Arawan languages

Arawán
Arauán
Geographic
distribution
Brazil and Peru
Linguistic classificationHarákmbut–Katukinan ?
Macro-Arawakan ?
  • Arawán
Subdivisions
Language codes
ISO 639-5auf
Glottologaraw1282

Arawan (also Arahuan, Arauan, Arawán, Arawa, Arauán) is a family of languages spoken in western Brazil (Amazonas, Acre) and Peru (Ucayali).

Language contact

Jolkesky (2016) notes that there are lexical similarities with the Chapakura-Wañam, Jivaro, Kwaza, Maku, Mura-Matanawi, Taruma, Yanomami, Arawak, Nadahup, Puinave-Kak, and Tupi language families due to contact.

Family division

Arauan consists of half a dozen languages:

Jolkesky (2016)

Internal classification by Jolkesky (2016):

(† = extinct)

Dienst (2010)

Internal classification by Dienst (2010):

Mason (1950)

Arauá internal classification by Mason (1950):

  • Arauá
    • Arauá
    • Culino
      • Culina
      • Curia
      • Curiana
      • Culiña
    • Pama
      • Pama
      • Pamana
    • Yamamadí
      • Yamamadí: Capaná, Capinamari, Colo
      • Purupurú: Paumarí (Pammarí)
      • Yuberi
    • Madihá
    • Sewacu
    • Sipó

Other varieties

Loukotka (1968)

Varieties listed by Loukotka (1968):

Proto-language

Below are selected Proto-Arawá (Proto-Arawan) reconstructions of flora and fauna names by Dixon (2004):

Flora

Proto-ArawáEnglish glossPortuguese gloss
*bihayam sp.carai
*bobapalm sp.paxiúba
*bodifruit sp.bacuri
*'bokotree sp.imbaúba
*donitonka beancumaru
*hawapatauá palmpatauá
*imiingá (tree and edible fruit)ingá
*janipalm sp.paxiubinha
*jawanapalm sp.murumuru
*jawidapeach palm
*kahamipalm sp.urucuri
*majotree sp.pajurá
*nabohipalm sp.paxiúba-barriguda
*oragenipapjenipapo
*para'iassai palm
*sanaropassion fruitmaracujá
*tamajaramatamatá tree, envira treematamatá, envira
*taminojackfruit tree
*waishowaseveral trees of genus Lucumaabiurana
*wasina, *wasinikapok ceibe treesamaúma, Ceiba pentandra
*wekhe'irubber treeHevea brasiliensis
*xidepetree sp.; red paint made from fruiturucu, Bixa orellana

Fauna

Mammals

Proto-ArawáEnglish glossPortuguese gloss
*gaphawoolly monkey
*hijamawhite-lipped peccary
*hojawagiant anteater
*ja'osloth sp.
*jajikohowler monkey
*jotomicoatiquati
*jowi(hi)capuchin monkey
*kawinahowler monkey
*kiriwethree-toed sloth
*kishi-armadillotatu
*kisocapuchin monkey
*kosikosikinkajou, night monkeyjupará
*masebat
*modoanteatertamanduá
*mowinight monkey
*pishisquirrel monkey; marmoset (small monkey)macaco-de-cheiro, Saimiri sciureus
*shawa(ri)weasel sp.irara
*shinamaagouticutia
*tamakorimonkey sp.macaco parauaçu, Pithecia monachus

Birds

Proto-ArawáEnglish glossPortuguese gloss
*ama'ahawasocó heronsocó
*amasawarisocozinho heronsocozinho
*dapoguan (bird sp.)
*DiroDirokingfisher
*hiritimotmot bird
*jakhitoucan (Ramphastos)
*kamowadove sp.juriti, rolinha
*kawashirooriole
*komitrogon (bird sp.)
*kherekingfisherariramba
*okokopigeon, dove sp.juriti
*shabiriaeagle-hawkHarpia harpyja
*tanopied-crested oropendola (type of oriole)japu
*tawikhoro(ro)black-fronted nunbirdbico-de-brasa
*tobejaro, *tobejero)nighthawkbacurau
*wara-chachalaca (bird)aracuã

Fish

Proto-ArawáEnglish glossPortuguese gloss
*aba majaroarowana (fish sp.)aruanã
*'awidapiau sp. (fish)piau
*bahamasurubim (large fish)surubim
*basanipacu (fish sp.)pacu
*bidamacatfish sp.mandi
*dawibig leaf calathea (fish sp.)
*kosop(h)atucunaré (fish sp.)tucunaré
*khorobofish sp.jeju?
*morofish sp. (cangati sp.; large catfish)cangati; jai preto, Paulicea luetkeni
*otawicará (fish sp.)cará
*sirabafish sp.cangati, cará, acará
*shakolungfishtraíra

Other animals

Proto-ArawáEnglish glossPortuguese gloss
*kowasatortoise
*shireturtletartaruga
*bithalarge mosquitocarapanã
*'Diriricicada
*jimo, *jomoant sp.tocandira
*karajatibiting flymutuca
*waharolarge mosquitocarapanã

Bibliography

Lexicons

References

  1. 1 2 Jolkesky, Marcelo Pinho De Valhery. 2016. Estudo arqueo-ecolinguístico das terras tropicais sul-americanas. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Brasília.
  2. ↑ Dienst, Stefan (2010). The internal classification of the Arawan languages. LIAMES: Línguas Indígenas Americanas, 8(1), 61-67. doi:10.20396/liames.v8i1.1471
  3. ↑ Mason, John Alden (1950). "The languages of South America". In Steward, Julian (ed.). Handbook of South American Indians. Vol. 6. Washington, D.C., Government Printing Office: Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 143. pp. 157–317.
  4. ↑ "Himarimã". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  5. ↑ "Isolated Indians". Povos Indígenas no Brasil. Archived from the original on 2012-02-12. Retrieved 2012-02-12.
  6. ↑ Hammarström, Harald (September 2015). "Ethnologue 16/17/18th editions: A comprehensive review: Online appendices". Language. 91 (3): s1–s188. doi:10.1353/lan.2015.0049. hdl:11858/00-001M-0000-0029-1D58-0. ISSN 1535-0665.
  7. ↑ Campbell, Lyle (2024-06-25), "Indigenous Languages of South America", The Indigenous Languages of the Americas (1 ed.), Oxford University PressNew York, pp. 182–279, doi:10.1093/oso/9780197673461.003.0004, ISBN 978-0-19-767346-1, retrieved 2025-07-10
  8. ↑ Loukotka, Čestmír (1968). Classification of South American Indian languages. Los Angeles: UCLA Latin American Center.
  9. ↑ Adelaar, Willem F. H.; Brijnen, Hélène B. (2014). "Natterer's Linguistic Heritage". In Weltmuseum Wien Friends (ed.). Archiv 63-64. ISBN 978-3-643-99824-8.
  10. ↑ Dixon, R. M. W. 2004. Proto-Arawá Phonology. Anthropological Linguistics 46: 1-83.