Nambikwaran languages


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 dialects of a single language, but at least three of them are mutually unintelligible.
The varieties of Mamaindê are often seen as dialects of a single language, but are treated as separate Northern Nambikwaran languages by Ethnologue. Sabanê is a single speech community and thus has no dialects, while the Nambikwara language has been described as having eleven.
The total number of speakers is estimated to be about 1,500, with Nambikwara proper being 80% of that number. Most Nambikwara are monolingual but some young men speak Portuguese. Especially the men of the Sabanê group are trilingual, speaking both Portuguese and Mamainde.

Genetic relations

Price proposes a relationship with Kanoê, but this connection is not widely accepted.

Language contact

Jolkesky notes that there are lexical similarities with the Aikanã, Irantxe, Itonama, Kanoe, Kwaza, Peba-Yagua, Arawak, Bororo, and Karib language families due to contact.

Varieties

Jolkesky (2016)

Internal classification by Jolkesky :
;Nambikwara
Below is a full list of Nambikwaran language varieties listed by Loukotka, including names of unattested varieties.
Mason lists the following varieties under "Nambicuara proper":

Mason (1950)

Sabane is listed by Mason as "Pseudo-Nambicuara".

Vocabulary

lists the following basic vocabulary items for various Nambikwaran languages.
glossTauitéSabanéAnunzeElotasuKokozúTagnaníTamaindéNeneTarundé
oneaméroknaknákenágeetegenõganagidzyarebanurékanákero
twobalénehaːrosearudehaunõbandyerelaurébaʔãdo
headua-negetüdwa-haniːkintoa-nekisúga-nakitúnuhi-naitenu-naite
tonguetayú-hendüuai-lehrúaño-herutoái-herúuai-hendénoio-hidndenuiú-endénui-edende
handtoái-kizeːdepibáuai-kizédwa-hikisutoái-ikisúua-hiténuhiː-hĩtenuna-noré
womanakiːnaʔñazédusédosútemoreːndenoretenorédenõ
waterariuarazéiñausuunsazúnarutundúnahirindenarundénáru
sunutianezeːyótaikidazéudiʔenikisuuterikisúchondínahndenaneré
maizeguyakizeːkayátsukayátsugiatékaiatekiakinindékiáteninde
parrotanʔanzíkakaitezéãhruáhluaundaréaúndere
bowarankizeːukizéúkisuhukisúhutéhuteaindé
whiteeːseːnanzeːpãtekuidisúhanahéndesudéʔendehanidzarehaniʔna

Proto-language

Proto-Nambiquara reconstructions by Price :