Gamela (Gamella, Acobu, Barbados) Curinsi or Acobu, is an unclassified and presumably extinct language of the

Maranhão Maranhão () is a state in Brazil. Located in the country's Northeast Region, it has a population of about 7 million and an area of . Clockwise from north, it borders on the Atlantic Ocean for 2,243 km and the states of Piauí, Tocantins and ...

region of Northeastern Brazil. It was originally spoken along the Itapecuru River, Turiaçu River, and

Pindaré River The Pindaré River is a river in Maranhão state of north-central Brazil. The Pindaré rises in the low hills which separate its basin from that of the Tocantins River to the south. In its lower reaches it is called the Pindaré-Mirim. It is a lef ...

, with ethnic descendants reported to be living in Cabo and Vianna in

State. Kaufman (1994) said that 'only Greenberg dares to classify this language', due to the lack of data on it. This is presumably the Gamela language of Viana for which 19 words are recorded in Nimuendajú (1937:68).

Other varieties

Below are other extinct varieties, many of which have no data, that may have been related to Gamela. *Arañí - once spoken between the

Parnaíba River The Parnaíba River ( pt, Rio Parnaíba) is a river in Brazil, which forms the border between the states of Maranhão and Piauí. Its main course is long and the Parnaíba River Basin covers .Ramos, T.P.A.; Ramos, R.T.C.; and Ramos, S.A.Q.A. (2 ...

and Itapecuru River *Puti (Poti) - once spoken at the mouth of the Poti River (unattested) *Anapurú - once spoken on the right bank of the

(unattested) *Uruati - extinct language from the mouth of the

Munim River The Munim River ( pt, Rio Munim) is a river of Maranhão state in northeastern Brazil. It flows north for about before emptying into the Baía de São José to the south of the state capital. The river has suffered from agricultural pollution and ...

, Maranhão *Cururi - extinct language of the neighbors of the Uruati tribe *Guanare - once spoken between the Itapecuru River and

(unattested) *Coroatá - once spoken on the Itapecuru River, Maranhão (unattested) *Guaxina - once spoken at the mouth of the Itapecuru River (unattested) *Curinsi - an extinct dialect of the Gamela once spoken near Vianna *Tacarijú - once spoken on the Longá River in the state of Piauí (unattested)

Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968) gives three words in Gamela: *''kokeáto'' 'pot' *''kyoipé'' 'tree' *''anéno'' 'tobacco' ''Gamella of Viana'' words recorded by Nimuendajú (1937:68) from his informant Maria Cafuza in Viana, Maranhão:Nimuendajú, Curt. 1937
The Gamella Indians
''Primitive Man'' 10. 58-71. :

References

Bibliography

* {{South American languages Indigenous languages of Northeastern Brazil Maranhão Extinct languages of South America Unclassified languages of South America