Pauna language

Paunaka
Paunaka
Native to	Chiquitanía, Bolivia
Native speakers	10 speakers and semi-speakers, all older than 50 (2011)^[1]
Language family	Arawakan Southern Bolivia–Parana Moxos Paunaka
Dialects	Paiconeca
Language codes
ISO 639-3	`pnk`
Glottolog	`paun1241`^[2]

The Pauna language, Paunaka, is an almost unknown Arawakan language in South America. It is an extremely endangered language, which belongs to the southern branch of the Arawakan language family and it is spoken in the Bolivian area of the Chiquitanía, near Santa Cruz and north of the Chaco region. The suffix -ka is a plural morpheme of the Chiquitano language, but has been assimilated into Pauna.

There could be a relationship to the extinct Paiconeca language, which is also part of the Arawakan family. Aikhenvald (1999) lists Paiconeca as a separate language, but Kaufman (1994) subsumed it as a dialect of Pauna.

The Spanish colonisation changed a whole continent. Indigenous languages were displaced and replaced and younger generations did not keep in touch with their linguistic roots anymore. Spanish and Chiquitano became the main languages in this Bolivian area, and especially Spanish is the medium of teaching in schools. Due to this fact children are focusing on Spanish instead of their original languages. Currently there remain approximately ten speakers and semi-speakers, who live in the eastern part of Bolivia among the Chiquitano people. However, 150 people feel to be part of the ethnic group, of which some can still understand Paunaka. The Paunaka language and culture is currently under investigation.

External links

References

↑ The Paunaka documentation project
↑ Nordhoff, Sebastian; Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2013). "Paunaca". Glottolog. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

Aikhenvald, Alexandra Y. 1999. “The Arawak language family”. In: Dixon & Aikhenvald (eds.), The Amazonian Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 65–106. ISBN 0-521-57021-2

Languages of Bolivia

National language

Spanish

Indigenous
languages

Arawakan	Baure Iñapari Moxo Pauna Reyesano Yine

Pano–Tacanan	Araona Cavineño Chácobo Ese Ejja Tacana Toromona Yaminawa

Quechua	Cusco–Collao Quechua North Bolivian Quechua South Bolivian Quechua

Tupian	Guaraní Eastern Bolivian Guarayu Sirionó Yuki

Other	Aymara Bésiro Canichana Cayubaba Chimán Chipaya Guarasuawe Itonama Leco Kallawaya Moré Mosetén Movima Puquina Weenhayek Yuracaré Zamuco

Sign languages

Bolivian Sign Language

Italics indicate extinct languages still recognized by the Bolivian constitution.

Arawakan (Maipurean) languages

Northern

Caribbean

Palikuran

Wapishanan

Upper Amazon

Western Nawiki	Achawa Amarizana Anauyá Cabiyari (?) Cabre (?) Guarú Kawishana Mandawaca Mariaté Pasé Piapoco Resígaro (?) Warekena Waraikú (?) Wainumá Wiriná (?) Yabaâna (?) Yucuna Yumana

Eastern Nawiki	Baniwa Kurripako Tariana

Central Upper Amazon	Baré Baniwa of Guainia Guinao Maipure Marawá Yavitero

Manao	Kariaí Manao Shiriana (?)

Southern

Western	Chamicuro Yanesha'

Central Maipurean	Agavotaguerra (?) Custenau Paresí Saraveca Waura–Mehináku Yawalapití

Piro	Apurinã Iñapari Mashco Piro Piro Kanamaré

Bolivia–Parana	Baure Chané Enawené-Nawé (?) Lapachu Moxos Pauna Terêna

Campa	Asháninka Ashéninga Axininca Caquinte Machiguenga Nomatsiguenga Pucapucari

Unclassified

Macro-Arawakan

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