The following purported languages of South America are listed as unclassified in either Campbell (2024), Loukotka (1968), Ethnologue, or Glottolog. Nearly all are extinct. It is likely that many of them were not actually distinct languages, only ethnic or regional names.
Campbell (2024) lists the following languages of South America as unclassified. Most are extinct. Many were drawn from Loukotka (1968) and Adelaar & Muysken (2004). The majority are not listed in Ethnologue. The list is arranged in alphabetical order.
Amikoana (Amikuân, Amicuan) – Brazil; appears to be nonexistent and is certainly extinct now, classified by Loukotka (1968) as a Cariban language related to Wayana, Arakajú and Apalaí
Cabixi (Kabixi) - Mato Grosso, Brazil; a short word-list. The name 'Kabixí' is a generic name for any hostile group, and has been used for a number of unattested and already known languages. It may be tonal.
Cachipuna – Peru
Cafuana – Brazil
Cagua – Colombia; ISO 639 code retired as spurious
Caguan (Kaguan) – Argentina
Cahan – Brazil
Caimbé (Kaimbé, Caimbe) – Brazil; extinct, known from 7 words
Cajamarca – Peru
Cajatambo – Peru
Camana (Maje) – Peru
Camaraxo – Brazil
Camaré – Brazil
Campaces – Ecuador; possibly Barbacoan, with Tsafiki, but unconfirmed
Guaca – Colombia; known from only one word, being guaca 'devil'
Guacará – Argentina
Guadaxo – Brazil
Guaimute – Brazil
Guajarapo (Guasaroca) – Bolivia
Guanaca – Colombia; possibly a relative of Guambiano (Barbacoan)
Guane – Colombia; possibly Chibchan but no documentation
Guanarú – Brazil
Guanavena – Brazil
Guarino – Brazil
Guenta – Colombia
Guyarabe – Brazil
Hacaritama – Colombia; supposed wordlist shown to be from Wayuu
Harritiahan – Brazil
Hiauahim (Javaim) – Brazil
Himarimã – Brazil; uncontacted group, apparently Arawan based on a lost wordlist
Huancavilca – Ecuador; extinct, only 4 words known
Huamachi – Peru
Humahuaca (Omaguaca) – Argentina; known from only proper names, apparent subdivisions are Fiscara, Jujuy, Ocloya, Osa, Purmamarca, Tiliar; Mason (1950:302) proposed an "Ataguitan" grouping that includes Humahuaca, Diaguita, and Atacameño
Huambuco (Wámpuku) – Peru; alternative name for the Aguaruna people
Huayana – Peru
Huayla – Peru
Iapama (Ápama) – Brazil; retired in 2016 from ISO 639 due to absence of evidence of existence, uncontacted group synonymous with either Wayampi or Apalaí
Ibabi Aniji – Peru, name of a river inhabited by the Ese Ejja people (Huarayo)
Idabaez – Colombia; only 1 word (tubete 'medicine man') and a chief's name (Hijuoba) are known; Pacific coast, Bahía Solano to Cape Marzo in Colombia (Loukotka 1968)
Imaré – Brazil
Ina – Brazil
Iñajurupé – Brazil
Irra – Colombia; unclassifiable for lack of data, listed as Chocoan by Loukotka (1968)
Iruri – Brazil
Isolados do Massaco (?) – Brazil; possibly identified with Sirionó or Papiamän
Omejes – Colombia; retired in 2016 from ISO 639 for being nonexistent
Onicoré – Brazil
Onoyóro – Brazil
Orí – Brazil
Ortue (Ortu, Urtue) – Bolivia
Otecua – Peru
Otegua – Colombia
Otí (Eochavante, Chavante) – Brazil; Greenberg classifies it as Macro-Gê, though this is unlikely according to Ribeiro (2006:422), otherwise considered isolate, only 110 words known
Pubenza (Popayan) – Colombia; linked with Coconucan languages
Puná (Lapuná) – Ecuador
Puscajae (Pile) – Colombia; classified as Yurumanguí by Loukotka (1968)
Quelosi – Argentina
Querandí (Carendie) – Argentina, near Buenos Aires; may be related to Gününa Küne. Loukotka (1968) gives the words zobá 'moon' and afia 'bow'
Quiquidcana (Quidquidcana, Kikidkana) – Peru
Quijo (Kijo) – Ecuador; may be Barbácoan, but only 3 words are known
Quillacinga (Quillasinga) – Ecuador; may be Sebondoy; Fabre (1998:676) reports that the Kamsa (Camsá, speakers of a language isolate) are descended, at least in part, from the Quillasinga
Quimbaya – Colombia; may be Chocó, but only 8 words are known
Quingnam – Peru; extinct, possibly the same as and geographcally related to Lengua (Yunga) Pescadora of colonial sources; according to Quilter et al. (2010), a list of numbers was found
However, Glottolog states that Agavotaguerra is not unclassified, but unattested; the only reports are that the Agavotaguerra speak Yawalapiti. Shanenawa and Lule are both considered to belong to other language families, Panoan and Lule-Vilela respectively; Tingui-Botó is not a language but an ethnic group which originally spoke Dzubukuá, and Awishira and Pumé (Yaruro) are generally considered isolates.
Glottolog
In addition to many of the languages above, Glottolog lists the following:
Durbin, M.; Seijas, H. (1973). A Note on Panche, Pijao, Pantagora (Palenque), Colima and Muzo. International Journal of American Linguistics, 39:47-51.
References
↑Loukotka, Čestmír. 1968. Classification of South American Indian Languages Los Angeles: Latin American Studies Center, UCLA.
1234567Adelaar, Willem F. H.; Muysken, Pieter (2004). The languages of the Andes. Cambridge language surveys. Cambridge, UK New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-511-48685-2.
12Adelaar, Willem F. H.; Brijnen, Hélène B. (2014). "Natterer's Linguistic Heritage". In Weltmuseum Wien Friends (ed.). Archiv 63-64. LIT Verlag Münster. ISBN978-3-643-99824-8.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Colima". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Envuelto". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2026). "Wayampi". Glottolog 5.3. Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Idabaez". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Kantarure". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Muzo". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Querandi". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Quillacinga". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2026). "Kaxuiâna". Glottolog 5.3. Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. "Tchikoyána
Sikiana"
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Unainuman". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Apoto". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Nimuendajú, Curt (1948), "Little-known tribes of the Lower Amazon"(PDF), The Tropical Forest Tribes, Handbook of South American Indians, vol.3, Smithsonian Institution, Washington: Bureau of American Ethnology, pp.209–211, retrieved June 25, 2026
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Fayjatases". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Guachipas". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Hoxa". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Tembey". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Urucucús". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (eds.). "Yanacona". Glottolog . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
↑Viegas Barros, José Pedro (2005). Voces en el viento: raíces lingüísticas de la Patagonia; lingüística comparativa de las lenguas aborígenes del sur del continente americano. Colección El Suri (1sted.). Buenos Aires: Mondragón Ed. ISBN978-987-1163-04-5.
† indicates an extinct language, italics indicates independent status of a language, bold indicates that a language family has at least 6 members, * indicates moribund status