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Kawishana language

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cawishana
Kaixana
Native toBrazil
Extinctmid-20th century
Arawakan
Language codes
ISO 639-3None (mis)
qsw
Glottologkais1242
ELPKaixana

Cawishana (Kawishana, Kayuwishana)[1] is an Arawakan language, presumably extinct, of Brazil. A few speakers were reported in the 1950s, and today[when?] only one person can speak it.

Aikhenvald (1999) classifies it as a Middle Rio Negro, North Amazonian language, along with Shiriana and Manao.

Kaufman (1994) had placed it in a branch of Western Nawiki Upper Amazonian along with two long-extinct languages, Jumana (Yumana) and Pasé, which Aikhenvald leaves unclassified. It had an active–stative syntax.

Ruhlen (1987) classified it as a Rio Negro language, along with Yumana, Pasé and Manao.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Campbell, Lyle (1997). American Indian languages: The historical linguistics of Native America. Oxford University Press. p. 180. ISBN 0-19-509427-1.
  2. ^ Ruhlen, Merritt (1987). A Guide to the World's Languages. Edward Arnold. p. 374. ISBN 0-7131-6503-0.