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Hubert Devonish
Jamaican Language Unit
31st January 2004 |
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| Belize |
| GARÍFUNA |
GARÍFUNA [CAB] 12,274 in Belize (1991
census). Another estimate is 20,460 (1989).
Stann Creek and Toledo along the coast. Alternate
names: CARIBE, CENTRAL AMERICAN CARIB, BLACK
CARIB. Classification: Arawakan, Maipuran,
Northern Maipuran, Caribbean.
[More
information] |
| KEKCHÍ |
[KEK] 9,000 in Belize (1995 SIL). Southern
Belize. Alternate names: KETCHÍ, QUECCHÍ,
CACCHÉ. Classification: Mayan, Quichean-Mamean,
Greater Quichean, Kekchi.
[More
information] |
| MAYA, YUCATÁN |
[YUA] 5,000 in the ethnic group in Belize
(1991). San Antonio and Succoths in Cayo District.
It may still be spoken in the Orange Walk
and Corozal districts near the Mexico border.
Alternate names: YUCATECO. Classification:
Mayan, Yucatecan, Yucatec-Lacandon.
[More
information] |
| MOPÁN
MAYA |
[MOP] 7,000 to 7,750 in Belize. Population
total both countries 9,600 to 10,350. Alternate
names: MAYA MOPÁN, MOPANE. Classification:
Mayan, Yucatecan, Mopan-Itza.
[More
information] |
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| Guyana |
| AKAWAIO
(ACEWAIO, AKAWAI, ACAHUAYO, KAPON) [ARB]
3,800 in Guyana, 9% of the Amerindians (1990 J.
Forte); 500 in Brazil; very few in Venezuela with
no villages there (1982 D. Wall WC); 4,300 or more
in all countries. West central, north of Patamona.
Carib, Northern,
East-West Guiana, Macushi-Kapon, Kapon. Important
differences in vocabulary from Patamona. Language
attitudes indicate separate literature is needed.
They and the Patamona call themselves 'Kapon'. Tropical
forest. Upland. Hunter-gatherers, fishermen. Traditional
religion. Bible portions 1873. Work in progress.
ARAWAK (LOKONO,
AROWAK) [ARW]
1,500 speakers (1984) out of 15,000 in the ethnic
group in Guyana (1990 J. Forte); 700 in Surinam;
150 to 200 in French Guiana; a few in Venezuela
(1977 SIL); 2,400 total speakers. West coast and
northeast along the Corantyne River. Arawakan,
Maipuran, Northern Maipuran, Caribbean. Reported
to be used only primarily by the elderly in Guyana
and Surinam. Others are bilingual. The ethnic
group in Guyana represents 33% of the Amerindians.
Bible portions 1850-1978. Survey needed.
KALIHNA (CARIB,
CARIBE, KALINYA, CARIÑA, GALIBÍ)
[CRB]
475 or more in Guyana (1991) out of 2,700 in the
ethnic group (1990 J. Forte); 2,500 in Surinam;
1,200 in French Guiana; 100 or fewer in Brazil
(1991); 4,000 to 5,000 in Venezuela (1978 J.C.
Mosonyi); 10,000 total (1991). West coast and
northwest. Carib,
Northern, Galibi. Dialect: MURATO (MYRATO, WESTERN
CARIB). The ethnic group in Guyana represents
6% of the Amerindians. Work in progress.
MACUSHI (MAKUSHI,
MAKUXI, MACUSI, MACUSSI, TEWEYA, TEUEIA) [MBC]
7,000 in Guyana, 16% of the Amerindians (1990
J. Forte); 3,800 in Brazil (1977 Migliazza); 600
in Venezuela (1976 UFM); 11,400 to 13,000 in all
countries. Southwestern border area, Rupununi
north savannahs. Spread out in small settlements
up to the foothills of the Pakaraima Mts. Carib,
Northern, East-West Guiana, Macushi-Kapon, Macushi.
Close to, but not intelligible with, Patamona.
The second language is English in Guyana, Portuguese
in Brazil, Spanish in Venezuela. Typology: OVS.
NT 1981. Bible portions 1923-1975. Work in progress.
PATAMONA (INGARIKO,
EREMAGOK, KAPON) [PBC]
4,700, 10% of the Amerindians (1990 J. Forte).
West central, about 13 villages. Carib,
Northern, East-West Guiana, Macushi-Kapon, Kapon.
Close to Macushi but not inherently intelligible.
Marginally intelligible with Arecuna. Closest
to Akawaio, but vocabulary differences and language
attitudes make separate literature necessary.
The Akawaio are less acculturated than Patamona.
'Ingariko' is the Macushi term for 'bush people'.
People in the village of Paramakatoi are literate
in English and Patamona. Some in other villages
are literate in English. NT 1974. Bible portions
1963-1967.
PEMON (PEMONG)
[AOC]
475 Arekuna in Guyana, 1% of the Amerindians (1990
J. Forte); 220 Taulipang in Brazil; 459 Ingarikó
in Brazil; 4,850 Pemon in Venezuela (1977 Migliazza);
5,930 in all countries. Paruima Settlement. Carib,
Northern, East-West Guiana, Macushi-Kapon, Kapon.
Dialects: CAMARACOTO, TAUREPAN (TAULIPANG), ARECUNA
(ARICUNA, AREKUNA, JARICUNA). Marginally intelligible
with Patamona and Akawaio. Camaracoto may be distinct.
Typology: OVS. Work in progress.
WAIWAI (UAIUAI,
UAIEUE, OUAYEONE, PARUKOTA) [WAW]
886 to 1,058 in both countries (1986 SIL). Southwest
Guyana, headwaters of the Essequibo River. Also
in Brazil. Carib,
Northern, East-West Guiana, Waiwai. Dialect: KATAWIAN
(KATWENA, KATAWINA). Tropical forest. NT 1984.
Bible portions 1966-1976.
WAPISHANA (WAPITXANA,
WAPISIANA, VAPIDIANA, WAPIXANA) [WAP]
9,000 in Guyana (1993 SIL), 14% of the Amerindians
(1990 J. Forte); 1,500 in Brazil (1986 SIL); 10,500
total. Southwest Guyana, south of the Kanuku Mts.,
northwest of the Waiwai; a few villages. Arawakan,
Maipuran, Northern Maipuran, Wapishanan. Dialects:
ATORAI (ATOR'TI, DAURI), MAPIDIAN (MAOPITYAN,
MAWAYANA), AMARIBA. Speakers' second language
is English, which is taught in school. Amariba
may be extinct. 40 Mapidian are intermarried with
Waiwai speakers and speak fluent Waiwai. Savannah.
Swidden agriculturalists: cassava. Traditional
religion, Christian. Bible portions 1975. Work
in progress.
WARAO (WARAU, WARRAU,
GUARAO, GUARAUNO) [WBA]
A few speakers in Guyana out of 4,700 in the ethnic
group (1990 J. Forte); a few in Surinam; 15,000
in Venezuela (1975). Northwestern Guyana near
coast, mixed with Arawak and Carib.
Language Isolate. In Oreala, Guyana, only the
older people speak the language. NT 1974. Bible
portions 1960-1967. |
| Suriname |
| AKURIO
(AKOERIO, AKURI, AKURIJO, AKURIYO, AKULIYO, WAMA,
WAYARICURI, OYARICOULET, TRIOMETESEM, TRIOMETESEN)
[AKO]
40 to 50 (1977 WT). Southeast jungle. Carib,
Northern, East-West Guiana, Wama. Related to, but
not inherently intelligible with, Trió. All
but one group is living with the Trió, becoming
bilingual in Trió. Contacted in 1969. Dialects
or related languages: Urukuyana, Kumayena. Nearly
extinct.
ARAWAK (LOKONO,
AROWAK) [ARW]
700 speakers out of 2,000 in the ethnic group
in Surinam; 1,500 speakers (1984) out of 15,000
in the ethnic group in Guyana (1990 Forte); 150
to 200 in French Guiana; a few in Venezuela; 2,400
total speakers. Scattered locations across the
north of Surinam. Arawakan,
Maipuran, Northern Maipuran, Caribbean. Reported
to be used only by the elderly in Surinam and
Guyana. The young people use Sranan. Dictionary.
25% to 50% literate. Bible portions 1850-1978.
Survey needed.
KALIHNA (CARIB,
CARIBE, CARIÑA, KALINYA, GALIBÍ,
MARAWORNO) [CRB]
2,500 in Surinam (1989 SIL); 475 or more in Guyana;
1,200 in French Guiana; 100 or fewer in Brazil
(1991); 4,000 to 5,000 in Venezuela (1978 J.C.
Mosonyi); 10,000 in all countries (1991 SIL).
Various locations along the north coast. The eastern
dialect in Surinam is primarily in the Albina
area and in French Guiana, Brazil, and Venezuela;
the western dialect is in the central and western
areas of Surinam and in Guyana. Carib,
Northern, Galibi. Dialects: MURATO (MYRATO, WESTERN
CARIB), TYREWUJU (EASTERN CARIB). In some areas
the language is used by all ages. The eastern
dialect is the prestige dialect in Surinam. Speakers
of the central dialect are reported to be bilingual
and switching to Sranan. Dictionary. Grammar.
25% to 50% literate. Work in progress.
TRIÓ (TIRIÓ)
[TRI]
800 in Surinam (1977 WIM); 329 in Brazil (1995
AMTB); 1,130 in both countries. South central,
villages of Tepoe and Alalapadu. Carib,
Northern, East-West Guiana, Wayana-Trio. 25% to
50% literate. NT 1979. Bible portions 1974.
WARAO (WARRAU,
GUARAO, GUARAUNO) [WBA]
A very small number of older individuals in Surinam
and the Oreala, Guyana border area; 15,000 in
Venezuela (1975). Near Guyana border.
Language Isolate. They speak Guyanese in Surinam
and Guyana. NT 1974. Bible portions 1960-1967.
WAYANA (OAYANA,
WAJANA, UAIANA, OYANA, OIANA, ALUKUYANA, UPURUI,
ROUCOUYENNE) [WAY]
600 in Surinam; 150 in Brazil; 200 in French Guiana
(1977 WT); 950 total. Villages in southeastern
Surinam. Carib,
Northern, East-West Guiana, Wayana-Trio. 25% to
50% literate. NT 1979. Bible portions 1970. |
| References |
Abbott, M. 2003a. Let’s Read
and Write Makusi: A Transition Manual. Georgetown:
Guyana Book Foundation and North Rupununi District
Development Board.
---------- . 2003b. My First Grammar Book. Georgetown:
Guyana Book Foundation and North Rupununi District
Development Board [in press].
Bennett, J. 1989. An Arawak-English Dictionary
with an English word list. Archeology and Anthropology
6/1-2. Georgetown: Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology.
Cayetano, E. R., 1993, The People’s Garifuna
Dictionary, National Garifuna Council, Belize.
Ethnologue, 1992, 1996, Grimes, B. (ed.), 13th
Edition, Summer Institute of Linguistics, Inc.,
Summer Institution of Linguistics, (web version).
http://www.ethnologue.com/,
Downloaded January, 2004.
Forte, J. 2003. ‘Review Essay of “Atlas
of the Languages of Suriname”, Carlin, E.
& J. Arends (eds.) 2002, Leiden, KILTV’,
in The Journal of Caribbean Amerindian History
and Anthropology, May 2003, http://www.kacike.org/ForteAtlas.htm,
Downloaded January, 2004.
GINA (Guyana Information Agency) 2003, ‘Native
language seminar geared at preserving Amerindian
languages’, November 25, 2003. http://www.gina.gov.gy/archive/daily/b031125.htm#NativeLanguage,
Downloaded January, 2004
Langworthy, Geneva, ‘Language planning
in a trans-national speech community’,
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/ILAC/ILAC_5.pdf,
Downloaded January 2004.
La Rose, M. 2003, ‘Makushi language project
launched’, Stabroek News, April 2, 2003.
http://www.landofsixpeoples.com/news301/ns3040210.htm,
Downloaded January, 2004.
Maffi, Luisa, 1998 http://www.terralingua.org/DiscPapers/DiscPaper3.htm
, Downloaded January, 2004.
Melville, Ian, 2003, ‘Guyana indigenous
culture, past and present’, presented at
the Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth Caribbean
and the Americas Expert Meeting, Georgetown, Guyana,
23-25th June, 2003. http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:PS-9XpedtrQJ:www.cpsu.org.uk/downloads/Ian%2520Melville.pdf+patamona+language&hl=en&ie=UTF-8,
Downloaded, January, 2004.
Taylor, D. 1977, Languages of the West Indies,
Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
UNESCO 2003, ‘UNESCO adopts international
convention to safeguard intangible cultural heritage’,
http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php@URL_ID=16783&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.htm,
Downloaded January 2004.
UNESCO Redbook of Endangered Languages, 2003,
http://www.tooyoo.l.u-tokyo.ac.jp/Redbook/index.htm,
Downloaded January 2004.
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| There are an estimated 5,000 to 7,000
languages spoken today on the five continents (Krauss
1992; Grimes 1996). Ethnologue, the best existing
catalogue of the world's languages (13th edition,
Grimes 1996), gives a total of 6,703 languages,
of which 32% found in Asia, 30% in Africa, 19% in
the Pacific, 15% in the Americas, and 3% in Europe.
Of these languages, statistics put together by conservationist
David Harmon (Harmon 1995, based on the 12th edition
of the Ethnologue, Grimes 1992) indicate that about
half are spoken by communities of 10,000 speakers
or less; half of these, in turn, are spoken by communities
of 1,000 speakers or less. Overall, languages with
10,000 speakers or under total about 8 million people,
less than 0.2% of an estimated world population
of 5.3 billion (ibid.) (Maffi, 199?)
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