Chácobo language
Panoan language
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chácobo is a Panoan language spoken by about 550 of 860 Chácobo people of the Beni Department northwest of Magdalena, Bolivia. Chácobo children are learning the language as a first language, but the Pakawara dialect is moribund.[2] Karipuna may have been a variant; alternative names for it are Jaunavô (Jau-Navo, Jaũn Àvo) and Éloe.[3]
Several unattested extinct languages were reported to have been related, perhaps dialects. These include Capuibo and Sinabo/Shinabo of the Mamoré River. However, nothing is actually known of these purported languages.[4]
Phonology
Consonants
- Sounds /t͡ʃ, ʃ/ may also be heard as palatalized [t͡ʃʲ, ʃʲ] when before vowels in free variation.
- /k/ may be heard as a voiced fricative [ɣ] when in between the positions of /ɨ/.
- /t͡ʃ/ assimilates to a retroflex [t͡ʂ] when /ʂ/ is in the following syllable.
- /n/ can be heard as [ɲ] as a realization of the sequence /ni/.
Vowels
- /o/ may be heard as [u] when occurring within the environment of high vowels.[5]
Vocabulary
Some Chácobo words are given below.[6]
Numerals
| Chácobo | Gloss |
|---|---|
| nicatsu | 1 |
| dafuira | 2 |
| unamarana | 3 |
| atchayuna | 4 |
| chayuna | 5 |
Pronouns
| Chácobo | Gloss |
|---|---|
| hiasro | I |
| miani | you |
| zonihua | he/she/it/they |
| noquirzo | we |
| zunimato | you (pl.) |
Vocabulary
| Chácobo | Gloss |
|---|---|
| chii | fire |
| huisruhuaina | rain |
| jini | water |
| mai | earth |
| oriquiti | food |
| osse | moon |
| rsepo | chicha |
| rsiqui | maize |
| vari | sun |
| vistima | star |
