras línguas do Leste Brasileiro
''LIAMES: Línguas Indígenas Americanas'', 15(2), 223 - 277.
Syntax
Unlike most
Macro-Jê languages
Macro-Jê (also spelled Macro-Gê) is a medium-sized language stock in South America, mostly in Brazil but also in the Chiquitanía region in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, as well as (formerly) in small parts of Argentina and Paraguay. It is centered o ...
which are SOV, Karirí languages are verb-initial and make use of prepositions.
[Ribeiro, Eduardo Rivail. ''On the inclusion of the Karirí family in the Macro-Jê stock: additional evidence''. Paper presented at SSILA 2011 (Pittsburgh), January 7, 2011.]
Vocabulary
Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Kariri languages.
:
Kiriri word list recorded by Wilbur Pickering in 1961 from João Manoel Domingo of Mirandela,
Banzaê,
Bahia
Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...
:
:
Loanwords
Eastern Macro-Jê loanwords in Kariri languages:
:
Tupinambá loanwords in Kariri languages:
:
Portuguese loanwords in Kariri languages borrowed via
Tupinambá and other intermediate sources:
:
Further reading
*Rodrigues, A. D. (1942). O Artigo Definido e os Numerais na Língua Kiriri. Arquivos do Museu Paranaense, 2:179-212.
References
Notes
*Ribeiro, Eduardo. (2002) 'O marcador de posse alienavel em Kariri: um morfema macro-je revisitado'. ''Revista Liames,'' 2: 31-48.
*Fabre, Alain. 2005. ''Diccionario etnolingüístico y guía bibliográfica de los pueblos indígenas sudamericanos: KARIRI
{{South American languages
Kariri languages,
Macro-Jê languages
Indigenous languages of Northeastern Brazil
Extinct languages of South America
Language families