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Amahuaca Indian Language (Yora, Sayaco, Maspo)

Language: Amahuaca is a Panoan language of South America, spoken by fewer than 200 people in Peru and Brazil. Although there are still many fluent speakers in their communities, the Amahuaca language is considered endangered because few tribal children are being raised to speak it. There are two Amahuaca dialects, known as Inuvakeu and Viwivakeu. Amahuaca is closely related to the Isconahua and Cashinahua languages, and some linguists consider them to be dialects of the same language as well. Amahuaca is an agglutinative language with predominantly SOV word order.

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Names: Amahuaca is a place name, referring to the Capivara River in Brazil (which runs through the territory of the Amahuaca tribe.) Some Amahuaca people also use the names Yora ("people") or Honi Kuin ("real men") to refer to themselves. The Amahuacas are also sometimes known as Ipitineri, a name given to them by their Piro neighbors. Spelling variants of these tribal names include Amawaka, Amauaca, Amaguaca, Amhuaca, Amaguaco, Amajuaca, Amhuaca, Amahuaka, Amehuaque, Amewake, Amuewaka, Ameuhaque; Impetineri, Ipetineri; and Huni Kui. There have also been many Amahuaca subgroups and clans (not all of which are still in existence today), of which the best known are the Sayaco band (also spelled Sayacu or Cayacu) and the Maspo band. Other Amahuaca subgroups have included the Kotinawa (Cutinahua), Indowo (Inohuo), Isawo (Isahuo), Kapiixichi (Kapii xochi or Shihuanahua,) Nashishmawo (Nashishnahuo), Rondowo (Ronohuo,) Shimanawa (Shimanahua,) Xaawo (Shahuo,) and Punchahuo (Ponguicha'o).

Amahuaca Language

Amahuaca language samples and resources.

Amahuaca Culture and History

Information and links about the Amahuaca tribe past and present.

Amahuaca Language Resources

Our Online Amahuaca Materials

Amahuaca Vocabulary:
Our list of vocabulary words in the Amahuaca language, with comparison to words in other Panoan languages.

Amahuaca Pronunciation Guide:
How to pronounce Amahuaca words.

Amahuaca Animal Words:
Picture dictionary of animal words in the Amahuaca language.

Amahuaca Colors:
Worksheet showing color words in the Amahuaca language.

Amahuaca Body Parts:
Online and printable worksheets showing parts of the body in the Amahuaca language.

Amahuaca Numbers:
Worksheet showing how to count in the Amahuaca language.

Amahuaca Dictionaries and Language Books for Sale
Our organization earns a commission from any book bought through these links

Diccionario Amahuaca
Spanish-Amahuaca dictioniary for sale online.

Languages of the Amazon
In-depth book about Amahuaca and dozens of other Amazonian Indian languages.

American Indian Language Dictionaries:
American Indian language books and other materials for sale.

Amahuaca Language Lessons and Linguistic Descriptions

Peru Linguistic Map

Tribes and Languages of Peru:

Western Central Brazil:
Maps showing the areas in South America where Amahuaca is spoken.

Amahuaca Language

Amahuaca Numbers

Amahuaca Orthography

Amahuaca Grammar:
Scanned-in Amahuaca language materials from the Rosetta Project.

Amahuaca Phonology:
Linguistic chart of phonemes in the Amahuaca language.

Amahuaca:
Profile of the Amahuaca language including a phonological inventory, orthography and a text.

I Want To But I Can't:
Interesting article on frustrative verb forms in the Amahuaca language.

Amahuaca Bible Translation:

Amahuaca Words of Life:
Amahuaca translations of Bible passages and Christian prayers.

Human Rights: Amahuaca:
Translation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into Amahuaca.

House of Languages: Amahuaca
Information about Amahuaca language usage.

Amahuaca Language Tree:
Theories about Amahuaca's language relationships compiled by Linguist List.

Amahuaca Language Structures:
Amahuaca linguistic profile and academic bibliography.

Amahuaca Papers:
Archive of linguistics papers on Amahuaca, in English and Spanish.

Links, References, and Additional Information

  Endangered Languages Project: Amahuaca:
  Bibliography of Amahuaca language resources.
  OLAC: Amahuaca:
  Reference list of Amahuaca language materials.
  Wikipedia: Amahuaca:
  Encyclopedia entry on the Amahuaca language.
  Lengua Amahuaca

Lengua Amawaka

Idioma Amahuaca:
Information about the Amahuaca language in Spanish.

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