| Otomakoan | |
|---|---|
| Otomaco–Taparita | |
| Geographic distribution | Venezuelan Llanos |
| Linguistic classification | Macro-Otomakoan ?
|
| Subdivisions | |
| Glottolog | otom1276 |
 | |
Otomaco and Taparita are two long-extinct languages of the Venezuelan Llanos. [1] [2]
In addition to Otomaco and Taparita, Loukotka (1968) also lists Maiba (Amaygua), an unattested extinct language that was once spoken in Apure State, Venezuela between the Cunaviche River and Capanaparo River. [3]
Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for Otomac and Taparita. [3]
| gloss | Otomac | Taparita |
|---|---|---|
| one | engá | enda |
| two | dé | deñiaro |
| three | yakia | deni |
| head | dapad | dupea |
| eye | inbad | indó |
| tooth | miʔi | mina |
| man | andua | mayná |
| water | ya | ia |
| fire | núa | muita |
| sun | nua | mingua |
| maize | onona | |
| jaguar | maéma | |
| house | augua | ñaña |
Additional vocabulary for Otomaco and Taparita are documented in Rosenblat (1936). [2]
This is a list of different language classification proposals developed for the Indigenous languages of the Americas. The article is divided into North, Central, and South America sections; however, the classifications do not correspond to these divisions.
The Chonan languages are a family of indigenous American languages which were spoken in Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia. Two Chon languages are well attested: Selk'nam, spoken by the people of the same name who occupied territory in the northeast of Tierra del Fuego; and Tehuelche spoken by the people of the same name who occupied territory north of Tierra del Fuego. The name 'Chon', or Tshon, is a blend of 'Tehuelche' and 'Ona'.
Barbacoan is a language family spoken in Colombia and Ecuador.
Chimuan or Yuncan is a hypothetical small extinct language family of northern Peru and Ecuador.
Sapé, also called Kaliana or Caliana, is an extinct language recently spoken along the Paragua River and Karuna River. There were only about a few dozen speakers in the mid-1900s, and by the 2000s, only a few elderly speakers were found. Sapé may be a language isolate.
Katukinan (Catuquinan) is a language family consisting of two languages in Brazil, Katukina-Kanamarí and the perhaps moribund Katawixi. It is often not clear which names in the literature, which are generally tribal names and often correspond to dialects, refer to distinct languages. Indeed, they're close enough that some consider them all to be dialects of a single language, Kanamari.
Harakmbut or Harakmbet is the native language of the Harakmbut people of Peru. It is spoken along the Madre de Dios and Colorado Rivers, in the pre-contact country of the people. There are two dialects that remain vital: Amarakaeri (Arakmbut) and Watipaeri (Huachipaeri), which are reported to be mutually intelligible. The relationship between speakers of the two dialects is hostile.
Sechura–Catacao is a proposed connection between the small Catacaoan language family of Peru and the language isolate Sechura (Sek). The languages are extremely poorly known, but Kaufman (1990) finds the connection convincing, Campbell (2012) persuasive.
Warao is the native language of the Warao people. A language isolate, it is spoken by about 33,000 people primarily in northern Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname. It is notable for its unusual object–subject–verb word order. The 2015 Venezuelan film Gone with the River was spoken in Warao.
The Aimoré, Botocudoan or Borum languages, now sometimes known as Krenakan after the last one remaining, are a branch of the Macro-Jê languages – spoken mainly in Brazil – including moribund Krenak and extinct languages such as Guerén and Nakrehé. Loukotka (1968) considered them dialects of a single language, but more recent treatments describe at least some of them as separate languages.
The Yaruro language is an indigenous language spoken by Yaruro people, along the Orinoco, Cinaruco, Meta, and Apure rivers of Venezuela. It is not well classified; it may be an isolate, or distantly related to the extinct Esmeralda language.
The Otí language, also known as Chavante or Euchavante, is a language isolate once spoken in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, between the Peixe and Pardo rivers. The language became extinct at the beginning of the 20th century, and the last ethnic Oti died in 1988. Only a few word lists are preserved.
The Tiniwan languages are two extinct and one moribund language of Colombia that form a small family.
Taruma (Taruamá) is a divergent language of northeastern South America. It has been reported to be extinct several times since as far back as 1770, but Eithne Carlin discovered the last three speakers living in Maruranau among the Wapishana, and is documenting the language. The people and language are known as Saluma in Suriname.
The Timotean languages were spoken in the Venezuelan Andes around what is now Mérida. It is assumed that they are extinct. However, Timote may survive in the so-far unattested Mutú (Loco) language, as this occupies a mountain village (Mutús) within the old Timote state.
Guamo is an extinct language of Venezuela. Kaufman (1990) finds a connection with the Chapacuran languages convincing.
Otomaco is an extinct language of the Venezuelan Llanos.
Čestmír Loukotka was a Czechoslovak linguist and ethnologist. His daughter was Jarmila Loukotková.
Sanavirón is an extinct and unclassified language once spoken near the Salinas Grandes in Córdoba, Argentina. Loukotka (1968) classified it as a language isolate, but there is insufficient data to justify this according to Campbell (2012).
The indigenous languages of South America are those whose origin dates back to the pre-Columbian era. The subcontinent has great linguistic diversity, but, as the number of speakers of indigenous languages is diminishing, it is estimated that it could become one of the least linguistically diverse regions of the planet.
