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(Top) 1 Characteristics 2 Classification 3 Family Division 4 Vocabulary Comparison 5 References

Jirajaran languages: Difference between revisions

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Jirajaran
Geographic distribution	Western Venezuela
Linguistic classification	Jirajaran
Subdivisions	Jirajara Ayomán Gayón
Pre-contact distribution of the Jirajaran languages

The Jirajaran languages are group of extinct languages once spoken in western Venezuela in the regions of Falcón and Lara. All of the Jirajaran languages appear to have become extinct in the early 20th Century.^[1]

Characteristics

Based on the little documentation that exists, a number of typological characteristics are reconstructable^[2]:

1. VO word orderintransitive clauses: apasi mamán (Jirajara); I.cut my.hand; I cut my hand

2. Subjects precede verbs: depamilia buratá (Ayamán); the.family is.good; The family is good

3. Possessors which precede the possessed: shpashiú yemún (Ayamán); arc its.rope; the arc of the rope

4. Adjectives follow the nouns they modify: pok diú (Jirajara); hill big; big hill

5. Numerals precede the nouns they quantify: boque soó (Ayamán); one cigarette; one cigarette

6. Use of postpositions, rather than prepositions: angüi fru-ye (Jirajara); I.go Siquisique-to; I go to Siquisique.

Classification

The Jirajaran languages are generally regarded as isolates. Adelaar and Muysken note certain lexical similarities with the Timotean languages and typological similarity to the Chibchan languages, but state that the data is too limited to make a definitive classification.^[1] Jahn, among others, has suggested a relation between the Jirajaran language and the Betoi languages, mostly on the basis of similar ethnonyms.^[3] Greenberg and Ruhlen classify Jirajaran as belonging to the Paezan language family, along with the Betoi languages, the Páez language, the Barbacoan languages and others.^[4]

Family Division

Based on adequate documentation, three languages are definitively classified as belonging to the Jirajaran family^[1]:

Jirajara, spoken in the state of Falcón
Ayomán, spoken in the village of Siquisique in the state of Lara
Gayón, spoken at the sources of the Tocuyo River in the state of Lara

Loukotka includes four additional languages, for which no linguistic documentation exists^[5]:

Coyone, spoken at the sources of the Portuguesa River in the state of Portuguesa
Cuiba, spoken near the city of Aricagua
Atatura, spoken between the Rocono and Tucupido rivers
Aticari, spoken along the Tocuyo River

Vocabulary Comparison

**Comparison of Jirajaran vocabulary, based on Jahn^[3]**
English	Ayomán	Gayón	Jirajara
fire	dug	dut, idú	dueg
foot	a-sengán	segué	angán
hen	degaró	digaró	degaró
house	gagap	hiyás	gagap
snake	huhí, jují	jují	túb
sun	iñ	yivat	yuaú

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Adelaar, Willem F. H. (2004). The Languages of the Andes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 129–30. ISBN 0-521-36275-X. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

^ Costenla Umaña, Adolfo (1991). Las Lenguas del Área Intermedia: Introducción a su Estudio Areal (inSpanish). San José: Editorial de la Universidad de Costa Rica. pp. 56–8. ISBN 9977-67-158-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

^ ^a ^b Jahn, Alfredo (1973) [1927]. Los Aborígenes del Occidente de Venezuela (in Spanish). Caracas: Monte Avila Editores, C.A.

^ Greenberg, Joseph; Ruhlen, Merritt (2007-09-04). "An Amerind Etymological Dictionary" (Document). Stanford: Dept. of Anthropological Sciences Stanford University. {{cite document}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |volume= and |series= (help); Unknown parameter |accessdate= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |edition= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |format= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |url= ignored (help)

^ Loukotka, Čestmír (1968). Classification of South American Indian Languages. Los Angeles: UCLA Latin American Center. pp. 254–5.