Eperara language

Last updated
Eperara
Saija
Epena
Native to Colombia
Native speakers
3,600 in Colombia and Ecuador (2004–2012) [1]
plus an unknown number in Panama [1]
Chocoan
Language codes
ISO 639-3 sja
Glottolog epen1239
ELP Epena
Embera eperara.png

Eperaraa.k.a.Epena (Southern Embera) is an Embera language of Colombia, with about 250 speakers in Ecuador.

Contents

Geographic distribution

Epena is spoken on the Pacific coastal rivers of the departments of Nariño, Cauca, and Valle del Cauca in Colombia. A major grouping of the Epena is found in Cauca along the Saija River and three of its major tributaries: the Guangüí, Infí, and Cupí. Social contact and intermarriage with the neighboring Wounaan is commonplace. [2]

The Basuradó dialect is spoken on the Basuradó River in the Department of the Chocó, near the Docampadó River. This is the only Epena dialect that differs significantly from the others. [2]

Phonology

The phonology consists of the following: [3]

Consonants

Bilabial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Stop plain p t k ʔ
aspiratedpʰtʰkʰ
voiced b d ɡ
Affricate t͡ʃ
Fricative s h
Nasal m n
Liquid trill r
tap ɾ
Glide w j

Vowels

Front Central Back
High i ĩ iː ɨ ɨ̃ ɨː u ũ uː
Mid e ẽ eː ə ə̃ əː o õ oː
Low a ã aː

Orthography

Glottal stops are represented with hyphens.

Long vowels are doubled.

C, f, h, l, ñ, q, v, x, z are used in foreign words and names. [4] [ better source needed ]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Eperara at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  2. 1 2 Harms, Phillip Lee (1994). "Epena Pedee syntax: Studies in the languages of Colombia 4" (PDF).
  3. ↑ Harms, Philip Lee (1984). Fonología del epena pedee (saija).
  4. ↑ Eperara language and pronunciation, Omniglot.

Bibliography


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