Zamucoan languages


Zamucoan is a small language family of Paraguay and Bolivia.
The family has hardly been studied by linguists, although several studies have recently appeared. Recent studies show that the Zamucoan languages are characterized by a rare syntactic configuration which is called para-hypotaxis, where coordination and subordination are used simultaneously to connect clauses.

Extant languages

Zamucoan consists of two living languages:
From the historical record of the Zamucoan peoples, the living Zamucoan languages appear to have had several relatives, now extinct. It is not clear if these were necessarily distinct languages, or even that they were Zamucoan, but Mason listed them as follows:
lists the following basic vocabulary items for Zamucoan language varieties.
glossZamucoAyoréGuarañocaPotureroMorotocoSiracuaChamacocoEbidosoTumrahá
onechomarachoxmárachumanachumanasumarasomrahatohoktonhok
twogargáregarogargapebeosiaesharaosia
threegadiokgadokadiskaoagadiokagaedopebeaorlietpelpeahriet-tohok
headya-toitakya-toiya-toitaya-todoya-todhotéhoteho
eyeye-doiyeː-doye-dodiaye-doyye-dodlyóki-dodyeas-loerupiulu
earya-goroneyã-goroneya-noeniaya-goronéya-goroddlyóki-goroniparhiáhreahri
tongueya-retiaya-retaya-retiaya-etárhikorahükéhrik
wateryodyotyoditayodyodnioniogoniodat
firepiokpiokpiokpiokpiokopióerhüerhúenaúsere
stonekukaratkukaratkukananekukaranaykukaradkukánikukret'ostrpkukáni
sungiedeguédeguedehiédégiedegétedeit'ydeiyite
maizeguehenagueːxnaiguexaguehenaguedagéshnataguritakurütaugre