Nambikwaran languages
Encyclopedia
The Nambikwaran languages are a language family
of half a dozen languages, all spoken in the state of Mato Grosso
in Brazil
. They have traditionally been considered dialect
s of a single language, but at least three of them are mutually unintelligible. The total number of speakers is estimated to be about 1,500, with Nambikwara proper being 80% of that number.
The following classification is based on Ethnologue and on David Eberhard:
The Northern Nambikwaran languages are often seen as dialects of Mamaindê, but are treated as separate languages by Ethnologue
. Sabanê is a single speech community and thus has no dialects, while the Nambikwara language
has been described as having eleven.
Most Nambikwara are monolingual but some young men speak Portuguese
. Especially the men of the Sabanê group are trilingual, speaking both Portuguese and Mamainde.
Language family
A language family is a group of languages related through descent from a common ancestor, called the proto-language of that family. The term 'family' comes from the tree model of language origination in historical linguistics, which makes use of a metaphor comparing languages to people in a...
of half a dozen languages, all spoken in the state of Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso is one of the states of Brazil, the third largest in area, located in the western part of the country.Neighboring states are Rondônia, Amazonas, Pará, Tocantins, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul. It also borders Bolivia to the southwest...
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. They have traditionally been considered dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
s of a single language, but at least three of them are mutually unintelligible. The total number of speakers is estimated to be about 1,500, with Nambikwara proper being 80% of that number.
The following classification is based on Ethnologue and on David Eberhard:
- Northern Nambikwaran (Mamaindê)
- Lakondê (moribund)
- Latundê (20)
- MamaindêMamaindê languageMamaindê is a Nambikwaran language spoken in the Mato Grosso state of Brazil, in the very north of the indigenous reserve, Terra Indígena Vale do Guaporé, between the Pardo and Cabixi Rivers. In the southern part of the reserve, speakers of Sabanê and Nambikwara are found...
(330, including Nagarotê) - Tawaindê (Da’wan’du) (moribund)
- Yalakalore (extinct)
- Yalapmunde (?)
- NambikwaraNambikwara languageThe Nambikwara language is an indigenous language of Brazil, spoken by about 1200 Nambikwara people in the Mato Grosso state...
(1200) - Sabanê (60)
The Northern Nambikwaran languages are often seen as dialects of Mamaindê, but are treated as separate languages by Ethnologue
Ethnologue
Ethnologue: Languages of the World is a web and print publication of SIL International , a Christian linguistic service organization, which studies lesser-known languages, to provide the speakers with Bibles in their native language and support their efforts in language development.The Ethnologue...
. Sabanê is a single speech community and thus has no dialects, while the Nambikwara language
Nambikwara language
The Nambikwara language is an indigenous language of Brazil, spoken by about 1200 Nambikwara people in the Mato Grosso state...
has been described as having eleven.
Most Nambikwara are monolingual but some young men speak Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
. Especially the men of the Sabanê group are trilingual, speaking both Portuguese and Mamainde.