Arutani language


Arutani is a nearly extinct language spoken by only 17 individuals in Roraima, Brazil and two others in the Karum River area of Bolivar State, Venezuela. It was once spoken on the southern banks of Maracá Island in the Rio Branco area.
It is one of the most poorly attested extant languages in South America, and may be a language isolate. There is, however, no linguistic data on the language. Ethnic Arutani also speak Ninam.

Language contact

Jolkesky notes that there are lexical similarities with the Maku, Sape, Warao, Tikuna-Yuri, and Tukano language families due to contact.
Lexical similarities with Tucanoan languages are mostly cultural loanwords. Arutani and Tucanoan languages also have completely different pronominal systems, and sound correspondences are irregular. Thus, similarities between them can be attributed to contact with Eastern Tucanoan.

Vocabulary

lists the following basic vocabulary items for Auaké.