Palikúr language


Palikúr is an Arawakan language of Brazil and French Guiana, spoken by the Palikur and formerly the Karipuna do Amapá. Knowledge of French and Portuguese is common among the Palikur, and French Guianese Creole is used as the common language among the tribes in the area and with the local population. Palikúr is considered endangered in French Guiana and vulnerable in Brazil.

Phonology

Consonants

Vowels

Pronouns

Palikúr has dependent and independent personal pronouns. The verb marks the object by using suffixes, but not the subject, which must appear in the form of a nominal group or as an independent pronoun. This affixation of only the object and not of the subject is linguistically very rare: the norm is the affixation for both or for only the subject. The noun complement is marked by a possessive prefix.
PalikúrEnglishPrefixes
Noun, Relation, Subject of Verb		Suffixes
Object of verb		Independent Pronouns
In--nnáhu
you pi--pipísu
heri--riirV
sheru--ruerV
.we u--wiwísu
.we w-u-su
you ji--jijí-su
theyri-...-kisV, ru-...-kisV-rikisV, rukisVirV-kisV

Loanwords

Palikúr has several loanwords, many of which are wildlife-related, from the Carib language, including:
EnglishPalikúrCarib
Slothwaikuliwaikore
Anteatertamanuatamaanuwa
Giant armadillomalulaimamanuraimo
Pacauranaurana
Agoutikuʃiwaiakusiwai
Peccarypakirapakiira
Coatikuwaʃkuwasi
Ottersarurusarooro
Squirrel monkeyakarmaakarima
Pied tamarinkusirikusiri
Spider monkeykuwatakuwata
Hummingbirdtukusitukuʔsi
Jurutiwilusiwerusi
Thrushkuwaswikurasiwai
Southern American bushmasterurukruurukuku
Tortoisewajamuwajaamu
Giant Amazonian antsirakrĩirako