Panoan languages


Panoan is a family of languages spoken in western Brazil, eastern Peru, and northern Bolivia. It is possibly a branch of a larger Pano–Tacanan family.

Genetic relations

The Panoan family is generally believed to be related to the Tacanan family, forming with it Pano–Tacanan, though this has not yet been established.

Language contact

Jolkesky notes that there are lexical similarities with the Kechua, Mapudungun, Moseten-Tsimane, Tukano, Uru-Chipaya, Harakmbet, Arawak, Kandoshi, and Pukina language families due to contact.

Languages

There are some 18 extant and 14 extinct Panoan languages. In the list of Panoan languages below adapted from Fleck, means extinct, and obsolescent. Dialects are listed in parentheses.
  • Panoan
  • *Mayoruna
  • **Tabatinga Mayoruna
  • **Mayo
  • ***Matses
  • ****Matses
  • **** Kulino *
  • **** Demushbo
  • ***Korubo
  • ***Matis
  • ****Matis
  • ****Jandiatuba Mayoruna
  • ****Amazon Mayoruna
  • *Mainline Panoan
  • **Kasharari
  • **Kashibo
  • **Nawa branch
  • ***Bolivian
  • ****Chokobo/Pakawara
  • ****Karipuna
  • ****? Chiriba
  • ***Madre de Dios
  • ****Atsawaka-Yamiaka
  • ****Arazaire
  • ***Blanco River Remo
  • ***Tarauacá Kashinawa
  • ***Marubo
  • ****Marubo
  • ****Katukina
  • ****Olivença Kulina
  • *** Poyanawa*
  • **** Poyanawa
  • **** Iskonawa*
  • **** Nukini
  • **** ?Môa Nawa*
  • **** Jaquirana Remo
  • ***Chama
  • ****Shipibo
  • ****Pano*
  • ****Sensi
  • ***Headwaters
  • ****Ibuaçu Kashinawa
  • ****Yaminawa, Shanenawa, Sharanawa/Marinawa, Shawannawa
  • ****Amawaka
  • ****Môa Remo
  • ****Tuchinawa
Boundaries between the Poyanawa, Chama, and Headwaters groups are somewhat blurred. Karipuna and Môa River Nawa may not be distinct languages, and Chiriba may not be Panoan at all.
Hundreds of other Panoan "languages" have been reported in the literature. These are names of groups that may have been ethnically Panoan, but whose language is unattested. They sometimes are assumed to be Panoan on no other evidence than that the name ends in -nawa or -bo. A few, such as Maya, are unattested but reported to be mutually intelligible with a known Panoan language. The people speaking one of these supposed languages, , was rediscovered in 1987, reported bilingual in their language and Portuguese. However, no linguistic information is available, and it is not known if they speak a distinct language.

Amarante Ribeiro (2005)

Classification of the Panoan languages according to Amarante Ribeiro :
  • Panoan
  • *Group I
  • **Amawaka
  • *Group II
  • **Subgroup II-1
  • ***Kashibo
  • ***Nokaman
  • **Subgroup II-2
  • ***Shipibo
  • ***Kapanawa
  • ***Panobo
  • *Group III
  • **Subgroup III-1
  • ***Iskonawa
  • ***Kaxinawa
  • **Subgroup III-2
  • ***Subgroup III-2-1
  • ****Nukini
  • ****Remo
  • ***Subgroup III-2-2
  • ****Subgroup III-2-2-1
  • *****Kanamari
  • *****Katukina
  • *****Marubo
  • ****Subgroup III-2-2-2
  • *****Mastanawa
  • *****Tuxinawa
  • *****Yoranawa
  • *****Sharanawa
  • *****Shanenawa
  • *****Arara
  • *****Yawanawa
  • *****Xitonawa
  • *****Yaminawa
  • ***Subgroup III-2-3
  • ****Kaxarari
  • ****Poyanawa
  • *Group IV
  • **Subgroup IV-1
  • ***Kapishto
  • ***Matsés
  • ***Kulina
  • ***Matis
  • **Subgroup IV-2
  • ***Atsawaka
  • ***Arazaire
  • ***Yamiaka
  • **Subgroup IV-3
  • ***Karipuna
  • ***Chacobo
  • ***Pakawara

    Oliveira (2014)

Internal classification by Oliveira :
  • Panoan
  • *Group 1: Kashíbo
  • *Group 2
  • **Shípibo-Kónibo, Kapanáwa
  • **Marúbo
  • *Group 3: Chákobo, Kaxararí
  • *Group 4: Yamináwa, Chanináwa, Sharanáwa
  • *Group 5: Shanenáwa, Katukína
  • *Group 6: Poyanáwa, Amawáka
  • *Group 7
  • **Kaxinawá, Marináwa
  • **Yawanawá
  • *Group 8: Mayorúna, Matís, Korúbo

    Jolkesky (2016)

Internal classification by Jolkesky :
  • Pano
  • *Pano, Northern
  • **Kulina
  • **Korubo
  • **Matis
  • **Matses
  • **Pisabo
  • *Pano, Nuclear
  • **Kasharari
  • **Pano, Western
  • ***Kashibo, Kakataibo
  • ***Nokaman
  • **Pano, Central
  • ***Purus
  • ****Amawaka
  • ****Kashinawa
  • ****Yaminawa-Iskonawa-Marinawa: Iskonawa, Marinawa, Yaminawa; Yawanawa
  • ***Jurua
  • ****Kanamari
  • ****Katukina
  • ****Marubo
  • ***Nukini-Remo
  • ****Nukini
  • ****Remo
  • ****Poyanawa
  • ***Atsawaka
  • ****Arazaeri
  • ****Atsawaka
  • ****Yamiaka
  • ***Chakobo
  • ****Chakobo
  • ****Karipuna
  • ****Pakawara
  • ***Shipibo-Kapanawa
  • ****Kapanawa
  • ****Shipibo-Wariapano: Sensi ; Wariapano; ''Shipibo''

    Homonyms

Much of the confusion surrounding Panoan languages is the number of homonyms among different languages. The principal ambiguous names are as follows:
NameLocation or other nameLanguage
Kapanawaon the Tapichedialect of Shipibo-Konibo
Kapanawaon the Juruádialect of Ibuaçu Kashinawa
Kashinawaon the IbuaçuHeadwaters group
Kashinawaon the TarauacáMainline branch
Kulinaon the CuruçáMayoruna branch
Kulinaof São Paulo de OlivençáMainline branch
Maruboin the Javari BasinMainline branch
Maruboof Maucallacta Mayoruna branch
Remoon the BlancoNawa group
Remoon the MôaHeadwaters group
Remoon the JaquiranaPoyanawa group
RemoSouthern Remo Chama group
Sinaboof the MamoréBolivian group
Sinaboof the Ucayali BasinChama group
KatukinaWaninawaMarubo group
Katukinaof Feijo' dialect of Yaminawa
Nawaon the Môa Poyanawa group
NawaParkenawadialect of Yaminawa
Maroyunathree languages in list above
MaroyunaMatesMates
MaroyunaBarbudo Chama group
DemushboMatses group
DemushboChemadialect of Curuçá Kulina

Neighboring languages of other families may also share the names of Panoan language. The table below ignores other homonyms further afield:
FamilyLanguage
ArawakanKanamari, Kasharari, Kunibo, Mayoruna, Pakaguara
TakananChama, Arasa, Atsahuaca, Yamiaka
KatukinanKatukina, Kanamari
TupianKaripuna, Katukinarú
ArawanKulina, Arawá
HarakmbutArasairi

Loukotka (1968)

Below is a full list of Panoan language varieties listed by Loukotka, including names of unattested varieties.
; Northern languages
  • Pano / Pánobo - spoken in the village of Contamana on the Ucayali River, Loreto province, Peru.
  • Maruba / Maxuruna / Mayoruna / Pelado / Dallus - spoken on the Maruba River and Jandiatuba River, state of Amazonas.
  • Culino - extinct language once spoken between the Jutaí River, Javarí River, and Jandiatuba River, Amazonas.
  • Panau - spoken by only a few families in Seringal Barão, Rio Branco, territory of Acre, Brazil.
  • Cashibo / Cacataibo / Caxivo / Hagueti - spoken on the Pachitea River, Pisqui River, and Aguaytía River, Loreto, Peru.
  • Manamabobo - extinct language once spoken on the Pachitea River, Peru.
  • Carapacho / Caliseca - once spoken on the Carapacho River, Peru.
  • Pichobo - once spoken at the mouth of the Paguamigua River in Peru.
  • Sobolbo / Bolbo - once spoken on the Cohengua River, Peru.
  • Mochobo - once spoken between the Guanie River and Guarimi River.
  • Maspo - once spoken on the Taco River and Manipaboro River.
  • Comobo / Univitsa - once spoken in the same region on the Inua River and Unini River.
  • Conibo / Cunibo / Curibeo - spoken along the Ucayali River between 8° 30' and 10° latitude.
  • Cháma / Manava / Chipeo / Setebo / Shipibo / Puinahva - spoken on the Ucayali River north of the Conibo tribe.
  • Nocamán - spoken at the sources of the Chesco River, Loreto.
  • Ruanagua - spoken on the Corjuania River, Loreto.
  • Capanagua - spoken on the Tapiche River and Blanco River, Loreto.
  • Busquipani - once spoken on the Alacrán River, Loreto.
  • Custanáwa - spoken on the upper course of the Purus River near the mouth of the Curanja River, Loreto.
  • Espino - spoken on the Curumaha River in the same region.
  • Yura - once spoken on the Piqueyaco River, Loreto.
  • Marináwa - spoken on the Furnaya River, Loreto.
  • Xaranáwa - spoken on the Curanja River, Loreto.
  • Canawari - extinct language once spoken on the Curumaha River and Rixalá River, Acre territory, Brazil
  • Nucuini / Remo / Rheno - spoken at the sources of the Javari River and on the Moenalco River and Ipixuna River, state of Amazonas.
  • Amahuaca / Sayaco / Impetineri - spoken on the Urubamba River and Ucayali River, Loreto, and on the Purus River and Juruá River, Acre.
  • Mastináhua - spoken on the Purus River in the same territory.
  • Cachináua / Huñikui - spoken between the Embira River, Liberdade River, and Tarauacá River, state of Amazonas.
  • Tuxináua - spoken on the Embira River and Humaitá River, Acre.
  • Camanáwa - on the Môa River in Acre.
  • Pacanáwa - spoken at the sources of the Embira River, Acre.
  • Nehanáwa - spoken by a small tribe on the Jordão River, Acre.
  • Nastanáwa - spoken on the upper course of the Jordão River.
  • Cuyanáwa - spoken between the Môa River and Paraná dos Mouros River, Acre territory.
  • Sacuya - once spoken between the Juruá River and Tamaya River, Acre.
  • Xanindáua - spoken by a small tribe on the Riozinho River, Acre.
  • Coronáwa - spoken in the Acre territory, but exact location unknown.
  • Yauavo - once spoken between the Tejo River and Aturia River, Acre.
; Yaminaua group
  • Yaminaua - spoken at the sources of the Tarauaca River, territory of Acre.
  • Poyanáwa - spoken in Acre territory on the Môa River.
  • Yumanáwa - spoken on the Muruzinho River, Acre.
  • Paran-náwa - spoken on the Muru River, Acre.
  • Nixináwa - spoken on the Jordão River, Acre.
  • Yawanáwa - spoken in Acre territory on the upper course of the Jordão River.
  • Sanináwa / Shanináua - spoken on the Valparaiso River, Liberdade River, and Humaitá River, Acre.
  • Xipináwa - spoken between the Valparaiso River and Liberdade River.
  • Aranáwa - spoken between the Humaitá River and Liberdade River.
  • Contanáwa - spoken in Acre on the upper course of the Tarauaca River and on the Humaitá River.
  • Yumináhua - spoken on the Tarauaca River, Acre.
  • Wamináua / Catoquino do Rio Gregorio - spoken in the same territory on the Gregorio River.
; Sensi group
; Central group
  • Yamiaca / Haauñeiri - spoken by a small tribe on the Yaguarmayo River, department of Madre de Dios, Peru.
  • Arazaire - language spoken by a few families in the same region on the Marcapata River.
  • Atsahuaca / Chaspa - spoken on the Carama River in Peru.
  • Araua - extinct language once spoken on the Chiva River, territory of Colonia, Bolivia.
; Eastern group
  • Chacobo - spoken around Lake Rogoaguado, Beni province, Bolivia.
  • Capuibo - once spoken on the Biata River in Beni province, Bolivia.
  • Pacaguara - language now probably extinct, once spoken between the Beni River and Abuña River.
  • Sinabo / Shenabu / Gritones - language now probably extinct, once spoken on the Mamoré River near Los Almendrales, Beni Province.
  • Caripuna / Jaunavô / Shakáre / Éloe / Yacariá - spoken in the nineteenth century along the Madeira River and the sources of the Beni River, now only in a single village at the mouth of the Mutumparaná River, Rondônia.
  • Pama / Pamainá - language of an unknown tribe of the Caldeirão River, territory of Rondônia.