Yanomaman languages

The Yanomam or Yanomamö languages ​​are an indigenous language family of South America in the border area of Brazil ( Roraima ) and Venezuela (Amazonas ). The Yanomam languages ​​include four closely related languages ​​( in brackets the language code from ISO 639-3 is in each case indicated):

  • Yanam (also: Ninam, Yanam - Ninam ) [ shb ] (about 570 Yanam Yanam or Ninam speak / Ninam, of which 470 in Brazil (1976 ) and about 100 in Venezuela, some groups in Venezuela also speak Pemón the neighboring Pemón and Spanish) Northern Yanam / Ninam ( Shiriana, Uraricaa - Paragua, Xiliana, saying, ' Shi -ri -a -na ') [ shb - nor]
  • Southern Yanam / Ninam ( Shirishana, Mukajai, Xilixana, saying, ' Shi -ri -sha -na ') [ shb - sou ]
  • Yanoma ( Kohoroxitari ) [ xsu -yan ]
  • Cobari ( Kobali, Cobariwa ) [ xsu - cob ]
  • Caura [ xsu - cau ]
  • Ervato - Ventuari [ xsu - erv ]
  • Avaris [ xsu - ouch ]
  • Yanoma ( Samatari, Samatali, Xamatari, " Kohoroxitari " )
  • Yanamam ( Patimitheri, Yanomami ) [ wca -yan ]
  • Yanomam ( Naomam, Guadema, Wadema, Warema ) [ wca -yao ]
  • Yanomay ( Toototobi ) [ wca - yay ]
  • Nanomam ( Karime ) [ wca -nan ]
  • Jauari ( Joari, Yoari, Aica ) [ wca cod ]
  • Western Yanomami ( Padamo Orinoco ) [ goo -wei ]
  • Eastern Yanomami ( Parima ) [ goo - eas ]

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

Alternatively, this language family is also regarded as a dialect continuum, that is, as a single language.

Linguistic characteristics

It is polysynthetic Ergativsprachen with the basic word order of subject-object - verb ( SOV ). They are also distinguished by the presence of nominal classes. The sound systems are relatively simple, there are, inter alia, two central vowels [ ɨ ] and [ ə ] before.

Linguistic typology
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