Eperara language
Eperara 'Epena' is an Embera language of Colombia, with about 250 speakers in Ecuador.
Geographic distribution
Epena is spoken on the Pacific coastal rivers of the departments of Nariño, Cauca, and Cauca Department|Valle del Cauca] in Colombia. A major grouping of the Epena is found in Cauca along the Saija River and three of its major tributaries: the Guangüí, Infí, and Cupí. Social contact and intermarriage with the neighboring Wounaan is commonplace.The Basuradó dialect is spoken on the Basuradó River in the Department of the Chocó, near the Docampadó River. This is the only Epena dialect that differs significantly from the others.
Phonology
The phonology consists of the following:Consonants
- In medial position, may be realized as or ; both variants have nasal allophones in nasal syllables, as in ~.
Orthography
- a -
- ã -
- b -
- ch -
- d -
- e -
- ẽ -
- ë -
- ë̃ -
- g -
- i -
- ĩ -
- ï -
- ï̃ -
- j -
- k -
- k -
- m -
- n -
- o -
- õ -
- p -
- p -
- r -
- s -
- t -
- t -
- u -
- ũ -
- w -
- y -
Long vowels are doubled.
C, f, h, l, ñ, q, v, x, z are used in foreign words and names.