Kariri languages
The Karirí languages, generally considered dialects of a single language, were a group of languages formerly spoken by the Kiriri people of Brazil. It was spoken until the middle of the 20th century; the 4,000 ethnic Kiriri are now monolingual Portuguese speakers, though a few know common phrases and names of medicinal plants.
| Karirí | |
|---|---|
| Karirian | |
| Native to | Brazil |
| Region | between Bahia and Maranhão |
| Ethnicity | Kiriri people |
| Extinct | ca. 1970 |
Macro-Gê
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | kzw |
| Glottolog | kari1254 Kariri |
 | |
History
After the Dutch were expelled from Northeast Brazil in the 17th century, Portuguese settlers rapidly colonized the region, forcing Kariri speakers to become widely dispersed due to forced migrations and resettlement. Hence, Kariri languages became scattered across Paraíba, Ceará, Pernambuco, Bahia, and other states.[1]
Languages
The four known Kariri languages are:
There are short grammatical descriptions of Kipeá and Dzubukuá, and word lists for Kamurú and Sabujá. Ribeiro established through morphological analysis that Kariri is likely to be related to the Jê languages.
- Cariri
- Sapuya
Varieties
Below is a full list of Kiriri languages and dialects listed by Loukotka (1968), including names of unattested varieties.[3]
- Kariri / Quipea / Cariri - originally spoken in the Serra dos Velhos, Paraíba state, later at the old missions of Missão Velha, Missão Nova, Milagres, Crato, and others, in the states of Paraíba, Pernambuco and Ceará. Now entirely extinct, and the survivors speak only Portuguese.
- Kiriri / Dzubucua / Quiriri - extinct language once spoken on the islands of the São Francisco River near Cabrobó, Pernambuco. Now extinct, and the last survivors spoke only Portuguese.
- Sapuyá / Sabuya - extinct language originally spoken in the Serra Chapada, later in Caranguejo, Bahia
- Kamurú - originally spoken on the Pardo River and in Pedra Branca; the last survivors on the Gongogi River spoke only Portuguese.
- Unattested varieties
- Iñamum - once spoken on the Inhamum Island of the São Francisco River, Pernambuco. (Unattested)
- Quesque - once spoken on the Pajeú River, state of Pernambuco. (Unattested)
- Abacatiara - once spoken on an island in the São Francisco River, Pernambuco. (Unattested)
- Icozinho - once spoken around the confluence of the Salgado River and Jaguaribe River, Ceará. (Unattested)
- Icó - once spoken between the Salgado River, Piranhas River and Peixe River, Ceará. (Unattested)
- Calabaça - the Portuguese name of an extinct language of the Salgado River, Ceará. (Unattested)
- Cariú - once spoken between the Cariús River and Bastiões River, Ceará. (Unattested)
- Corema - formerly spoken on the Piancó River, state of Paraíba. (Unattested)
- Jucá - once spoken south of the sources of the Jaguaribe River and near Arneiroz, Ceará. (Unattested)
- Ichú / Ansus - once spoken on the sources of the Salgado River in the state of Ceará. (Unattested)
- Ariú / Peba - extinct language formerly spoken on the Piranhas River and Sabugi River in the state of Paraíba. (Unattested)
- Bultrin - extinct language of the Serra da Borborema of the state of Paraíba. (Unattested)
- Quixexeu - once spoken on the Jaguaribe River, Ceará. (Unattested)
- Quixelu - once spoken on the Jaguaribe River, Ceará. (Unattested)
- Aracapa - extinct language once spoken on Aracapa Island in the São Francisco River, Pernambuco. (Unattested)
Tumbalalá, now extinct, is an unattested and unclassified language, but words for Tumbalalá ritual objects used in their traditional toré religion appear to be of Kariri origin, namely pujá, kwaqui, and cataioba.[4]
Other languages called 'Kariri'
The names Kariri and Kiriri were applied to many peoples over a wide area in the east of Brazil, in the lower and middle São Francisco River area and further north. Most of their now-extinct languages are too poorly known to classify, but what is recorded does not suggest that they were all members of the Kariri family. Examples are:
- Katembri (Kiriri, Kariri, Kariri de Mirandela [near Banzaê and Quijingue in Bahia])
- Kaufman (1990) classified it as Katembri–Taruma.
- Xukurú (Kirirí, Kirirí-Xokó [in the Serra do Urubá of Pesqueira, Pernambuco])
- Loukotka (1968) says this forms a small family with Paratió.[3]
- Xocó (Xokó, Chocó [in Sergipe], Kariri-Xocó, Kariri-Shoko, Cariri-Chocó [in Alagoas], Xukuru-Kariri, Xucuru-Kariri, Xucuru-Cariri [in Alagoas])
- Three populations. Not clear if this was one language or three. In the Porto Real do Colégio and Palmeira dos Índios areas of Alagoas.[5]
Other nearby language isolates and language families:[5]
- Natú (in the area of Porto Real do Colégio, Alagoas)
- Wakoná (Aconã) (in Penedo, Alagoas) (unattested)
- Wasu (in Joaquim Gomes, Alagoas) (unattested)
- Pankararú (in Brejo dos Padres, Tacaratu, Pernambuco)
- Tuxá (in Rodelas, Bahia)
- Truká (in Cabrobó, Pernambuco) (unattested)
- Kapinawá (in Buíque, Pernambuco) (unattested)
- Wamoé (Atikum) (in the Serra Negra of Pernambuco and surroundings)
- Kambiwá (in Barreira, Petrolândia, Pernambuco)
- Yaté (Fulniô) (in Águas Belas, Pernambuco)
- Baenan (near Itaju, Bahia)
- Kaimbé (in Caimbé, Euclides da Cunha, Bahia)
- Kamakã languages (in Bahia and Minas Gerais states)
- Masakará (in Massacará, Euclides da Cunha, Bahia and Mirandela, Banzaê, Bahia)
- Tarairiú (in Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará states)
- Tremembé (in Ceará and surroundings) (unattested)
- Gamela (in Viana, Maranhão)
The Maxakalían, Krenák (Botocudo, Aimoré), and Purían families, which are probable Macro-Jê languages, are spoken further to the south in Espirito Santo and Minas Gerais states.
Language contact
Ramirez et al. (2015) notes that Kariri languages display some lexical similarities with Cariban languages. Similarities with Katembri (also known as Kariri of Mirandela or Kaimbé) may be due to either a Kariri superstratum or substratum in Katembri.[1]
Syntax
Unlike most Macro-Jê languages which are SOV, Karirí languages are verb-initial and make use of prepositions.[6]
Vocabulary
Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Kariri languages.[3]
gloss Quipea Dzubucua Sapuya Kamurú ear beñe beñé penix benyen tooth dza dza zá zah tongue nunu nunú nunü nunuh hand amísa musang musoé musang water dzu isú dzú dzu stone kro kro kro sun ukie uxe uché uchih moon kayaku kayakú gayakú gayakúh star bati bathü bathü batthüh tree bewó tsi tsui tobacco badze paewi poyú pot ruñu
Kiriri word list recorded by Wilbur Pickering in 1961 from João Manoel Domingo of Mirandela, Banzaê, Bahia:[5]
Portuguese gloss
(original)English gloss
(translated)Kiriri água water soˈdε̨ barriga belly mudu cabeça head kʌ̨sʌˈbu cachorro dog poiˈo carne de boi beef křaˈzɔ casa home kɔkɔtataˈpʌ̨ιnˈtεu cobra snake ˈuʌ̨ŋgiu dentes teeth uiˈsa fogo fire řuˈɔ infɔiŋkiřiři fumo smoke boˈze língua tongue ˈtʌ̨naˈdu mandioca cassava tokyʌ̨ milho corn paiˈ hεkinikři milho verde green corn niˈkři mulher woman tʌ̨nʌˈzu nariz nose lʌmbiˈzu olhos eyes uˈipɔ onça jaguar kosoˈbu inšiˈato orelhas ears kombεˈñuy papagaio parrot ɔřoɔ perto near křaˈbo pés foot bʌbεiˈu sal salt ˈįñʌ̨ñį sol sun buˈzofɔˈši sujo dirty ikřε velho old šiˈbɔ abóbora pumpkin křuñaˈvɔ (está) alegre (be) happy sιsιˈkři andar no mato go into the bush dořoˈřo ave (arapuá) type of bird kakiki ave (inambu) tinamou hoiˈpa batata potato břuziˈřundada bater (?) hit (?) dɔˈpɔ branco white ˈkařai cachimbo smoking pipe paˈu camaleão chameleon bodoˈyo carregado loaded pεdiˈpi cavalo horse kabaˈřu comida gostosa delicious food duˈhε coxa thigh ˈkokulˈdu criação creation buzuřu cutia agouti foiˈpřu dedos fingers poˈmɔdoˈi deus God tuˈpo dinheiro money kεiˈu ema rhea buˈʌ̨ faca (arco?) knife (bow?) uˈza feijão bean břuˈzohɔˈši um tipo de fruta a type of fruit com miolo core kɔˈpε gato cat pʌñ̨ ɔ ̨ índio Indian ʌ̨ˈį jabuti red-footed tortoise or
yellow-footed tortoisesamˈbo jacu (ave) jacu (Penelope bird) kakika joelho knee kɔkabεkε maltrapilho person wearing shabby clothes hundiřɔ manco lame uʌnˈtyɔ melão melon přεˈzεnuda mentira lie (not truth) zoˈpřε muita gente many people dodoˈši muito obrigado Thank you very much. buřεˈdu poio mulher bonita beautiful woman kařabuˈšε peba drink bεˈřɔ peneirar sift koha pessoa amarela yellow person křuaˈřʌ̨ pessoa vermelha red person bεřoˈhε pestana eyelash pʌ̨nadu preto black šεŋˈgε quadril hip kaiuˈε quati coati ˈbizaui quente hot daˈsả raposa fox iaˈka raso shallow ˈtařořo sacola bag doˈbε sene senile bɔdɔkɔpři surdo deaf ˈbεñamu tamanduá tamandua iaˈzu tatu armadillo ˈbuzuku urubu vulture ˈkikɔ veado deer buko verdade truth fiˈzo à vontade make yourself at home nεˈta (está) zangado (be) angry pɔkεˈdε
Loanwords
Eastern Macro-Jê loanwords in Kariri languages:[7]
gloss Kipeá Dzubukuá other languages beans ghinhé guenhie giñá (Kotoxó) hammock pité pitta pita (Coroado) Black person gorá engorá (Krenák) swamp, marsh pôhô pohok (Maxakalí) cow, cattle cradzó cradzo krazo ‘tapir’ (Masakará) tobacco badzé badze bosé ‘tobacco pipe’ (Coroado)
Tupinambá loanwords in Kariri languages:[7]
gloss Kipeá Dzubukuá Tupinambá other Eastern Macro-Jê languages needle awí abi Maxakalí ãmix banana bacobá pacova Coroado bacóba White person caraí carai caraíba Iatê klai, Krenák krai box cramemú caramẽmuã domestic pig curé curê Krenák kurek pumpkin erumú jurumũ, jeremũ Purí šurumúm ‘potato’ bread miapé miapé beads myghý muihi mboýra oil nhendí nianddi nhandy bench pycá apycába chicken, hen sabucá dapuca (güyra)ssapucáia Black person tapanhú tapwinhiu tapyyiúna Coroado tabañiú, Makoni tapagnon, Malalí tapagnon Black person tapyýia Iatê tupia hoe tasí itassýra Maxakalí taxunna money tayú tayu itajúba Maxakalí tayũmak God tupã tupam tupã Maxakalí topa, Krenák kupan, Coroado tupan priest waré padzuare abaré Maxakalí ãmãnex, Macuni amattèih, Coroado uáre, Masakará ampari mirror waruá guaruguá sugarcane mill wirapararã ybyrapararánga firearm mbocaba Coroado bokawa manioc tortilla mbeju Coroado bišu ‘manioc’ cow, cattle tapiira Coroado tapira, Malalí tapiet maize abati Krenák javati demon anhanga, anhangüera Coroado nhawuera dog jaguara Coroado džoàra
Portuguese loanwords in Kariri languages borrowed via Tupinambá and other intermediate sources:[7]
gloss Kipeá Dzubukuá Possible intermediate sources Portuguese other Macro-Jê languages goat cabará cabara cabará (Tupinambá) cabra horse cabarú cavarú (Tupinambá) cavalo Coroado kawarú, Cotoxó cavaró cross crusá crudzá curussá (Tupinambá) cruz Iatê klusa devil nhewó niẽwo niñavoo (Kapoxó) diabo paper papera papel Iatê wapela, Coroado tapera
Further reading
- Rodrigues, A. D. (1942). O Artigo Definido e os Numerais na Língua Kiriri. Arquivos do Museu Paranaense, 2:179-212.
References
- Ramirez, H., Vegini, V., & França, M. C. V. de. (2015). Koropó, puri, kamakã e outras línguas do Leste Brasileiro. LIAMES: Línguas Indígenas Americanas, 15(2), 223 - 277. doi:10.20396/liames.v15i2.8642302
- 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.
- Loukotka, Čestmír (1968). Classification of South American Indian languages. Los Angeles: UCLA Latin American Center.
- "Tumbalalá". Povos Indígenas no Brasil (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 January 2020.
- Meader, Robert E. (1978). Indios do Nordeste: Levantamento sobre os remanescentes tribais do nordeste brasileiro (in Portuguese). Brasilia: SIL International.
- Ribeiro, Eduardo Rivail. On the inclusion of the Karirí family in the Macro-Jê stock: additional evidence. Paper presented at SSILA 2011 (Pittsburgh), January 7, 2011.
- Ribeiro, Eduardo Rivail (2010). "Tapuya connections: language contact in eastern Brazil". LIAMES: Línguas Indígenas Americanas. 9 (1): 61–76. doi:10.20396/liames.v9i1.1463. ISSN 2177-7160.
Notes
- Ribeiro, Eduardo. (2002) 'O marcador de posse alienavel em Kariri: um morfema macro-je revisitado'. Revista Liames, 2: 31-48.
- Fabre, Alain. 2005. Diccionario etnolingüístico y guía bibliográfica de los pueblos indígenas sudamericanos: KARIRI