Yanomam languages

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Yanomam languages ​​in Venezuela

The Yanomam or Yanomamö languages are an indigenous language family of South America in the border area of Brazil (Roraima) and Venezuela (Amazon). The Yanomam languages ​​include four closely related languages ​​(the language code according to ISO 639-3 is given in square brackets ):

  • Yanam (also: Ninam, Yanam-Ninam) [shb] (approx. 570 Yanam or Ninam speak Yanam / Ninam, of which approx. 470 in Brazil (1976) and approx. 100 in Venezuela, some groups in Venezuela also speak the pemón of the neighboring Pemón and Spanish)
    • Northern Yanam / Ninam (Shiriana, Uraricaa-Paragua, Xiliana , pronounced: 'Shi-ri-a-na') [shb-nor]
    • Southern Yanam / Ninam (Shirishana, Mukajai, Xilixana , read: 'Shi-ri-sha-na') [shb-sou]
  • Sanumá (also: Tsanuma, Sanïma) [xsu] (approx. 6,410 Sanema speak Sanumá, of which 4,610 in Venezuela (2000) and 1,800 in Brazil (2006 D. Borgman), some groups in Venezuela also speak Maquiritari [mch] of the neighboring Ye 'kuana )
    • Yanoma (Kohoroxitari) [xsu-yan]
    • Cobari (Kobali, Cobariwa) [xsu-cob]
    • Caura [xsu-cau]
    • Ervato-Ventuari [xsu-erv]
    • Auaris [xsu-aua]
    • Yanoma (Samatari, Samatali, Xamatari, “Kohoroxitari”)
  • Yanomámi (also: Yanomam, Waiká) [wca] (approx. 9,000 Waika speak Yanomámi, is very similar to Yanomamö the actual Yanomami)
    • Yanamam (Patimitheri, Waika) [wca-yan]
    • Yanomam (Naomam, Guadema, Wadema, Warema) [wca-yao]
    • Yanomay (Toototobi) [wca-yay]
    • Nanomam (Karime) [wca-nan]
    • Jauari (Joari, Yoari, Aica) [wca-jau]
  • Yanomamö (also: actual Yanomamï, Guaharibo) [guu] (approx.17,640 Yanomami speak Yanomamö, is very similar to Yanomámi the Waika )
    • Western Yanomami (Padamo-Orinoco) [guu-wes]
    • Eastern Yanomami (Parima) [guu-eas]

The total number of speakers is 34,000, of which the Yanomamö ( actual Yanomamï) is the most important within the language family with 17,640 speakers.

Alternatively, this language family is also viewed as a dialect continuum , i.e. H. as a single language .

Linguistic characteristics

These are polysynthetic ergative languages with the basic word order subject-object-verb (SOV). They are also characterized by the presence of nominal classes . The sound systems are relatively simple. a. two central vowels [ɨ] and [ə].

See also

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Kohoroxitari is a village name and roughly means 'place of worms'

Web links