Arawak languages
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Arawakan (''Arahuacan, Maipuran Arawakan, "mainstream" Arawakan, Arawakan proper''), also known as Maipurean (also ''Maipuran, Maipureano, Maipúre''), is a
language family A language family is a group of languages related through descent from a common ''ancestral language'' or ''parental language'', called the proto-language of that family. The term "family" reflects the tree model of language origination in h ...
that developed among ancient
indigenous peoples in South America The Indigenous peoples of South America or South American Indigenous peoples, are the pre-Colombian peoples of South America and their descendants. These peoples contrast with South Americans of European ancestry and those of African descent. ...
. Branches migrated to
Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
and the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean and the Atlantic, including what is now the Bahamas. Almost all present-day South American countries are known to have been home to speakers of Arawakan languages, the exceptions being
Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...
,
Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
, and
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
. Maipurean may be related to other language families in a hypothetical
Macro-Arawakan Macro-Arawakan is a proposed language family of South America and the Caribbean centered on the Arawakan languages Arawakan (''Arahuacan, Maipuran Arawakan, "mainstream" Arawakan, Arawakan proper''), also known as Maipurean (also ''Maipuran, ...
stock.


Name

The name ''Maipure'' was given to the family by
Filippo S. Gilij Filippo Salvatore Gilii (Spanish: Felipe Salvador Gilij) (1721–1789) was an Italian Jesuit priest who lived in the Province of Venezuela (in present day central Venezuela) on the Orinoco River. Gilii is a highly celebrated figure in early Sout ...
in 1782, after the
Maipure language Maipure (Maypure, Mejepure), was a language once spoken along the Ventuari, Sipapo, and Autana rivers of Amazonas and, as a lingua franca, in the Upper Orinoco region. It became extinct around the end of the eighteenth century. Zamponi provid ...
of
Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
, which he used as a basis of his comparisons. It was renamed after the culturally more important
Arawak language Arawak (, ), also known as Lokono (Lokono Dian, literally "people's talk" by its speakers), is an Arawakan language spoken by the Lokono (Arawak) people of South America in eastern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. It is the epony ...
a century later. The term ''Arawak'' took over, until its use was extended by North American scholars to the broader
Macro-Arawakan Macro-Arawakan is a proposed language family of South America and the Caribbean centered on the Arawakan languages Arawakan (''Arahuacan, Maipuran Arawakan, "mainstream" Arawakan, Arawakan proper''), also known as Maipurean (also ''Maipuran, ...
proposal. At that time, the name ''Maipurean'' was resurrected for the core family. See Arawakan ''vs'' Maipurean for details.


Dispersal

The ''Arawakan linguistic matrix hypothesis'' (ALMH) suggests that the modern diversity of the Arawakan language family stems from the diversification of a
trade language A lingua franca (; ; for plurals see ), also known as a bridge language, common language, trade language, auxiliary language, vehicular language, or link language, is a language systematically used to make communication possible between groups ...
or lingua franca that was spoken throughout much of tropical lowland South America. Proponents of this hypothesis include Santos-Granero (2002) and Eriksen (2014). Eriksen (2014) proposes that the Arawakan family had only broken up after 600 CE, but Michael (2020) considers this to be unlikely, noting that Arawakan internal diversity is greater than that of the Romance languages. On the other hand, Blench (2015) suggests a demographic expansion that had taken place over a few thousand years, similar to the dispersals of the Austronesian and
Austroasiatic The Austroasiatic languages , , are a large language family in Mainland Southeast Asia and South Asia. These languages are scattered throughout parts of Thailand, Laos, India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Nepal, and southern China and are th ...
language families in Southeast Asia.


Language contact

As one of the most geographically widespread language families in all of the Americas, Arawakan linguistic influence can be found in many language families of South America. Jolkesky (2016) notes that there are lexical similarities with the Arawa, Bora-Muinane, Guahibo, Harakmbet-Katukina, Harakmbet, Katukina-Katawixi, Irantxe, Jaqi, Karib, Kawapana, Kayuvava, Kechua, Kwaza, Leko, Macro-Jê, Macro-Mataguayo-Guaykuru, Mapudungun, Mochika, Mura-Matanawi,
Nambikwara The Nambikwara (also called Nambikuára) is an indigenous people of Brazil, living in the Amazon. Currently about 1,200 Nambikwara live in indigenous territories in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso along the Guaporé and Juruena rivers. Thei ...
, Omurano, Pano-Takana, Pano, Takana, Puinave-Nadahup, Taruma, Tupi,
Urarina The Urarina are an indigenous people of the Peruvian Amazon Basin ( Loreto) who inhabit the valleys of the Chambira, Urituyacu, and Corrientes Rivers. According to both archaeological and historical sources, they have resided in the Chambira ...
, Witoto-Okaina,
Yaruro The Yaruro people (or Pumé, according to their self-determination) are a Circum-Caribbean indigenous people, native to the ecoregion of Llanos in Venezuela, located west of the Orinoco River.
, Zaparo, Saliba-Hodi, and Tikuna-Yuri language families due to contact. However, these similarities could be due to inheritance, contact, or chance.


Languages

Classification of Maipurean is difficult because of the large number of Arawakan languages that are extinct and poorly documented. However, apart from transparent relationships that might constitute single languages, several groups of Maipurean languages are generally accepted by scholars. Many classifications agree in dividing Maipurean into northern and southern branches, but perhaps not all languages fit into one or the other. The three classifications below are accepted by all: * Ta-Maipurean = Caribbean Arawak / Ta-Arawak = Caribbean Maipuran, * Upper Amazon Maipurean = North Amazonian Arawak = Inland Maipuran, * Central Maipurean = Pareci–Xingu = Paresí–Waurá = Central Maipuran, * Piro = Purus, * Campa = Pre-Andean Maipurean = Pre-Andine Maipuran. An early contrast between ''Ta-Arawak'' and ''Nu-Arawak'', depending on the prefix for "I", is spurious; ''nu-'' is the ancestral form for the entire family, and ''ta-'' is an innovation of one branch of the family.


Kaufman (1994)

The following (tentative) classification is from Kaufman (1994: 57-60). Details of established branches are given in the linked articles. In addition to the family tree detailed below, there are a few languages that are "Non-Maipurean Arawakan languages or too scantily known to classify" (Kaufman 1994: 58), which include these: * Shebaye ''(†)'' * Lapachu ''(†)'' * Morique (also known as Morike) ''(†)'' Another language is also mentioned as "Arawakan": * Salumã (also known as Salumán, Enawené-Nawé) Including the unclassified languages mentioned above, the Maipurean family has about 64 languages. Out of them, 29 languages are now extinct: Wainumá, Mariaté, Anauyá, Amarizana, Jumana, Pasé, Cawishana, Garú, Marawá, Guinao, Yavitero, Maipure, Manao, Kariaí, Waraikú, Yabaána, Wiriná, Aruán, Taíno, Kalhíphona, Marawán-Karipurá, Saraveca, Custenau, Inapari, Kanamaré, Shebaye, Lapachu, and Morique. ;Northern Maipurean * ''
Upper Amazon The Amazon River (, ; es, Río Amazonas, pt, Rio Amazonas) in South America is the largest river by discharge volume of water in the world, and the disputed longest river system in the world in comparison to the Nile. The headwaters of t ...
branch'' * ''Maritime branch'' ** Aruán (Aroã) ''(†)'' ** Wapixana (also known as Wapishana): Atorada (also known as Atoraí), Mapidian (also known as Maopidyán),
Wapishana The Wapishana or Wapichan (or Wapisiana, Wapitxana, Vapidiana, Wapixana) are an indigenous group found in the Roraima area of northern Brazil and southern Guyana. Location Currently the Wapishana are located in the State of Roraima, Brazil, n ...
** Ta-Maipurean ** Palikur ***
Palikur The Palikur are an indigenous people located in the riverine areas of the Brazilian state of Amapá and in French Guiana, particularly in the south-eastern border region, on the north bank of the Oyapock River. The Palikur Nation, or ''naoné'', ...
(also known as Palikúr) *** Marawán ''(†)'' ;Southern Maipurean * ''Western branch'' ** Amuesha (also known as Amoesha, Yanesha’) ** Chamicuro (also known as Chamikuro) * '' Central branch'' * ''Southern Outlier branch'' ** Terêna (dialects: Kinikinao, Terena, Guaná,
Chané Chané is the collective name for the southernmost Arawakan-speaking peoples. They lived in the plains of the northern Gran Chaco and in the foothills of the Andes in Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina. The historical Chané are divided i ...
)
** Moxos group (also known as Moho) *** Moxos (Ignaciano & Trinitario) *** Baure *** Paunaka (also known as Pauna–Paikone) ** Piro group * '' Campa branch'' (also known as Pre-Andean) Kaufman does not report the extinct Magiana of the Moxos group.


Aikhenvald (1999)

Apart from minor decisions on whether a variety is a language or a dialect, changing names, and not addressing several poorly attested languages, Aikhenvald departs from Kaufman in breaking up the ''Southern Outlier'' and ''Western'' branches of Southern Maipurean. She assigns Salumã and Lapachu ('
Apolista Apolista is a native South American nation of western Bolivia. Sedentary farmers, hunters, gatherers and fishers, they spoke an Arawakan languages Arawakan (''Arahuacan, Maipuran Arawakan, "mainstream" Arawakan, Arawakan proper''), also known ...
') to what is left of Southern Outlier ('South Arawak'); breaks up the ''Maritime'' branch of Northern Maipurean, though keeping Aruán and Palikur together; and is agnostic about the sub-grouping of the ''North Amazonian'' branch of Northern Maipurean. The following breakdown uses Aikhenvald's nomenclature followed by Kaufman's: ;North Arawak = Northern Maipurean *Rio Branco = Kaufman's Wapishanan (2) Mawayana"_and_Mawakwa_as_a_possible_dialect.html" ;"title="Mawayana_language.html" ;"title="ith Mapidian under the name " Mawayana"_and_Mawakwa_as_a_possible_dialect">Mawayana_language.html"_;"title="ith_Mapidian_under_the_name_"Mawayana_language">Mawayana"_and_Mawakwa_as_a_possible_dialect*Palikur_=_Kaufman's_Palikur_+_ Mawayana"_and_Mawakwa_as_a_possible_dialect">Mawayana_language.html"_;"title="ith_Mapidian_under_the_name_"Mawayana_language">Mawayana"_and_Mawakwa_as_a_possible_dialect*Palikur_=_Kaufman's_Palikur_+_Aroã_language">Aruán_(3) *Caribbean_Arawakan.html" ;"title="Aroã_language.html" ;"title="Mawayana language">Mawayana" and Mawakwa as a possible dialect">Mawayana_language.html" ;"title="ith Mapidian under the name "Mawayana language">Mawayana" and Mawakwa as a possible dialect*Palikur = Kaufman's Palikur + Aroã language">Aruán (3) *Caribbean Arawakan">Caribbean = Ta-Maipurean (8) [incl. Shebaye] *Upper Amazon Arawakan, North Amazonian = Upper Amazon (17 attested) ;South and South-Western Arawak = Southern Maipurean *South Arawak =
Terena The Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association (TERENA, ) was a not-for-profit association of European national research and education networks (NRENs) incorporated in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The association was originally f ...
+ Kaufman's Moxos group + Enawene Nawe language, Salumã + Lapachu Apolista'(11) * Pareci–Xingu = Central Maipurean (6) * South-Western Arawak = Piro (5) * Campa (6) * Amuesha (1) * Chamicuro (1) Aikhenvald classifies Kaufman's unclassified languages apart from Morique. She does not classify 15 extinct languages which Kaufman had placed in various branches of Maipurean. Aikhenvald (1999:69) classifies Mawayana with
Wapishana The Wapishana or Wapichan (or Wapisiana, Wapitxana, Vapidiana, Wapixana) are an indigenous group found in the Roraima area of northern Brazil and southern Guyana. Location Currently the Wapishana are located in the State of Roraima, Brazil, n ...
together under a Rio Branco branch, giving for Mawayana also the names "Mapidian" and "Mawakwa" (with some reservations for the latter).


Ramirez (2001)

Internal classification of Arawakan by Henri Ramirez (2001):Ramirez, Henri (2001).
Línguas arawak da Amazônia Setentrional
'. Manaus: Universidade Federal do Amazonas.
PDF
:2 subgroups, 10 divisions († = extinct) *unclassified: ''Yanesha, Chamicuro'' *Western ** unclassified: ''† Yumana, † Passé'' ** Japurá-Colombia division *** ''Piapoko, Achagua; Baniwa-Koripako, Tariana; Warekena, Mandawaka; Kabiyari; Yukuna, Wainumá-Mariaté'' *** ''† Kauixana'' *** ''Resígaro'' ** Upper Rio Negro division *** ''† Baré, † Guinau, † Anauyá-Yabahana'' ** Upper Orinoco division *** ''† Pareni, Yavitero'' *** ''† Maipure'' ** Negro-Roraima division *** ''† Arua'' *** ''† Manao, † Wirina, † Bahuana, † Cariaí'' *** ''Wapixana, Atorai'' *** ''† Mawayana'' ** Juruá-Jutaí division *** ''† Marawa'' *** ''† Waraiku'' ** Purus-Ucayali division *** ''Apurinã; Piro, Kuniba, Kanamari, Manxineri '' *** ''Kampa'' ** Bolivia-Mato Grosso division *** ''Baure, Mojeño'' *** ''Tereno, † Kinikinao'' ** Caribe-Venezuela division *** ''Lokono; Iñeri, Garífuna; † Taino; † Caquetio'' *** ''Guajiro, † Paraujano'' *Eastern ** Amapá division *** ''Palikur, † Marawá'' ** Xingu-Tapajós division *** ''Waurá, Mehinaku; Yawalapiti'' *** ''Pareci, † Sarave''


Walker & Ribeiro (2011)

Walker & Ribeiro (2011), using
Bayesian Thomas Bayes (/beɪz/; c. 1701 – 1761) was an English statistician, philosopher, and Presbyterian minister. Bayesian () refers either to a range of concepts and approaches that relate to statistical methods based on Bayes' theorem, or a followe ...
computational phylogenetics Computational phylogenetics is the application of computational algorithms, methods, and programs to phylogenetic
, classify the Arawakan languages as follows. The internal structures of each branch is given below. Note that the strictly binary splits are a result of the
Bayesian Thomas Bayes (/beɪz/; c. 1701 – 1761) was an English statistician, philosopher, and Presbyterian minister. Bayesian () refers either to a range of concepts and approaches that relate to statistical methods based on Bayes' theorem, or a followe ...
computational methods used. *Northeast ** Marawan, Palikúr *South ** Kinikinau,
Terena The Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association (TERENA, ) was a not-for-profit association of European national research and education networks (NRENs) incorporated in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The association was originally f ...
**(''branch'') *** Baure *** Moxos: Trinitario, Ignaciano *Western Amazonia **(''branch'') *** Apurinã ***(''branch'') ****
Iñapari Iñapari is a Peruvian village capital of the Tahuamanu Province in the Madre de Dios Region, located on the triple border of Bolivia, Brazil and Peru. It is connected to Brazil by the Brazil-Peru Integration Bridge, an international bridge cr ...
**** Piro, Manxineri **(''branch'') *** Caquinte ***(''branch'') **** Asheninka ****(''branch'') ***** Machiguenga, Nomatsiguenga * Amuesha, Chamicuro *Circum-Caribbean ** Waraicu, Marawa **(''Core branch'') ***(''Island branch'') ****
Taíno The Taíno were a historic indigenous people of the Caribbean whose culture has been continued today by Taíno descendant communities and Taíno revivalist communities. At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, they were the pri ...
****
Island Carib The Kalinago, also known as the Island Caribs or simply Caribs, are an indigenous people of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. They may have been related to the Mainland Caribs (Kalina) of South America, but they spoke an unrelated languag ...
,
Garífuna The Garifuna people ( or ; pl. Garínagu in Garifuna) are a people of mixed free African and indigenous American ancestry that originated in the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent and speak Garifuna, an Arawakan language, and Vincentian Cr ...
***
Lokono The Lokono or Arawak are an Arawak people native to northern coastal areas of South America. Today, approximately 10,000 Lokono live primarily along the coasts and rivers of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Barbados and French Guiana. They speak t ...
*** Paraujano, Guajiro *Central Brazil **(''branch'') *** Saraveka *** Enawene Mawe, Paresí **(''branch'') *** Yawalapití *** Waurá, Mehináku *Central Amazonia **(''branch'') *** Anauyá *** Guinau, Baré **(''branch'') *** Bahuana, Manao ***(''branch'') **** Arua ****(''branch'') ***** Cabiai ***** Mawayana, Wapixana *Northwest Amazonia **(''branch'') *** Maipure ***(''branch'') **** Yavitero **** Baniva, Warekena **(''branch'') *** Pasé, Yumana ***(''branch'') **** Resígaro ****(''branch'') **** Cabiyari *****(''branch'') ***** Kauixana ******(''branch'') ******
Yukuna Yucuna (Jukuna), also known as Matapi, Yucuna-Matapi, and Yukunais, is an Arawakan language spoken in several communities along the Mirití-Paraná River in Colombia. Extinct Guarú (Garú) was either a dialect or a closely related language. ...
****** Mariaté, Wainumá ***(''branch'') **** Achagua,
Piapoco Piapoco is an Arawakan language of Colombia and Venezuela. A "Ponares" language is inferred from surnames, and may have been Piapoco or Achagua. History Piapoco is a branch of the Arawak language, which also includes Achagua and Tariana. P ...
****(''branch'') ***** Mandawaka, Guarekena *****(''branch'') ****** Tariana ******(''branch'') ******* Kurripako ******* Baniwa, Karutana


Jolkesky (2016)

Internal classification by Jolkesky (2016):Jolkesky, Marcelo Pinho de Valhery. 2016.
Estudo arqueo-ecolinguístico das terras tropicais sul-americanas
'. Ph.D. dissertation,
University of Brasília The University of Brasília ( pt, Universidade de Brasília, UnB) is a federal public university in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. It was founded in 1960 and has since consistently been named among the top five Brazilian universities and the ...
.
(† = extinct) *Arawak **'' Yanesha'' **Western ***'' Aguachile'' † ***'' Chamikuro'' *** Mamoré- Paraguai **** Mamoré- Guaporé (
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
article) *****Mojo-Paunaka ******
Mojo Mojo may refer to: * Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * ' ...
: '' Ignaciano''; '' Trinitario'' ******'' Paunaka'' *****Baure-Paikoneka ******Baure: '' Baure''; '' Joaquiniano''; '' Muxojeone'' † ******'' Paikoneka'' † ****Terena: '' Chane'' †; '' Guana'' †; '' Kinikinau''; ''
Terena The Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association (TERENA, ) was a not-for-profit association of European national research and education networks (NRENs) incorporated in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The association was originally f ...
'' ***Negro- Putumayo ****Jumana-Pase: '' Jumana'' †; ''
Pase Pase or PASE may refer to: * Pasé language, an extinct Arawakan language * Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England * Portable Applications Solutions Environment * Dunaújváros PASE, a Hungarian football club See also * Passe (disambiguation) ...
'' † ****'' Kaishana'' † ****Nawiki *****'' Kabiyari'' *****Karu-Tariana ******Karu: '' Baniwa''; '' Kuripako'' ******'' Tariana'' *****'' Mepuri'' † *****Piapoko-Achagua: '' Achagua''; '' Piapoko'' *****'' Wainambu'' † *****Warekena-Mandawaka: '' Warekena''; '' Mandawaka'' † *****Yukuna-Wainuma: '' Mariate'' †; '' Wainuma'' †; ''
Yukuna Yucuna (Jukuna), also known as Matapi, Yucuna-Matapi, and Yukunais, is an Arawakan language spoken in several communities along the Mirití-Paraná River in Colombia. Extinct Guarú (Garú) was either a dialect or a closely related language. ...
'' ****'' Resigaro'' ****'' Wirina'' † *** Orinoco ****Yavitero-Baniva: '' Baniva''; '' Yavitero'' † ****'' Maipure'' † *** Pre-Andine ****Ashaninka-Nomatsigenga *****'' Nomatsigenga'' *****'' Machiguenga''-'' Nanti'' *****Ashaninka-Kakinte ******'' Kakinte'' ******Ashaninka-Asheninka *******Ashaninka: '' Ashaninka'' *******Asheninka: '' Asheninka Pajonal''; '' Asheninka Perene''; '' Asheninka Pichis''; '' Asheninka Ucayali''; '' Ashininka'' *** Purus ****'' Apurinã'' ****''
Iñapari Iñapari is a Peruvian village capital of the Tahuamanu Province in the Madre de Dios Region, located on the triple border of Bolivia, Brazil and Peru. It is connected to Brazil by the Brazil-Peru Integration Bridge, an international bridge cr ...
'' ****Piro-Manchineri: '' Kanamare'' †; '' Kuniba'' †; '' Manchineri''; '' Mashko Piro''; '' Yine'' **Eastern ***Lower Amazon ****Atlantic: '' Marawan'' †; ''
Palikur The Palikur are an indigenous people located in the riverine areas of the Brazilian state of Amapá and in French Guiana, particularly in the south-eastern border region, on the north bank of the Oyapock River. The Palikur Nation, or ''naoné'', ...
'' **** Guaporé-
Tapajós The Tapajós ( pt, Rio Tapajós ) is a river in Brazil. It runs through the Amazon Rainforest and is a major tributary of the Amazon River. When combined with the Juruena River, the Tapajós is approximately long. It is one of the largest clearw ...
*****'' Saraveka'' † *****
Tapajós The Tapajós ( pt, Rio Tapajós ) is a river in Brazil. It runs through the Amazon Rainforest and is a major tributary of the Amazon River. When combined with the Juruena River, the Tapajós is approximately long. It is one of the largest clearw ...
: '' Enawene-Nawe''; '' Paresi'' **** Xingu *****'' Kustenau'' † *****Waura-Mehinako: '' Mehinaku''; '' Waura'' *****''
Yawalapiti The Yawalapiti (also Jaulapiti, Yaulapiti, or Yawalapití) are an indigenous tribe in the Amazonian Basin of Brazil. The name is also spelled Iaualapiti in Portuguese. The current village Yawalapiti is situated more to the south, between the Tu ...
'' ****Waraiku: '' Waraiku'' † *** Solimões-Caribbean: '' Marawan'' †; ''
Palikur The Palikur are an indigenous people located in the riverine areas of the Brazilian state of Amapá and in French Guiana, particularly in the south-eastern border region, on the north bank of the Oyapock River. The Palikur Nation, or ''naoné'', ...
'' ****'' Marawa'' † **** Caribbean *****'' Kaketio'' † *****Wayuu-Añun ******'' Añun'' ******''
Wayuu The Wayuu (also Wayu, Wayúu, Guajiro, Wahiro) are an Amerindian ethnic group of the Guajira Peninsula in northernmost part of Colombia and northwest Venezuela. The Wayuu language is part of the Maipuran (Arawak) language family. Geography ...
'' *****Lokono-Iñeri ******Iñeri: ''
Garifuna The Garifuna people ( or ; pl. Garínagu in Garifuna) are a people of mixed free African and indigenous American ancestry that originated in the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent and speak Garifuna, an Arawakan language, and Vincentian ...
''; '' Kalhiphona'' † ******''
Lokono The Lokono or Arawak are an Arawak people native to northern coastal areas of South America. Today, approximately 10,000 Lokono live primarily along the coasts and rivers of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Barbados and French Guiana. They speak t ...
'' *****'' Shebayo'' † *****'' Taino'' † ****Negro-Branco *****'' Arua'' † *****'' Mainatari'' † *****
Negro In the English language, ''negro'' is a term historically used to denote persons considered to be of Black African heritage. The word ''negro'' means the color black in both Spanish and in Portuguese, where English took it from. The term can be ...
******Bare-Guinao: '' Bare''; '' Guinao'' † ******Bawana-Kariai-Manao: ''
Bawana Bawana is a census town founded by two Gaur Brahmins Kala and Thukrai in the North West district of Delhi, India. It houses the Bawana Fortress of Zail (also called Bawana Tehsil), a Zail headquarter built by the who were (chief) of Bawana Zai ...
'' †; '' Kariai'' †; '' Manao'' † ******'' Yabaana'' † ***** Branco ******'' Mawayana'' ******Wapishana-Parawana: '' Aroaki'' †; '' Atorada''; '' Parawana'' †; ''
Wapishana The Wapishana or Wapichan (or Wapisiana, Wapitxana, Vapidiana, Wapixana) are an indigenous group found in the Roraima area of northern Brazil and southern Guyana. Location Currently the Wapishana are located in the State of Roraima, Brazil, n ...
''


Nikulin & Carvalho (2019)

Internal classification by Nikulin & Carvalho (2019: 270):Nikulin, Andrey; Fernando O. de Carvalho. 2019
Estudos diacrônicos de línguas indígenas brasileiras: um panorama
''Macabéa – Revista Eletrônica do Netlli'', v. 8, n. 2 (2019), p. 255-305.
PDF
*'' Yanesha’'' *'' Chamicuro'' *''
Palikur The Palikur are an indigenous people located in the riverine areas of the Brazilian state of Amapá and in French Guiana, particularly in the south-eastern border region, on the north bank of the Oyapock River. The Palikur Nation, or ''naoné'', ...
'' *Maritime **''
Island Carib The Kalinago, also known as the Island Caribs or simply Caribs, are an indigenous people of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. They may have been related to the Mainland Caribs (Kalina) of South America, but they spoke an unrelated languag ...
''; ''
Garífuna The Garifuna people ( or ; pl. Garínagu in Garifuna) are a people of mixed free African and indigenous American ancestry that originated in the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent and speak Garifuna, an Arawakan language, and Vincentian Cr ...
'' **''
Lokono The Lokono or Arawak are an Arawak people native to northern coastal areas of South America. Today, approximately 10,000 Lokono live primarily along the coasts and rivers of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Barbados and French Guiana. They speak t ...
''; '' Wayuunaiki'', '' Añun'' * Rio Branco **'' Wapixana'' **'' Mawayana'' *Japurá-Colômbia **''
Piapoco Piapoco is an Arawakan language of Colombia and Venezuela. A "Ponares" language is inferred from surnames, and may have been Piapoco or Achagua. History Piapoco is a branch of the Arawak language, which also includes Achagua and Tariana. P ...
'' **'' Achagua'' **''
Yucuna Yucuna (Jukuna), also known as Matapi, Yucuna-Matapi, and Yukunais, is an Arawakan language spoken in several communities along the Mirití-Paraná River in Colombia. Extinct Guarú (Garú) was either a dialect or a closely related language. ...
'' **'' Resígaro'' **'' Tariana'' **'' Baniwa-Koripako'' **'' Warekena Antigo'' *Orinoco **'' Baré'' **'' Yavitero'' **'' Baniva of Guainia'' **'' Maipure'' **'' Warekena of Xié'' *Central **'' Paresí'' **'' Enawenê-Nawê'' **Xingu ***'' Yawalapití'' ***'' Waurá''; '' Mehináku'' *Purus **'' Apurinã'' **''
Iñapari Iñapari is a Peruvian village capital of the Tahuamanu Province in the Madre de Dios Region, located on the triple border of Bolivia, Brazil and Peru. It is connected to Brazil by the Brazil-Peru Integration Bridge, an international bridge cr ...
''; '' Yine/Manxinéru'' *Campa **'' Nomatsiguenga'' **'' Matsiguenga'' **'' Nanti'' **'' Caquinte'' **'' Asháninka'' **'' Ashéninka'' *Bolívia-Paraná **'' Baure''; '' Carmelito''; '' Joaquiniano'' **''
Terena The Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association (TERENA, ) was a not-for-profit association of European national research and education networks (NRENs) incorporated in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The association was originally f ...
''; '' Paunaka''; '' Mojeño (Trinitário, Ignaciano, Loretano, Javeriano)'' Phonological innovations characterizing some of the branches: *''Maritime'': loss of medial Proto-Arawakan *-n-. **''Lokono-Wayuu'': first person singular prefix *ta- replacing *nu-. Carvalho also reconstructs the suffix *-ja (possibly a deictic) and *kabɨnɨ ‘three’ as characteristic of this subgroup. *''Campa'': lexical innovations such as *iNʧato ‘tree’, *-taki ‘bark’, *-toNki ‘bone’, etc. There are also typological innovations due to contact with Andean languages such as Quechua.


Ramirez (2020)

The internal classification of Arawakan by Henri Ramirez (2020) is as follows. This classification differs quite substantially from his previous classification (Ramirez 2001), but is very similar to the one proposed by Jolkesky (2016). :12 subgroups consisting of 56 languages (29 living and 27 extinct) († = extinct) * Japurá-Colombia (
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
article) **† '' Mepuri'' **† '' Yumana'', † ''
Passé Obsolescence is the state of being which occurs when an object, service, or practice is no longer maintained or required even though it may still be in good working order. It usually happens when something that is more efficient or less risky r ...
'' **† '' Kauixana'' **Peripheral ***† '' Mandawaka'', '' Warekena (do San Miguel)''; '' Baniwa- Koripako'' ***''
Piapoco Piapoco is an Arawakan language of Colombia and Venezuela. A "Ponares" language is inferred from surnames, and may have been Piapoco or Achagua. History Piapoco is a branch of the Arawak language, which also includes Achagua and Tariana. P ...
'', '' Achagua''; '' Kabiyari'' ***† '' Resígaro'' ***† '' Wainumá-Mariaté'' ***''
Yukuna Yucuna (Jukuna), also known as Matapi, Yucuna-Matapi, and Yukunais, is an Arawakan language spoken in several communities along the Mirití-Paraná River in Colombia. Extinct Guarú (Garú) was either a dialect or a closely related language. ...
'' *Upper Orinoco **'' Baniva de Maroa'' **† '' Pareni-Yavitero'' **† '' Maipure'' *Central-Amazon-Antilles ? (probable branch) **Amazon-
Antilles The Antilles (; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Antiy; es, Antillas; french: Antilles; nl, Antillen; ht, Antiy; pap, Antias; Jamaican Patois: ''Antiliiz'') is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mex ...
***'' Guajiro'', † '' Paraujano'' ***† '' Taino'', '' Iñeri'', '' Loko'', † '' Marawá'' ***? † '' Waraiku'' ***? † '' Wirina'' **Middle Rio Negro ***† '' Baré'' ***† '' Guinau'' ***† '' Anauyá''; † '' Mainatari'', † '' Yabahana'' **Central ***† '' Bahuana''; † '' Manao'', † '' Cariaí'' ***† '' Aruã'' *** Pidjanan ****† '' Mawayana'' ****'' Wapixana'', † '' Parawana'', † '' Aroaqui'' ***? † '' Shebayo'' * Mato Grosso-Palikur ? (probable branch) ** Amapá ***''
Palikur The Palikur are an indigenous people located in the riverine areas of the Brazilian state of Amapá and in French Guiana, particularly in the south-eastern border region, on the north bank of the Oyapock River. The Palikur Nation, or ''naoné'', ...
'' ** Mato Grosso *** Xingu ****'' Waurá'' ****''
Yawalapiti The Yawalapiti (also Jaulapiti, Yaulapiti, or Yawalapití) are an indigenous tribe in the Amazonian Basin of Brazil. The name is also spelled Iaualapiti in Portuguese. The current village Yawalapiti is situated more to the south, between the Tu ...
'' *** Xaray ****'' Salumã'' ****'' Pareci'' ****† '' Sarave'' *Bolivia-Purus-Kampa-(Amuesha) ? (probable branch) **Bolivia ***'' Baure'' ***'' Pauna''; '' Mojeño'', '' Tereno'' ** Purus ***† ''
Iñapari Iñapari is a Peruvian village capital of the Tahuamanu Province in the Madre de Dios Region, located on the triple border of Bolivia, Brazil and Peru. It is connected to Brazil by the Brazil-Peru Integration Bridge, an international bridge cr ...
'' ***'' Piro'' ***'' Apurinã'' ***† '' Cararí'' **Pre-Andine ***'' Kampa'' **
Pozuzo Pozuzo is a village and district in the Oxapampa Province and Pasco Region of Peru. The village, at an elevation of , is situated near the left bank of the Huancabamba River which is renamed the Pozuzo River after it passes by the village. The po ...
***'' Amuesha'' *Lower
Ucayali The Ucayali River ( es, Río Ucayali, ) is the main headstream of the Amazon River. It rises about north of Lake Titicaca, in the Arequipa region of Peru and becomes the Amazon at the confluence of the Marañón close to Nauta city. The city ...
**† '' Chamicuro'' **? † '' Moríque''


Varieties

Below is a full list of Arawakan language varieties listed by Loukotka (1968), including names of unattested varieties. ;Island languages *Taino / Nitaino - once spoken in the Conquest days on the
Greater Antilles The Greater Antilles ( es, Grandes Antillas or Antillas Mayores; french: Grandes Antilles; ht, Gwo Zantiy; jam, Grieta hAntiliiz) is a grouping of the larger islands in the Caribbean Sea, including Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, a ...
Islands of Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico and Jamaica. Dialects are: **Taino of Haiti and Quisqueya - extinct language of the island were
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
and The Republic of Haiti. **Taino of Cuba - once spoken on the island of Cuba; in the nineteenth century only in the villages of
Jiguaní Jiguaní () is a town and municipality in the Granma Province of Cuba. It is located east of Bayamo, the provincial capital. Overview The municipality is divided into the barrios of Babiney, Baire, Bijagual, La Villa, Los Negros, Maffo, Rihito ...
,
Bayano Bayano, also known as Ballano or Vaino, was an African enslaved by Spaniards who led the biggest slave revolts of 16th century Panama. Captured from the Yoruba community in West Africa, it has been argued that his name means ''idol''. Different ...
, and
Quivicán Quivicán is a town and municipality in Mayabeque Province of Cuba. It is located in the south west of the province, bordering the Gulf of Batabanó. The name is of Taino origin (spelled '' Quibicán''). It was founded in 1700. Geography The mu ...
; now the last descendants speak only Spanish. **Borinquen - once spoken on the island of
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
. **Yamaye - once spoken on the island of
Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
. **Lucaya - once spoken on the
Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the ar ...
Islands. *Eyed / Allouage - once spoken in the
Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles ( es, link=no, Antillas Menores; french: link=no, Petites Antilles; pap, Antias Menor; nl, Kleine Antillen) are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Most of them are part of a long, partially volcanic island arc bet ...
. * - spoken on the eastern part of the island of
Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
. *Naparina - once spoken on the island of Trinidad. (Unattested.) *Caliponau - language spoken by the women of the Carib tribes in the Lesser Antilles. ;Guiana language *Arawak / Aruaqui / Luccumi / Locono - spoken in the Guianas. Dialects are: **Western - spoken in Guyana. **Eastern - spoken in French Guiana on the Curipi River and
Oyapoque River The Oyapock or Oiapoque (; ; ) is a long river in South America that forms most of the border between the French overseas department of French Guiana and the Brazilian state of Amapá. Course The Oyapock runs through the Guianan moist for ...
. ;Central group *Wapishana / Matisana / Wapityan / Uapixana - spoken on the Tacutu River, Mahú River, and Surumú River, territory of Rio Branco, Brazil, and in the adjoining region in Guyana. *Amariba - once spoken at the sources of the Tacutu River and
Rupununi River The Rupununi is a region in the south-west of Guyana, bordering the Brazilian Amazon. The Rupununi river, also known by the local indigenous peoples as ''Raponani'', flows through the Rupununi region. The name Rupununi originates from the word '' ...
, Guyana. (Unattested.) *Atorai / Attaraye / Daurí - spoken between the
Rupununi River The Rupununi is a region in the south-west of Guyana, bordering the Brazilian Amazon. The Rupununi river, also known by the local indigenous peoples as ''Raponani'', flows through the Rupununi region. The name Rupununi originates from the word '' ...
and Kuyuwini River, Guyana. ;Mapidian group *Mapidian / Maotityan - spoken at the sources of the Apiniwau River, Guyana, now perhaps extinct. *Mawakwa - once spoken on the
Mavaca River Mavaca 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 ind ...
, Venezuela. ;Goajira group *Goajira / Uáira - language spoken on the Goajira Peninsula in Colombia and Venezuela with two dialects, Guimpejegual and Gopujegual. *Paraujano / Parancan / Parawogwan / Pará - spoken by a tribe of lake dwellers on Lake Maracaibo, Zulia state, Venezuela. *Alile - once spoken on the Guasape River, state of Zulia, Venezuela. (Unattested.) *Onota - once spoken between Lake Maracaibo and the Palmar River in the same region, Zulia state, Venezuela. (Unattested.) *Guanebucán - extinct language once spoken on the Hacha River, department of Magdalena, Colombia. (Unattested.) *Cosina / Coquibacoa - extinct language of a little known tribe of the Serranía Cosina, Goajira Peninsula, Colombia. (Unattested.) ;Caquetío group *Caquetío - extinct language once spoken on the islands of Curaçao and Aruba near the Venezuelan coast, on the
Yaracuy River The Yaracuy River is a river of Venezuela. It drains into the Caribbean Sea. 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 ind ...
,
Portuguesa River The Portuguesa River (Spanish: ''Río Portuguesa'', also ''Río la Portuguesa'', ''Río de la Portuguesa'') is a river of Venezuela. It is part of the Orinoco River basin, and is a tributary of the Apure River (which is, in turn, a tributary of th ...
, and Apure River, Venezuela. (only several words) *Ajagua - once spoken on the Tocuyo River near Carera, state of Lara, Venezuela. (only two words and patronyms.) *Quinó - once spoken in the village of Lagunillas, state of Mérida, Venezuela. (Nothing.) *Tororó / Auyama - once spoken in the village of San Cristóbal, state of Táchira. (Febres Cordero 1921, pp. 116–160 passim, only six words.) *Aviamo - once spoken on the
Uribante River The Uribante River is a river of Venezuela, a tributary of the Apure River. The river is in the Orinoco basin. It drains part of the southern slope of the Táchira depression. See also *List of rivers of Venezuela This is a list of rivers i ...
, state of Táchira. (Unattested.) *Tecua - once spoken on the Lengupa River and in the village of Teguas, department of Boyacá, Colombia. (Unattested.) *Yaguai - once spoken on the Arichuna River, state of Apure, Venezuela. (Unattested.) *Cocaima - once spoken between the Setenta River and Matiyure River, state of Apure, Venezuela. (Unattested.) *Chacanta - once spoken on the Mucuchachi River, state of Mérida. (Unattested.) *Caparo - once spoken on the
Caparo River Caparo River ( es, Río Caparo) is a river of Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of ...
, Santander, Colombia. (Unattested.) *Támud - once spoken northeast of the Sagamoso River, Santander, Colombia. (Unattested.) *Burgua - once spoken near San Camilo on the Burgua River, Santander, Colombia. (Unattested.) *Cuite - once spoken on the Cuite River, Santander, Colombia. (Unattested.) *Queniquea - once spoken in the same hill region in Colombia on the Pereno River. (Unattested.) *Chucuna - once spoken between the
Manacacías River Manacacías River is a river of Colombia. It is part of the Orinoco River basin. See also *List of rivers of Colombia Atlantic Ocean Amazon River Basin * Amazon River ** Guainía River or Negro River *** Vaupés River or Uaupés River *** ...
and
Vichada River The Vichada River ( es, Río Vichada, ) is a blackwater river in the country of Colombia, South America. It flows into the Orinoco River. The eastward course of the Vichada is offset by an impact structure An impact structure is a generally ...
, territories of Meta and Vichada, Colombia. (Unattested.) *Guayupe - spoken on the Güejar River and
Ariari River The Ariari River is a river of Colombia, located entirely within the Meta Department. Part of the Orinoco River basin, it merges with the Guayabero River to forms the Guaviare River The Guaviare is a tributary of the Orinoco in Colombia. It f ...
, Meta territory. *Sae - once spoken by the neighbors of the Guayupe tribe in the same region. (Unattested.) *Sutagao - spoken once on the Pasca River and Sumapaz River, Meta territory. (Unattested.) *Chocue / Choque - once spoken on the Herorú River and
Guayabero River The Guayabero River is a river of Colombia. It is primarily located in the Meta Department, forming a portion of its border with the Guaviare Department. It is part of the Orinoco River basin. Its confluence with the Ariari River The Ariari Ri ...
, Meta territory. (Unattested.) *Eperigua - once spoken at the sources of the Güejar River and near San Juan de los Llanos, Meta territory. (Unattested.) *Aricagua - once spoken in the state of Mérida, Venezuela. (Unattested.) *Achagua - spoken on the Apure River and
Arauca River The Arauca River ( es, Río Arauca) rises in the Andes Mountains of north-central Colombia and ends at the Orinoco in Venezuela. For part of its run it is the boundary between Colombia and Venezuela. The major city on its banks is Arauca, Col ...
in the department of Boyacá and territory of Meta, Colombia. *Piapoco / Mitua / Dzáse - spoken on the
Guaviare River The Guaviare is a tributary of the Orinoco in Colombia. It flows together with the upper Orinoco (until here also called Río Parágua), which it clearly surpasses in length (altogether about 1760 km) and water flow. Thus, the Guaviare is hydrolo ...
, territory of Vaupés, Colombia. *Cabere / Cabre - once spoken on the Teviare River and
Zama River Zama or Zamá may refer to: Places * Zama City, Alberta, Canada * Zama Lake, Alberta, Canada * Zama, Kanagawa, Japan **Camp Zama, a United States Army base in Kanagawa, Japan *Tulum or Zamá, Mexico *Zama (Tunisia) *Zama (Turkey) * Zama, Mississip ...
, Vichada territory. *Maniba / Camaniba - spoken by a little known tribe that lived on the middle course of the
Guaviare River The Guaviare is a tributary of the Orinoco in Colombia. It flows together with the upper Orinoco (until here also called Río Parágua), which it clearly surpasses in length (altogether about 1760 km) and water flow. Thus, the Guaviare is hydrolo ...
, Vaupés territory, Colombia. (Unattested.) *Amarizana - extinct language once spoken on the Vera River and Aguas Blancas River, territory of Meta. ;Maypure group *Maypure - extinct language once spoken in the village of Maipures, Vichada territory, Colombia. Inhabitants now speak only Spanish. *Avani / Abane - once spoken on the Auvana River and Tipapa River, Amazonas territory, Venezuela. (Gilij 1780-1784, vol. 3, p. 383, only six words.) ;Guinau group *Baníva - language spoken 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 , with 76.3 percent of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia. It is the fourth largest river in the wor ...
, especially in the village of San Fernando de Atabapo, Amazonas territory, Venezuela. *Yavitero / Pareni / Yavitano - spoken on the
Atabapo River Atabapo River is a river of Venezuela and Colombia. It forms the international boundary between the two countries for much of its length. It is part of the Orinoco River basin. See also *List of rivers of Venezuela This is a list of rivers in Ve ...
in the village of Yavita. ;Guinau group *Guinau / Inao / Guniare / Temomeyéme / Quinhau - once spoken at the sources of the Caura River and Merevari River, state of Bolívar, Venezuela, now perhaps extinct. ;Baré group *Baré / Ihini / Arihini - spoken on the Casiquiare River, territory of Amazonas, Venezuela, and on the upper course of the
Negro River Río Negro (Spanish and Portuguese, 'Black River') may refer to: Rivers Brazil * Rio Negro (Amazon), tributary of the Amazon River * Rio Negro (Mato Grosso do Sul) * Rio Negro (Paraná) * Rio Negro (Rio de Janeiro) * Rio Negro (Rondônia) * ...
, state of Amazonas, Brazil. *Uarequena - spoken on the
Guainía River The Rio Negro ( pt, Rio Negro, br ; es, Río Negro} "''Black River''"), or Guainía as it is known in its upper part, is the largest left tributary of the Amazon River (accounting for about 14% of the water in the Amazon basin), the largest bl ...
, Vaupés territory, Colombia. *Adzáneni / Adyána / Izaneni - spoken at the sources of the Caiarí River and on the Apui River, frontier of Colombia and Brazil. *Carútana / Corecarú / Yauareté-tapuya - spoken on the frontier between Colombia and Brazil on the
Içana River Içana River (río Isana/río Içana in Spanish and Portuguese) is a tributary of the Rio Negro in South America. Its source is in the Guainía Department of Colombia, where it is known as the Isana River. From its source, it flows mostly east u ...
. *Katapolítani / Acayaca / Cadaupuritani - spoken on the
Içana River Içana River (río Isana/río Içana in Spanish and Portuguese) is a tributary of the Rio Negro in South America. Its source is in the Guainía Department of Colombia, where it is known as the Isana River. From its source, it flows mostly east u ...
in the village of Tunuhy, Brazil. *Siusí / Ualíperi-dákeni / Uereperidákeni - spoken on the lower course of the Caiarí River and
Içana River Içana River (río Isana/río Içana in Spanish and Portuguese) is a tributary of the Rio Negro in South America. Its source is in the Guainía Department of Colombia, where it is known as the Isana River. From its source, it flows mostly east u ...
and on the middle course of the
Aiari River Aiari River is a river of Amazonas state in north-western 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 mi ...
, state of Amazonas, Brazil. *Moriwene / Sucuriyú-tapuya - spoken on the
Içana River Içana River (río Isana/río Içana in Spanish and Portuguese) is a tributary of the Rio Negro in South America. Its source is in the Guainía Department of Colombia, where it is known as the Isana River. From its source, it flows mostly east u ...
in the village of
Seringa Upita ''Hevea brasiliensis'', the Pará rubber tree, ''sharinga'' tree, seringueira, or most commonly, rubber tree or rubber plant, is a flowering plant belonging to the spurge family Euphorbiaceae originally native to the Amazon basin, but is now pan ...
, state of Amazonas, Brazil. *Mapanai / Ira-tapuya - spoken on the
Içana River Içana River (río Isana/río Içana in Spanish and Portuguese) is a tributary of the Rio Negro in South America. Its source is in the Guainía Department of Colombia, where it is known as the Isana River. From its source, it flows mostly east u ...
near Cachoeira Yandú, state of Amazonas. *Hohodene / Huhúteni - spoken on the Cubate River, state of Amazonas. *Maulieni / Káua-tapuya - spoken on the
Aiari River Aiari River is a river of Amazonas state in north-western 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 mi ...
, state of Amazonas. ;Ipéca group *Ipéca / Kumada-mínanei / Baniva de rio Içana - spoken on the
Içana River Içana River (río Isana/río Içana in Spanish and Portuguese) is a tributary of the Rio Negro in South America. Its source is in the Guainía Department of Colombia, where it is known as the Isana River. From its source, it flows mostly east u ...
near the village of San Pedro, frontier region of Brazil and Colombia. *Payualiene / Payoariene / Pacu-tapuya - spoken in the same frontier region on the Arara-paraná River. *Curipaco - spoken on the
Guainía River The Rio Negro ( pt, Rio Negro, br ; es, Río Negro} "''Black River''"), or Guainía as it is known in its upper part, is the largest left tributary of the Amazon River (accounting for about 14% of the water in the Amazon basin), the largest bl ...
, territory of Amazonas, Venezuela. *Kárro - spoken in the territory of Amazonas on the Puitana River. *Kapité-Mínanei / Coatí-tapuya - spoken at the sources of the
Içana River Içana River (río Isana/río Içana in Spanish and Portuguese) is a tributary of the Rio Negro in South America. Its source is in the Guainía Department of Colombia, where it is known as the Isana River. From its source, it flows mostly east u ...
, Vaupés territory, Colombia. ;Tariana group *Tariana / Yavi - spoken in the villages of Ipanoré and Yauareté on the Caiarí River, Vaupés Territory, Colombia. *Iyäine / Kumandene / Yurupary-tapuya - spoken in the same region north of the Tariana tribe. Now only Tucano is spoken. (Unattested.) *Cauyari / Acaroa / Cabuyarí - once spoken on the Cananari River and on the middle course of the
Apaporis River The Apaporis River is a river of the Vaupés Department, Colombia. It is a tributary of the Caquetá or Japurá River. In the last stretch before the river joins the Caquetá it forms part of the boundary between Colombia and Brazil. See also ...
, territory of Amazonas, Colombia. Now perhaps extinct. ;Mandauáca group *Mandauáca / Maldavaca - spoken on the
Baria River Baria River is a river of Venezuela. It is part of the Amazon 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 ind ...
, Capabury River, and
Pasimoni River The Pasimoni River ( es, Rio Pasimoni) is a river in the state of Amazonas, Venezuela. It is a tributary of the Casiquiare canal, in turn a tributary of the Rio Negro. The Pasimoni forms on the northern slope of the Cerro de la Neblina and flows ...
, Amazonas territory, Venezuela. *Cunipúsana - once spoken in Amazonas territory on the Siapa River. (Unattested.) ;Manáo group *Manáo / Oremanao / Manoa - extinct language once spoken around the modern city of Manaus on the
Negro River Río Negro (Spanish and Portuguese, 'Black River') may refer to: Rivers Brazil * Rio Negro (Amazon), tributary of the Amazon River * Rio Negro (Mato Grosso do Sul) * Rio Negro (Paraná) * Rio Negro (Rio de Janeiro) * Rio Negro (Rondônia) * ...
, state of Amazonas, Brazil. *Arina - extinct language once spoken on the middle course of the Marauiá River, Amazonas state. (Unattested.) *Cariay / Carihiahy - extinct language once spoken between the
Negro River Río Negro (Spanish and Portuguese, 'Black River') may refer to: Rivers Brazil * Rio Negro (Amazon), tributary of the Amazon River * Rio Negro (Mato Grosso do Sul) * Rio Negro (Paraná) * Rio Negro (Rio de Janeiro) * Rio Negro (Rondônia) * ...
, Araçá River, and Padauari River, territory of Rio Branco, Brazil. *Bahuana - spoken between the Padauari River and Araçá River. (Unattested.) *Uaranacoacena - extinct language once spoken between the Branco River,
Negro River Río Negro (Spanish and Portuguese, 'Black River') may refer to: Rivers Brazil * Rio Negro (Amazon), tributary of the Amazon River * Rio Negro (Mato Grosso do Sul) * Rio Negro (Paraná) * Rio Negro (Rio de Janeiro) * Rio Negro (Rondônia) * ...
, and Araçá River, Amazonas. (Unattested.) *Arauaqui - extinct language once spoken between the
Negro River Río Negro (Spanish and Portuguese, 'Black River') may refer to: Rivers Brazil * Rio Negro (Amazon), tributary of the Amazon River * Rio Negro (Mato Grosso do Sul) * Rio Negro (Paraná) * Rio Negro (Rio de Janeiro) * Rio Negro (Rondônia) * ...
and Uatuma River. A few descendants now speak only Lingua Geral or Portuguese. (Unattested.) *Dapatarú - once spoken between the Uatuma River and Urubu River (Amazonas), Urubu River and on the island of Saracá, Amazonas. (Unattested.) *Aniba - once spoken on the Aniba River and around Saracá lagoon. (Unattested.) *Caboquena - once spoken on the Urubu River (Amazonas), Urubu River, Amazonas. (Unattested.) *Caburichena - once spoken on the right bank of the
Negro River Río Negro (Spanish and Portuguese, 'Black River') may refer to: Rivers Brazil * Rio Negro (Amazon), tributary of the Amazon River * Rio Negro (Mato Grosso do Sul) * Rio Negro (Paraná) * Rio Negro (Rio de Janeiro) * Rio Negro (Rondônia) * ...
. (Unattested.) *Seden - once spoken between the Uatuma River and
Negro River Río Negro (Spanish and Portuguese, 'Black River') may refer to: Rivers Brazil * Rio Negro (Amazon), tributary of the Amazon River * Rio Negro (Mato Grosso do Sul) * Rio Negro (Paraná) * Rio Negro (Rio de Janeiro) * Rio Negro (Rondônia) * ...
. (Unattested.) ;Uirina group *Uirina - extinct language once spoken at the sources of the Marari River, territory of Rio Branco. *Yabaána / Jabâ-ana / Hobacana - language of a tribe in the territory of Rio Branco, on the Marauiá River and Cauaburi River. *Anauyá - spoken by a little known tribe on the Castaño River, territory of Amazonas, Venezuela. ;Chiriána group *Chiriána / Barauána - spoken between the Marari River and Demini River, territory of Rio Branco. ;Yukúna group *Yukúna - spoken on the Miritíparaná River, Amazonas territory, Colombia. *Matapí - spoken in the same region, Amazonas territory, near Campoamor. (Unattested.) *Guarú / Garú - spoken on the Mamurá River, Cuama River, and Meta River, territory of Caquetá, Colombia. ;Resigaro group *Resigaro / Rrah~nihin / Rosigaro - spoken by a few families on the Igaraparaná River near Casa Arana. ;Araicú group *Marawa / Maragua - spoken in the nineteenth century between the Juruá River and Jutai River, now in a single village at the mouth of the Juruá River, Amazonas. ;Araicú group *Araicú / Waraikú - extinct language once spoken at the sources of the Jandiatuba River and on the right bank of the Jutai River, Amazonas. ;Uainumá group *Uainumá / Ajuano / Wainumá / Inabishana / Uainamby-tapuya / Uaypi - extinct language once spoken on the Upi River, a tributary of the Içá River, Amazonas. *Mariaté / Muriaté - extinct language once spoken at the mouth of the Içá River. ;Jumana group *Jumana / Shomana - extinct language once spoken on the Puruê River and Juami River, Amazonas state. *Passé / Pazé - extinct language once spoken between the
Negro River Río Negro (Spanish and Portuguese, 'Black River') may refer to: Rivers Brazil * Rio Negro (Amazon), tributary of the Amazon River * Rio Negro (Mato Grosso do Sul) * Rio Negro (Paraná) * Rio Negro (Rio de Janeiro) * Rio Negro (Rondônia) * ...
, Japurá River, and Içá River. The few descendants now speak only Portuguese. ;Cauishana group *Cauishana / Kayuishana / Noll-hína - now spoken by a few families on the Tocantins River and on Lake Mapari, Amazonas. *Pariana - extinct language once spoken on the middle course of the Marauiá River. (Unattested.) ;Pre-Andine group *Campa / Anti / Atzíri / Thampa / Kuruparia - spoken on the Urubamba River and Ucayali River, department of Cuzco, Peru. *Machiganga / Ugunichire / Mashigango - spoken in the department of Cuzco on the Mantaro River, Apurimac River, Urubamba River, and Paucartambo River. Dialects are: **Chanchamayo - spoken on the Perené River. **Catongo - spoken on the Tambo River (Peru), Tambo River. **Machiringa - spoken on the Apurimac River and Ene River. (Unattested.) *Piro / Simirinche - spoken in the department of Loreto on the Inuya River. *Chontaquiro - spoken on the Iaco River, Caeté River (Acre), Caeté River, and Chandless River, territory of Acre, Brazil. *Mashco / Sirineiri / Moeno - spoken on the Pilcopata River, department of Madre de Dios, Peru. *Curia - spoken on the Murú River and Embira River, Acre, now perhaps extinct. (Unattested.) *Quirineri - spoken on the Paucartambo River and Manu River, department of Cuzco (Oppenheim 1948). *Maneteneri - extinct language from the Purus River, Aquirí River, Caspatá River, and Araçá River, Acre territory. *Inapari / Mashco Piro - spoken between the Tacutimani River and Amigo River, department of Madre de Dios, now perhaps extinct. *Huachipairi - extinct language once spoken on the Cosñipata River and Pilcopata River, department of Madre de Dios. *Kushichineri / Cushitineri - spoken in Acre territory on the Curumaha River by a small tribe. *Cuniba - extinct language once spoken between the Juruazinho River and Jutaí River and on the Mapuá River, state of Amazonas. *Puncuri - spoken on the Puncuri River, Acre. (Unattested.) *Kanamare / Canamirim - spoken in the same territory on the Acre, Irariapé River and Abuña River, now probably extinct. *Epetineri - once spoken on the Pijiria River, tributary of the Urubamba River, Peru. (Unattested.) *Pucapucari - once spoken on the Camisia River and Tunquini River, Peru. (Unattested.) *Tucurina - spoken by a few individuals on the Igarapé Cuchicha River, a tributary of the Chandless River, Acre. (Unattested.) ;Ipurina group *Ipurina / Apurimã / Kangiti - spoken along the Purus River from the mouth of the Sepatiní River to the mouth of the Yaco River, Amazonas. *Casharari - spoken by a little known tribe inhabiting the tropical forests between the Abuña River and Ituxí River and on the tributaries, Curequeta River and Iquirí River, in Acre. (Unattested.) ;Apolista group *Apolista / Lapachu / Aguachile - extinct language once spoken in the old mission of Apolobamba, province of La Paz, Bolivia. ;Mojo group *Mojo / Ignaciano / Morocosi - spoken on the Mamoré River and on the plains of Mojos, Beni province, Bolivia. *Baure / Chiquimiti - spoken on the Río Blanco (Bolivia), Blanco River and around the city of Baures in the same region. *Muchojeone - extinct language once spoken at the old mission El Carmen in Beni province, Bolivia. *Suberiono - extinct language once spoken west of the Mamoré River and the Guapay River, Bolivia. (Unattested.) *Pauna - extinct language once spoken at the sources of the Baures River, Santa Cruz province, Bolivia. *Paicone - extinct language from the sources of the Paragúa River, Santa Cruz province, Bolivia. ;Paresi group *Sarave / Zarabe - spoken on the Verde Grande River, Verde River and Paragúa River, Santa Cruz province, Bolivia, now perhaps extinct. *Parecí / Arití / Maimbari / Mahibarez - language with dialects: **Caxinití - spoken on the Sumidouro River, Sepotuba River, and Sucuriú River, Mato Grosso, Brazil. **Waimaré - spoken in Mato Grosso on the Verde Grande River, Verde River and Timalatía River. **Kozariní / Pareci-Cabixi - spoken in Mato Grosso on the Juba River (Mato Grosso), Juba River, Cabaçal River, Jauru River (Mato Grosso), Jaurú River, Guaporé River, Verde Grande River, Verde River, Papagaio River (Mato Grosso), Papagaio River, Buriti River (Mato Grosso), Burití River, and Juruena River. **Uariteré - spoken on the Pimenta Bueno River, territory of Rondônia. (Unattested.) ;Chané group *Chané / Izoceño - formerly spoken on the Itiyuro River, Salta province, Argentina, but now the tribe speaks only a language of the Tupi stock and the old language serves only for religious ceremonies. (only a few words.) *Guaná / Layano - once spoken on the Yacaré River and Galván River, Paraguay, now on the Miranda River, Mato Grosso, Brazil. *Terena - spoken in Mato Grosso on the Miranda River and Jijui River. *Echoaladí / Choarana - extinct language once spoken in Mato Grosso. (Unattested.) *Quiniquinao / Equiniquinao - once spoken near Albuquerque, now by only a few families on the Posto Cachoeirinha near Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul. ;Waurá group *Waurá - spoken on the Batoví River (a tributary of the Xingú River) Mato Grosso. *Kustenáu - spoken in the same region, Mato Grosso, on the Batoví River and Jatobá River *Yaulapíti / Yawarapiti / Ualapiti - spoken between the Meinacu River and Curisevú River, Mato Grosso. *Mehináku / Meinacu / Mináko - spoken between the Batoví River and Curisevú River. *Agavotocueng - spoken by an unknown tribe between the Curisevú River and Culuene River. (Unattested.) ;Marawan group *Marawan / Maraon - spoken on the Oiapoque River and Curipi River, Amapá territory. *Caripurá / Karipuere - spoken in Amapá territory on the Urucauá River. *Palicur / Parikurú - once spoken on the middle course of the Calçoene River and on the upper course of the Casipore River, now on the Urucauá River in Amapá territory. *Caranariú - once spoken on the Urucauá River, now extinct. (Unattested.) *Tocoyene - once spoken in Amapá territory on the Uanarí River. (Unattested.) *Macapá - once spoken on the Camopi River and Yaroupi River, French Guiana, later on the upper course of the Pará River, state of Pará, Brazil; now perhaps extinct. (Unattested.) *Tucujú - once spoken on the Jarí River, territory of Amapá, now perhaps extinct. (Unattested.) *Mapruan - once spoken on the Oiac River, territory of Amapá. (Unattested.) ;Aruan group *Aruan / Aroã - originally spoken on the north coast of Marajó Island, Pará, later on the Uaçá River, Amapá territory. A few descendants now speak only a French creole dialect. *Sacaca - extinct language once spoken in the eastern part of Marajó Island. ;Moríque group *Moríque / Mayoruna - spoken on the border of Brazil and Peru, on the Javarí River. ;Chamicuro group *Chamicuro - spoken on the Chamicuro River, department of Loreto, Peru. *Chicluna - extinct language once spoken in the same region east of the Aguano tribe. (Unattested.) *Aguano / Awáno - extinct language of a tribe that lived on the lower course of the Huallaga River. The descendants, in the villages of San Lorenzo, San Xavier, and Santa Cruz, now speak only Quechua. (Unattested.) *Maparina - once spoken in the same region on the lower course of the Ucayali River and at the old mission of Santiago. (Unattested.) *Cutinana - once spoken on the Samiria River, Loreto. (Unattested.) *Tibilo - once spoken in San Lorenzo village, Loreto region. (Unattested.) ;Lorenzo group *Amoishe / Amlsha / Amuescha / Amage / Lorenzo - once spoken on the Paucartambo River and Colorado River, department of Cuzco, Peru; now mainly Quechua is spoken. *Chunatahua - once spoken at the mouth of the Chinchao River, department of Huánuco, Peru. (Unattested.) *Panatahua - spoken in the same region on the right bank of the Huallaga River between Coyumba and Monzón, now perhaps extinct. (Unattested.) *Chusco - once spoken in the same region as Panatahua near Huánuco. (Unattested.) ;Guahibo group *Guahibo - language spoken by many tribes in Colombia and Venezuela on the Meta River,
Arauca River The Arauca River ( es, Río Arauca) rises in the Andes Mountains of north-central Colombia and ends at the Orinoco in Venezuela. For part of its run it is the boundary between Colombia and Venezuela. The major city on its banks is Arauca, Col ...
,
Vichada River The Vichada River ( es, Río Vichada, ) is a blackwater river in the country of Colombia, South America. It flows into the Orinoco River. The eastward course of the Vichada is offset by an impact structure An impact structure is a generally ...
, and
Orinoco River The Orinoco () is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3 percent of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia. It is the fourth largest river in the wor ...
. *Dialects: *Cuiloto - spoken on the Cuiloto River and Cravo Norte River, Arauca territory, Colombia. (Unattested.) *Cuiva - spoken on the Meta River, Vichada territory, Colombia. (Unattested.) *Amorúa - spoken in the same region on the Bita River. (Unattested.) *Chiricoa - spoken on the Ele River and Lipa River, department of Arauca, on the Cravo Norte River and
Arauca River The Arauca River ( es, Río Arauca) rises in the Andes Mountains of north-central Colombia and ends at the Orinoco in Venezuela. For part of its run it is the boundary between Colombia and Venezuela. The major city on its banks is Arauca, Col ...
, Arauca territory, Colombia, and on the Cinaruquito River, Cinamco River, Capanaparo River, and Arichuna River, state of Apure, Venezuela. (Hildebrandt ms.) *Sicuane - spoken on the Tuparro River, Vichada territory, Colombia. (Unattested.) *Cuiapo Pihibi - spoken on the Tomo River, Vichada territory. (Unattested.) *Yamu - spoken on the right bank of the
Ariari River The Ariari River is a river of Colombia, located entirely within the Meta Department. Part of the Orinoco River basin, it merges with the Guayabero River to forms the Guaviare River The Guaviare is a tributary of the Orinoco in Colombia. It f ...
, Meta territory. (Unattested.) *Catarro - spoken in the Meta territory on the Yucavo River and in the old mission of San Miguel de Salivas. (Unattested.) *Chumya / Bisanigua - language, now probably extinct, once spoken on the Güejar River and in El Piñal. *Guayabero / Guyaverun - spoken in the Meta territory on the
Guayabero River The Guayabero River is a river of Colombia. It is primarily located in the Meta Department, forming a portion of its border with the Guaviare Department. It is part of the Orinoco River basin. Its confluence with the Ariari River The Ariari Ri ...
.


Arawakan vs. Maipurean

In 1783, the Italian priest Filippo Salvatore Gilii recognized the unity of the
Maipure language Maipure (Maypure, Mejepure), was a language once spoken along the Ventuari, Sipapo, and Autana rivers of Amazonas and, as a lingua franca, in the Upper Orinoco region. It became extinct around the end of the eighteenth century. Zamponi provid ...
of the Orinoco and Moxos of Bolivia; he named their family ''Maipure''. It was renamed ''Arawak'' by Von den Steinen (1886) and Brinten (1891) after Arawak language, Arawak in the Guianas, one of the major languages of the family. The modern equivalents are ''Maipurean'' or ''Maipuran'' and ''Arawak'' or ''Arawakan''. The term ''Arawakan'' is now used in two senses. South American scholars use ''Aruák'' for Maipurean languages, the family demonstrated by Gilij and subsequent linguists. In North America, however, scholars have used the term to include a hypothesis adding the Guajiboan languages, Guajiboan and Arauan languages, Arawan families. In North America, scholars use the name ''Maipurean'' to distinguish the core family, which is sometimes called ''core Arawak(an)'' or ''Arawak(an) proper'' instead. Kaufman (1990: 40) relates the following:
[The Arawakan] name is the one normally applied to what is here called Maipurean. Maipurean used to be thought to be a major subgroup of Arawakan, but all the ''living'' Arawakan languages, at least, seem to need to be subgrouped with languages already found within Maipurean as commonly defined. The sorting out of the labels Maipurean and Arawakan will have to await a more sophisticated classification of the languages in question than is possible at the present state of comparative studies.


Characteristics

The languages called Arawakan or Maipurean were originally recognized as a separate group in the late nineteenth century. Almost all the languages now called Arawakan share a first-person singular prefix ''nu-'', but Arawak proper has ''ta-''. Other commonalities include a second-person singular ''pi-'', relative ''ka-'', and negative ''ma-''. The Arawak language family, as constituted by L. Adam, at first by the name of Maypure, has been called by Von den Steinen "Nu-Arawak" from the prenominal prefix "nu-" for the first person. This is common to all the Arawak tribes scattered along the coasts from Suriname to Guyana. Upper Paraguay has Arawakan-language tribes: the ''Quinquinaos'', the ''Layanas'', etc. (This is the ''Moho-Mbaure'' group of L. Quevedo). In the islands of Marajos, in the middle of the estuary of the Amazon, the ''Aruan'' people spoke an Arawak dialect. The peninsula of Goajira (north of
Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
) is occupied by the Wayuu people, Goajires tribe, also Arawakan speakers. In 1890–95, De Brette estimated a population of 3,000 persons in the Goajires. Claudius de Goeje, C. H. de Goeje's published vocabulary of 1928 outlines the Lokono/Arawak (Suriname and Guyana) 1400 items, comprising mostly morphemes (stems, affixes) and morpheme partials (single sounds), and only rarely compounded, derived, or otherwise complex sequences; and from Nancy P. Hickerson's ''British Guiana'' manuscript vocabulary of 500 items. However, most entries which reflect acculturation are direct borrowings from one or another of three model languages (Spanish, Dutch, English). Of the 1400 entries in de Goeje, 106 reflect European contact; 98 of these are loans. Nouns which occur with the verbalizing suffix described above number 9 out of the 98 loans.


Phonology

Though a great deal of variation can be found from language to language, the following is a general composite statement of the consonants and vowels typically found in Arawak languages, according to Aikhenvald (1999): For more detailed notes on specific languages see Aikhenvald (1999) pp. 76–77.


Shared morphological traits


General morphological type

Arawakan languages are polysynthetic and mostly head-marking. They have fairly complex verb morphology. Noun morphology is much less complex and tends to be similar across the family. Arawakan languages are mostly suffixing, with just a few prefixes.


Alienable and inalienable possession

Arawakan languages tend to distinguish alienable and inalienable possession. A feature found throughout the Arawakan family is a suffix (whose reconstructed Proto-Arawakan form is /*-tsi/) that allows the inalienable (and obligatorily possessed) body-part nouns to remain unpossessed.Aikhenvald (1999), p. 82. This suffix essentially converts inalienable body-part nouns into alienable nouns. It can only be added to body-part nouns and not to kinship nouns (which are also treated as inalienable). An example from the Pareci language is given below: : :


Classifiers

Many Arawakan languages have a system of classifier morphemes that mark the semantic category of the head noun of a noun phrase on most other elements of the noun phrase.Aikhenvald (1999), p. 83. The example below is from the Tariana language, in which classifier suffixes mark the semantic category of the head noun on all elements of a noun phrase other than the head noun (including adjectives, numerals, demonstratives, possessives) and on the verb of the clause: : :


Subject and object cross-referencing on the verb

Most Arawakan languages have split-intransitive alignment systems of subject and object cross-referencing on the verb. The agentive arguments of both transitive and intransitive verbs are marked with prefixes, whereas the patientive arguments of both transitive and intransitive verbs are marked with suffixes. The following example from Baniwa of Içana shows a typical Arawakan split-intransitive alignment: : : : The prefixes and suffixes used for subject and object cross-referencing on the verb are stable throughout the Arawakan languages, and can therefore be reconstructed for Proto-Arawakan. The table below shows the likely forms of Proto-Arawakan:


Some examples

The Arawak word for corn is ''marisi,'' and various forms of this word are found among the related languages: :
Lokono The Lokono or Arawak are an Arawak people native to northern coastal areas of South America. Today, approximately 10,000 Lokono live primarily along the coasts and rivers of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Barbados and French Guiana. They speak t ...
, ''marisi'', Guyana. :
Taíno The Taíno were a historic indigenous people of the Caribbean whose culture has been continued today by Taíno descendant communities and Taíno revivalist communities. At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, they were the pri ...
, ''mahisi'', Greater Antilles. : Kawishana language, Cauixana, ''mazy'', Rio Jupura. :
Wayuu The Wayuu (also Wayu, Wayúu, Guajiro, Wahiro) are an Amerindian ethnic group of the Guajira Peninsula in northernmost part of Colombia and northwest Venezuela. The Wayuu language is part of the Maipuran (Arawak) language family. Geography ...
, ''maikki'', Goajira Peninsula. : Passes, ''mary'', Lower Jupura. : Puri language, Puri, ''maky'', Rio Paraiba. : Waurá language, Wauja, ''mainki'', Upper Xingu River.


Geographic distribution

Arawak is the largest family in the Americas with the respect to number of languages. The Arawakan languages are spoken by peoples occupying a large swath of territory, from the eastern slopes of the central Andes Mountains in Peru and Bolivia, across the Amazon basin of Brazil, northward into Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana,
Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
, Trinidad and Tobago and Colombia on the northern coast of South America, and as far north as Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize and Guatemala. The languages used to be found in Argentina and Paraguay as well. Arawak-speaking peoples migrated to islands in the Caribbean some 2,500 years ago, settling the Greater Antilles and the Bahamas. It is possible that some poorly attested extinct languages in North America, such as the languages of the Cusabo people, Cusabo and Congaree people, Congaree in South Carolina, were members of this family.
Taíno The Taíno were a historic indigenous people of the Caribbean whose culture has been continued today by Taíno descendant communities and Taíno revivalist communities. At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, they were the pri ...
, commonly called Island Arawak, was spoken on the islands of Cuba,
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
, Haiti,
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
,
Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
, and the
Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the ar ...
. A few Taino words are still used by English language, English, Spanish language, Spanish, or Haitian Creole-speaking descendants in these islands. The Taíno language was scantily attested but its classification within the Arawakan family is uncontroversial. Its closest relative among the better attested Arawakan languages seems to be the Wayuu language, spoken in Colombia and Venezuela. Scholars have suggested that the Wayuu are descended from Taíno refugees, but the theory seems impossible to prove or disprove.
Garífuna The Garifuna people ( or ; pl. Garínagu in Garifuna) are a people of mixed free African and indigenous American ancestry that originated in the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent and speak Garifuna, an Arawakan language, and Vincentian Cr ...
(or Black Carib) is another Arawakan language originating on the islands. It developed as the result of forced migration among people of mixed Arawak, Carib, and African descent. It is estimated to have about 195,800 speakers in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Belize combined. Today the Arawakan languages with the most speakers are among the more recent ''Ta-''Arawakan (''Ta-''Maipurean) groups:
Wayuu The Wayuu (also Wayu, Wayúu, Guajiro, Wahiro) are an Amerindian ethnic group of the Guajira Peninsula in northernmost part of Colombia and northwest Venezuela. The Wayuu language is part of the Maipuran (Arawak) language family. Geography ...
[Goajiro], with about 300,000 speakers; and
Garifuna The Garifuna people ( or ; pl. Garínagu in Garifuna) are a people of mixed free African and indigenous American ancestry that originated in the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent and speak Garifuna, an Arawakan language, and Vincentian ...
, with about 100,000 speakers. The Campa group is next; Asháninka language, Asháninca or Campa proper has 15–18,000 speakers; and Ashéninca 18–25,000. After that probably comes Terena language, Terêna, with 10,000 speakers; and Yanesha' language, Yanesha' [Amuesha] with 6–8,000.


Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Arawakan languages.


Proto-language

Proto-Arawak reconstructions by Aikhenvald (2002):Aikhenvald, A. (2002). Language contact in Amazonia. Oxford University Press. Accessed fro
DiACL
9 February 2020.
For lists of Proto-Arawakan reconstructions by Jolkesky (2016) and Ramirez (2019),Ramirez, Henri (2019).
Enciclopédia das línguas arawak: acrescida de seis novas línguas e dois bancos de dados
'. (in press)
see the corresponding :pt:Proto-arawak, Portuguese article.


See also

*Arawak peoples *List of English words from indigenous languages of the Americas#Words from Arawakan languages, English words of Arawakan origin *Classification of indigenous peoples of the Americas


Notes


References

* Alexandra Aikhenvald, Aikhenvald, Alexandra Y. (1999). The Arawak language family. In R. M. W. Dixon & A. Y. Aikhenvald (Eds.), ''The Amazonian languages''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ; . * de Goeje, C. H., (1928). ''The Arawak language of Guiana'', Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen, Amsterdam, Afdeling Letterkunde, Nieuwe Reeks. * Joseph Deniker, Deniker, Joseph. (1900). ''The races of man: an outline of anthropology and ethnography''. * Garifuna. (2015). In M. P. Lewis, G. F. Simmons, & C. D. Fennig (Eds.), ''Ethnologue: Languages of the world'' (18th ed.). Dallas, TX: SIL International. * Terrence Kaufman, Kaufman, Terrence. (1990). Language history in South America: What we know and how to know more. In D. L. Payne (Ed.), ''Amazonian linguistics: Studies in lowland South American languages'' (pp. 13–67). Austin: University of Texas Press. . * Terrence Kaufman, Kaufman, Terrence. (1994). The native languages of South America. In C. Mosley & R.E. Asher (Eds.), ''Atlas of the world's languages'' (pp. 46–76). London: Routledge. * Nordhoff, Sebastian; Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2013). "Arawakan". ''Glottolog''. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. * Rudes, Blair A
"Pre-Columbian Links to the Caribbean: Evidence Connecting Cusabo to Taino"
paper presented at ''Language Variety in the South III'' conference, Tuscaloosa, AL, 16 April 2004. *


Further reading

* Campbell, Lyle. (1997). ''American Indian languages: The historical linguistics of Native America''. New York: Oxford University Press. . * Derbyshire, Desmond C. (1992). Arawakan languages. In W. Bright (Ed.), ''International encyclopedia of linguistics'' (Vol. 1, pp. 102–105). New Oxford: Oxford University Press. * Migliazza, Ernest C.; & Campbell, Lyle. (1988). ''Panorama general de las lenguas indígenas en América'' (pp. 223). Historia general de América (Vol. 10). Caracas: Instituto Panamericano de Geografía e Historia. * Payne, David. (1991). A classification of Maipuran (Arawakan) languages based on shared lexical retentions. In D. C. Derbyshire & G. K. Pullum (Eds.), ''Handbook of Amazonian languages'' (Vol. 3, pp. 355–499). Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. * Solís Fonseca, Gustavo. (2003). Lenguas en la amazonía peruana. Lima: edición por demanda. * Zamponi, Raoul. (2003). Maipure, Munich: Lincom Europa. . ;Lexicons *Cadete, C. (1991). Dicionário Wapichana-Português/Português-Wapishana. São Paulo: Edições Loyola. *Captain, D. M.; Captain, L. B. (2005). Diccionario Basico: Ilustrado; Wayuunaiki-Espanol ; Espanol-Wayuunaiki. Bogota: Edit. Fundación para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Marginados. *Corbera Mori, A. (2005). As línguas Waurá e Mehinakú do Brasil Central. In: A. S. A. C. Cabral & S. C. S. de Oliveira (eds.), Anais do IV Congresso Internacional da ABRALIN, 795-804. Brasília: Associação Brasileira de Lingüística, Universidade de Brasília. *Couto, F. P. (2012). Contribuições para a fonética e fonologia da língua Manxineru (Aruák). Brasília: Universidade de Brasília. (Masters dissertation). *Couto, F. P. (n.d.). Dados do manxineri. (Manuscript). *Crevels, M.; Van Der Voort, H. (2008). The Guaporé-Mamoré region as a linguistic area. In: P. Muysken (ed.), From linguistic areas to areal linguistics (Studies in Language Companion Series, 90), 151-179. Amsterdam, Philadelphia: John Benjamins. *de Créqui-Montfort, G.; Rivet, P. (1913b). Linguistique Bolivienne: La langue Lapaču ou Apolista. Zeitschrift für Ethnologie, 45:512-531. *de Créqui-Montfort, G.; Rivet, P. (1913c). Linguistique bolivienne. La langue Saraveka. Journal de la Sociétè des Americanistes de Paris, 10:497-540. *Dixon, R. M. W.; Aikhenvald, A. (eds.) (1999). The Amazonian Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. *Duff-Tripp, M. (1998). Diccionario: Yanesha' (Amuesha) - Castellano. (Serie Lingüística Peruana, 47.) Lima: Inst. Lingüístico de Verano. *Ekdahl, E. M.; Butler, N. E. (1969). Terêna dictionary. Brasília: SIL. ELIAS ORTIZ, S. (1945). Los Indios Yurumanguíes. Acta Americana, 4:10-25. *Facundes, S. Da S. (2000). The Language of the Apurinã People of Brazil (Maipure/Arawak). University of New York at Buffalo. (Doctoral dissertation). *Farabee, W. C. (1918). The Central Arawaks (University Museum Anthropological Publication, 9). Philadelphia: University Museum. *Fargetti, C. M. (2001). Estudo Fonológico e Morfossintático da Língua Juruna. Campinas: UNICAMP. (Doctoral dissertation). *Gill, W. (1993 [1970]). Diccionario Trinitario-Castellano y Castellano-Trinitario. San Lorenzo de Mojos: Misión Evangélica Nuevas Tribus. *Green, D.; Green, H. G. (1998). Yuwit kawihka dicionário Palikúr - Português. Belém: SIL. *Jolkesky, M. P. V. (2016). Uma reconstrução do proto-mamoré-guaporé (família arawak). LIAMES, 16.1:7-37. *Kindberg, L. D. (1980). Diccionario asháninca (Documento de Trabajo, 19). Yarinacocha: Summer Institute of Linguistics. *Mehináku, M. (n.d.). Vocabulário mehinaku. (Manuscript). *Mosonyi, J. C. (1987). El idioma yavitero: ensayo de gramática y diccionario. Caracas: Universidad Central de Venezuela. (Doctoral dissertation). *Nies, J., et alii (1986). Diccionario Piro. Tokanchi Gikshijikowaka-Steno (Serie Lingüística Peruana, 22). Yarinacocha: Summer Institute of Linguistics. *Ott, W.; Burke de Ott, R. (1983). Diccionario Ignaciano y Castellano: con apuntes gramaticales. Cochabamba: Inst. Lingüístico de Verano. *Parker, S. (1995). Datos de la lengua Iñapari. (Documento de Trabajo, 27). Yarinacocha: Summer Institute of Linguistics. *Parker, S. (2010). Chamicuro data: exhaustive list. (SIL Language and Culture Documentation and Description, 12). SIL International. *Payne, D. L. (1991). A classification of Maipuran (Arawakian) languages based on shared lexical retentions. In: D. C. Derbyshire & G. K. Pullun (orgs.), Handbook of Amazonian languages, 355-499. The Hague: Mouton. *Ramirez, H. (2001a). Dicionário Baniwa-Portugues. Manaus: Universidade do Amazonas. *Ramirez, H. (2001b). Línguas Arawak da Amazônia Setentrional. Manaus: EDUA. *Shaver, H. (1996). Diccionario nomatsiguenga-castellano, castellano-nomatsiguenga (Serie Linguística Peruana, 41). Pucallpa: Ministerio de Educación & Summer Institute of Linguistics. *Snell, B. (1973). Pequeño diccionario machiguenga-castellano. Yarinacocha: SIL. *Solís, G.; Snell, B. E. (2005). Tata onkantakera niagantsipage anianeegiku (Diccionario escolar Machiguenga). Lima, Perú: Summer Institute of Linguistics. *Souza, I. (2008). Koenukunoe emo'u: A língua dos índios Kinikinau. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. (Doctoral dissertation). *Suazo, S. (2011). Lila Garifuna: Diccionario Garífuna: Garifuna - Español. Tegucigalpa, Honduras: Litografía López. *Trevor R. A. (1979). Vocabulario Resígaro (Documento de Trabajo, 16). Yarinacocha: Summer Institute of Linguistics. *Tripp, M. D. (1998). Diccionario Yanesha' (Amuesha)-Castellano. (Serie Lingüística Peruana, 47). Lima: Ministerio de Educación / Summer Institute of Linguistics. *Wapishana Language Project. (2000). Scholars's dictionary and grammar of the Wapishana language. Porto Velho: SIL International. *Durbin, M.; Seijas, H. (1973). A Note on Panche, Pijao, Pantagora (Palenque), Colima and Muzo. International Journal of American Linguistics, 39:47-51. ;Data sets *Thiago Costa Chacon. (2018, November 27). CLDF dataset derived from Chacon et al.'s "Diversity of Arawakan Languages" from 2019 (Version v1.0.1). Zenodo. *Thiago Costa Chacon. (2018). CLDF dataset derived from Chacon's "Arawakan and Tukanoan contacts in Northwest Amazonia prehistory" from 2017 (Version v1.1) [Data set]. Zenodo. *Thiago Costa Chacon. (2018). CLDF dataset derived from Chacon's "Annotated Swadesh Lists for Arawakan Languages" from 2017 (Version v1.0.1) [Data set]. Zenodo. ;Reconstructions *Matteson, E. (1972). Proto Arawakan. In: E. Matteson et al. (eds.), ''Comparative Studies in Amerindian Languages'', 160-242. The Hague and Paris: Mouton. *Noble, G. K. (1965). ''Proto-Arawakan and its descendants''. Publications of the Indiana University Research Center in Anthropology, Folklore, and Linguistics, 38. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. *Valenti, D. M. (1986). ''A Reconstruction of the Proto-Arawakan Consonantal System.'' New York University. (Doctoral thesis).


External links


Arawak Languages - Linguistics - Oxford Bibliographies

South American Phonological Inventory Database
{{Authority control Arawakan languages, Language families Macro-Arawakan languages