Yaruro language


The Yaruro language is an indigenous language spoken by Yaruro people, along the Orinoco, Cinaruco, Meta, and Apure rivers of Venezuela. It is not well classified; it may be an isolate, or distantly related to the extinct Esmeralda language.

Demographics

The Yaruro people refer to their own language as pũmɛ̃́ mãɛ̃́ ‘language of the Yaruro/Pumé’). The language is vigorously spoken by approximately 9,500 people as of 2015. Speakers live in the central Apure Llanos of western Venezuela, mainly in the Arauca, Cunaviche, Capanaparo,
and Cinaruco river areas. In Capuruchano subdivision, the Yaruro do not live close to any rivers.

Classification

Pache considers Yaruro to be related to the Chocoan languages, citing evidence from lexical and sound correspondences. Some shared lexical items between Yaruro and Chocoan :

Vocabulary

Loukotka lists the following basic vocabulary items.

Language contact

Jolkesky notes that there are lexical similarities with the Saliba-Hodi, Arawak, Bora-Muinane, Choko, Witoto-Okaina, and Waorani language families due to contact.
EnglishYaruroHodi
villagebærʊ-pæ̃balo
to drinkui ‘water’woi
to cutkoaʰkʷai
to lie downãrẽʰjali
firekʰõdæʰkule
brotherajĩ-hãjẽ ‘little brother’
"alligator" ariaulẽ
cloudɡõãrãkʷa
bloodɡoeiʰkwə
venomɲeetowejẽtohai
waspmumo
to go back/to walkmanau ‘to walk’; mana ‘way’mãnã ‘to go back’

EnglishYaruroProto-Bora-Muinane
spidermãkã*paaɡa-
sweet potatoʧerameMuinane ʤírúúmɨba
snakepoana*buua
smokeʧʰʊ*ttsu
cassavapae*paikuumɯɯ
nightpe*pəkko
sundo*nɯʔ-

EnglishYaruroWaorani
you mɛnɛrɔmĩnitõ
beeẽmiæamo
pathnõtaa-dõ
househõõ-kõ
skyãdeõ-õdæ
to sleepmõãbõ
peccaryaboeaamo
hotkʊa-kʊ-aãgõã