Maipure language
Encyclopedia
Maipure once spoken along the Ventuari, Sipapo, and Autana
rivers (Amazon
) and, as a lingua franca
, in the Upper Orinoco
region, became extinct around the end of the eighteenth century. Zamponi (2003) is a grammatical sketch of the language, furnished with a classified word list, based on all its extant available eighteenth century material (mainly from the Italian missionary Filippo S. Gilij). It is historically important in that it formed the cornerstone of the recognition of the Maipurean (Arawakan) language family.
Kaufman (1994) gives its closest relatives as Yavitero
and other languages of the Orinoco branch of Upper Amazon Arawakan
. Aikhenvald (1999) places it instead in the Western Nawiki branch.
Autana
Autana, the tree of life, is a spectacular tepui located in the Amazonas state in Venezuela, part of the Guiana Shield. It stands 1,220 m above sea level. A unique cave runs from one side of the mountain through the other. Boat trips are available from Puerto Ayacucho . Allow at least 3 days for...
rivers (Amazon
Amazonas (Venezuelan state)
Amazonas State is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided.The state capital is Puerto Ayacucho. The capital until the early 1900s was San Fernando de Atabapo. Although named after the Amazon River, most of the state is drained by the Orinoco. Amazonas State covers a total surface...
) and, as a lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
, in the Upper Orinoco
Orinoco
The Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3% of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia...
region, became extinct around the end of the eighteenth century. Zamponi (2003) is a grammatical sketch of the language, furnished with a classified word list, based on all its extant available eighteenth century material (mainly from the Italian missionary Filippo S. Gilij). It is historically important in that it formed the cornerstone of the recognition of the Maipurean (Arawakan) language family.
Kaufman (1994) gives its closest relatives as Yavitero
Yavitero language
-External links:*...
and other languages of the Orinoco branch of Upper Amazon Arawakan
Upper Amazon Arawakan
The Upper Amazon Maipurean languages, North Amazonian or Inland Northern Maipuran, are Arawakan languages of the northern Amazon in Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Brazil.-Kaufman :...
. Aikhenvald (1999) places it instead in the Western Nawiki branch.