Tupian languages
Encyclopedia
The Tupi or Tupian language family comprises some 70 languages spoken in South America
, of which the best known are Tupi proper
and Guarani
.
arrived in Brazil
, they found that wherever they went along the vast coast of this newly discovered land, most natives spoke similar languages. Jesuit missionaries took advantage of these similarities, systematizing common standards
then named línguas gerais
("general languages"), which were spoken in that region until the 19th century. The best known and most widely spoken of these languages was Old Tupi
, a modern descendent of which is still used today by indigenous peoples
around the Rio Negro region, where it is known as Nheengatu
([ɲɛʔẽŋaˈtu]), or the "good language". However, the Tupi family also comprises other languages.
In the neighbouring Spanish colonies, Guarani
, another Tupian language closely related to Old Tupi, had a similar history, but managed to resist the spread of Spanish
more successfully than Tupi resisted Portuguese
. Today, Guarani has 7 million speakers, and is one of the official languages of Paraguay
. The Tupian family also includes several other languages with fewer speakers. These share irregular morphology with the Ge
and Carib families, and Ribeiro connects them all as a Je–Tupi–Carib family.
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, of which the best known are Tupi proper
Old Tupi language
Old Tupi or Classical Tupi is an extinct Tupian language which was spoken by the native Tupi people of Brazil, mostly those who lived close to the sea. It belongs to the Tupi–Guarani language family, and which has a written history spanning the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries...
and Guarani
Guaraní language
Guaraní, specifically the primary variety known as Paraguayan Guaraní , is an indigenous language of South America that belongs to the Tupí–Guaraní subfamily of the Tupian languages. It is one of the official languages of Paraguay , where it is spoken by the majority of the population, and half of...
.
History, members and classification
When the PortuguesePortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
arrived in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, they found that wherever they went along the vast coast of this newly discovered land, most natives spoke similar languages. Jesuit missionaries took advantage of these similarities, systematizing common standards
Standard language
A standard language is a language variety used by a group of people in their public discourse. Alternatively, varieties become standard by undergoing a process of standardization, during which it is organized for description in grammars and dictionaries and encoded in such reference works...
then named línguas gerais
Língua Geral
Língua Geral is the name of two distinct linguae francae spoken in Brazil, the língua geral paulista , now extinct; and the língua geral amazônica , whose modern descendant is Nheengatu....
("general languages"), which were spoken in that region until the 19th century. The best known and most widely spoken of these languages was Old Tupi
Old Tupi language
Old Tupi or Classical Tupi is an extinct Tupian language which was spoken by the native Tupi people of Brazil, mostly those who lived close to the sea. It belongs to the Tupi–Guarani language family, and which has a written history spanning the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries...
, a modern descendent of which is still used today by indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
around the Rio Negro region, where it is known as Nheengatu
Nheengatu
The Nheengatu language , often spelled Nhengatu, is an Amerindian language of a Tupi–Guarani family. It is also known by the Portuguese names língua geral da Amazônia and língua geral amazônica, both meaning "Amazonian General Language," or even by the Latin lingua brasilica...
([ɲɛʔẽŋaˈtu]), or the "good language". However, the Tupi family also comprises other languages.
In the neighbouring Spanish colonies, Guarani
Guaraní language
Guaraní, specifically the primary variety known as Paraguayan Guaraní , is an indigenous language of South America that belongs to the Tupí–Guaraní subfamily of the Tupian languages. It is one of the official languages of Paraguay , where it is spoken by the majority of the population, and half of...
, another Tupian language closely related to Old Tupi, had a similar history, but managed to resist the spread of Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
more successfully than Tupi resisted Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
. Today, Guarani has 7 million speakers, and is one of the official languages of Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. The Tupian family also includes several other languages with fewer speakers. These share irregular morphology with the Ge
Ge languages
The Jê languages , or Jê–Kaingang languages, are spoken by the Gê, a group of indigenous peoples in Brazil.-Family division:The language family is as follows:*Jaikó...
and Carib families, and Ribeiro connects them all as a Je–Tupi–Carib family.
- Tupi–Guarani (50 languages: Tupí [extinct], GuaraníGuaraní languageGuaraní, specifically the primary variety known as Paraguayan Guaraní , is an indigenous language of South America that belongs to the Tupí–Guaraní subfamily of the Tupian languages. It is one of the official languages of Paraguay , where it is spoken by the majority of the population, and half of...
(5 million speakers), etc.) - ArikemArikem languagesThe Arikem languages of Brazil form a branch of the Tupian language family.They are Karitiâna and the extinct Arikem....
(2 languages) - Awetï
- MawéMawé languageThe Mawe language of Brazil, also known as Sataré , is one of the Tupian languages. It is spoken by 7000, many of them monolingual....
- MondéMonde languagesThe Monde languages of Brazil form a branch of the Tupian language family.Cinta Larga is a dialect cluster spoken by a thousand people. Other languages are Mondé, Aruáshi, Suruí, Zoro, and Gavião do Jiparaná....
(6 languages) - MundurukúMunduruku languagesThe Mundurukú languages of Brazil form a branch of the Tupian language family.They are Munduruku and the extinct Kuruáya....
(2 languages) - PuruboráPurubora languageThe Puruborá language of Brazil is one of the Tupian languages. It is also known as: Aurã, Cujubim, Burubora, Kuyubi, Migueleno, Miguelenho or Pumbora. Specifically it is spoken in the Brazilian state of Rondônia, in Costa Marques and around the headwaters of the Rio São Miguel tributary of the...
- RamaramaRamarama languagesThe Ramarama languages of Brazil form a branch of the Tupian language family. They are Karo, or Ramarama, with 150 speakers, and the extinct Urumi....
(Rôndonia) (2 languages) - TuparíTupari languagesThe Tuparí languages of Brazil form a branch of the Tupian language family.They are Tuparí, Kepkiriwát, Makuráp, Sakirabiá, Wayoró, and Akuntsu.None are spoken by more than a few hundred people....
(4 languages) - YurúnaYuruna languagesThe Yuruna languages of Brazil form a branch of the Tupian language family.They are Jurúna, Maritsauá, and Xipaya....
(3 languages)
See also
- ApapocuvaApapocuvaApapocúva .- An agricultural Tupian tribe of the Chiripá group of southern Brazil, living in the state of São Paulo. Population: 500....
- Indigenous languages of the AmericasIndigenous languages of the AmericasIndigenous languages of the Americas are spoken by indigenous peoples from Alaska and Greenland to the southern tip of South America, encompassing the land masses which constitute the Americas. These indigenous languages consist of dozens of distinct language families as well as many language...
- Languages of BrazilLanguages of BrazilPortuguese is the official language of Brazil, and is spoken by more than 99% of the population. Minority languages include indigenous languages, and languages of more recent European and Asian immigrants. The population speaks or signs approximately 210 languages, of which 80 are...
- Lingua GeralLíngua GeralLíngua Geral is the name of two distinct linguae francae spoken in Brazil, the língua geral paulista , now extinct; and the língua geral amazônica , whose modern descendant is Nheengatu....
- List of Spanish words of Indigenous American Indian origin