| Piaroa–Saliban | |
| Also Known As: | Saliban |
| Familycolor: | American |
| Fam1: | Betoi–Saliban? |
| Glotto: | sali1297 |
| Glottorefname: | Saliban |
| Child1: | Saliban |
| Child2: | Piaroan |
The Piaroa–Saliban, also known as Saliban (in spanish : Sálivan), are a small proposed language family of the middle Orinoco Basin, which forms an independent island within an area of Venezuela and Colombia (northern llanos) dominated by peoples of Carib and Arawakan affiliation.
Piaroa and Wirö (or "Maco") form a Piaroan branch of the family.
The extinct Ature language, once spoken on the Orinoco River near the waterfalls of Atures, Venezuela, is unattested but was said to be 'little different' from Saliba, and so may have formed a Saliban branch of the family.
Jolkesky (2016) notes that there are lexical similarities with the Andoke–Urekena, Arawak, Máku, Tukano, and Yaruro language families due to contact.[2]
Lozano (2014:212)[3] has also noted similarities between the Saliba-Hodi and Arawakan languages.[2]
Zamponi (2017) notes resemblances between the extinct Betoi language and Piaroa–Saliban. He considers a genealogical relationship plausible, though data on Betoi is scarce.[4]
There are lexical similarities with the Hotï language (Jodï), and this has been interpreted as evidence for a Jodï–Saliban language family.[5] [6] However, the similarities have also been explained as contact.[4]
Jolkesky (2009) includes Piaroa-Saliba, Betoi and Hodi in a Duho family along with Ticuna–Yuri.[2]
Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Piaroa–Saliban languages.[7]
| gloss | Saliva | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| one | yauotenéte | niareti | sinote | |
| two | tonerima | tagus | toxera | |
| three | wabodexkuána | perkotahuya | kenxuapadi | |
| head | tsú | yio | ||
| eye | chiere | pakuté | ||
| tooth | tsaxká | oayá | ||
| man | uba | umbei | ||
| water | ahiya | ahia | kagua | |
| fire | uxkude | egusta | ||
| sun | morho | gama | numeseki | |
| maize | ñamo | imó | yamo | |
| jaguar | ñáwi | impué |
Rosés Labrada (2019)[6] lists the following Swadesh-list items that are reconstructable to Proto-Sáliban.
| no. | gloss | Mako | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | bite (v) | ɲĩpe | j̃ɨ | ʤ̃ɨbɨ | |
| 15 | blood | kʷau | ʧukʷɤha | ʧukʷi iʦobu | |
| 22 | cold | dia | dijɑwɑʔɑ | tiʤua | |
| 31 | drink (v) | õgʷe | ɑwu | owɨ | |
| 36 | soil | sẽxẽ | ɾẽhẽ | nihi | |
| 37 | eat (v) | ikʷe | ku | kuanɨ | |
| 38 | egg | hiea | ijæ | iʤapo | |
| 39 | eye | pahute | ʧiʔæhæɾe | ʧɨbahale | |
| 41 | far | oto | ɤtɤ | ɨdɨ | |
| 42 | fat/oil | õdete | ɑ̃dẽ | õte | |
| 49 | fish | pahĩdi | pɤĩ | bãĩ | |
| 53 | flower | sebapu | æʔu | ĩʦãbũ | |
| 66 | hand | umo | ʧũmu | ʧɨmamu | |
| 70 | heart | omaidi | ʧɑ̃mi isɤkˀi | ʧomahade | |
| 71 | heavy | umaga | ɑmækɑʔɑ | ɨmɨka | |
| 96 | meat | dea | ʧidepæ | itebia | |
| 99 | mouth | aha | ʧæ | ʧaa | |
| 106 | nose | ĩxu | ʧ̃ɨhĩjũ | ʧĩʤũ | |
| 116 | red/yellow | dua | tũɑ̃ʔɑ̃ | duwɨ | |
| 119 | river | oxe | ɑhe | ohʷe | |
| 120 | path | maana | mænæ | mana/mãlã | |
| 138 | sky | mũma sẽxẽ | moɾɤ̃hæ̃ | m̃ɨlẽhẽ | |
| 139 | sleep (v) | ae | æʔɨ | abɨ | |
| 144 | snake | ɟakʷi | ækɑ | akoˀda | |
| 152 | star | sipodi | siɾikˀɤ | ʦiɾiʔi | |
| 158 | swell (v) | hipame | hiæmɑʔɑ | hebamɨ | |
| 172 | tongue | anane | ʧine | ʧinene | |
| 176 | two (anim) | tuxũdu | tɑ̃hũ | dũhũtaha | |
| 179 | hot | duda | duɑʔɑ | tuba | |
| 184 | what? | ãdaha | dæhe | tahi | |
| 187 | white | dea | teɑʔɑ | dewɨ | |
| 188 | who? | ãdiha | di | ti | |
| 195 | woman | ɲaxu | isahu | iʦuhu |