Iñapari language explained

Iñapari
States:Peru
Speakers:4
Date:1999
Ref:e18
Familycolor:American
Fam1:Arawakan
Fam2:Southern
Fam3:Piro
Nation:Perú
Iso3:inp
Glotto:inap1242
Glottorefname:Iñapari
Map2:Lang Status 20-CR.svg
Notice:IPA

Iñapari is a critically endangered indigenous South American language spoken by just four people in Perú along the Las Piedras river near the mouth of the Sabaluyoq river. The language is already extinct in neighboring Bolivia. All four remaining speakers are bilingual in Spanish and none of their children and grand children spoke the language, which will likely lead to its extinction once the speakers die. The Iñapari language currently has a published dictionary.[1]

The Pacaguara (Pacahuara) dialect described by Mercier was at least ethnically distinct. (But see Pacaguara language.)

Phonology

According to Parker, Iñapari has eleven consonants and six vowels.

Iñapari Consonants!!Bilabial!Alveolar!Palatal!Glottal
Nasalspronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Plosivespronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Fricativespronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Liquids(pronounced as /ink/) ~ pronounced as /ink/
Glidespronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/

The status of the lateral as a phoneme is considered dubious as [l] is found in few words and may be a phonetic variant of /r/.

Iñapari's six vowels are /i e a ï o u/, where /ï/ is a high back unrounded vowel.

External links

Notes and References

  1. A Sketch of Iñapari Phonology. Steve . Parker. International Journal of American Linguistics. 65 . 1 . 1999. 1–39 . University of Chicago Press. 10.1086/466374 . 1265971. 144667241 .