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Timótean
Geographic
distribution
Venezuela
Linguistic classificationTimotean
Subdivisions
Glottolog(not evaluated)
Timote and Cuica toponyms

The Timotean languages were spoken in the Venezuelan Andes around what is now Mérida. It is assumed that they are extinct. However, Timote may survive in the so-far unattested Mutú (Loco) language, as this occupies a mountain village (Mutús) within the old Timote state. [1] [2]

Genetic relations

There is no apparent connection to the Chibchan, Arawakan, or Cariban families, apart from sporadic resemblances with Paez and some divergent Chibchan languages, so Timotean appears to be an independent family.

Jolkesky (2016) also notes that there are lexical similarities with the Jirajaran languages. [3]

Languages

There were two closely related languages, each a pair of dialects:

Traditionally, Mucuchí and Mirripú have been classified as dialects of Timote, with Cuica as a distinct language, but the data in Loukotka (1968) [4] indicates that Cuica is a dialect of Timote, and that Mucuchí–Mirripú are a separate language (Kaufman 2007; Campbell 1997, 2012).

Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for Timotean languages. [4]

gloss Timote Cuica Mocochi Mirripú
one kári karí karí karí
two gem xem xem xem
three shuént shuent shut sut
head ki-kushám ki-kushan kisham
ear ki-kumeu ki-kumeu ti-subú
tooth ki-kunñuch chi-runch
man kiukiai kiukiai kaʔak kage
water shömpú shombuch shimpué shimpú
fire shirup shnopa churup chirup
sun nareúpa nareupa umpú
maize chxá chxa chixsak chipxak
bird kiukchú kchu
house kurakata kfok shimanakot sharakot

References

  1. ^ Lyle Campbell, 2000. American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America.
  2. ^ Willem Adelaar with Pieter Muysken, The Languages of the Andes, CUP, 2004:124–125
  3. ^ Jolkesky, Marcelo Pinho de Valhery (2016). Estudo arqueo-ecolinguístico das terras tropicais sul-americanas (Ph.D. dissertation) (2 ed.). Brasília: University of Brasília.
  4. ^ a b Loukotka, Čestmír (1968). Classification of South American Indian languages. Los Angeles: UCLA Latin American Center.

External links