Jirajaran languages

The Jirajaran languages are group of extinct languages once spoken in western Venezuela in the regions of Falcón and Lara. All of the Jirajaran languages appear to have become extinct in the early 20th century.^[1] According to Glottolog, its languages constitute a language isolate.

Jirajaran
Hiraháran
Geographic distribution	Western Venezuela
Extinct	early 20th century
Linguistic classification	One of the world's primary language families
Subdivisions	Jirajara † Ayomán † Gayón †
Language codes
Glottolog	jira1235
Pre-contact distribution of the Jirajaran languages

Languages

Based on adequate documentation, three languages are definitively classified as belonging to the Jirajaran family:^[1]

• Jirajara, spoken in the state of Falcón
• Ayomán, spoken in the village of Siquisique in the state of Lara
• Gayón, spoken at the sources of the Tocuyo River in the state of Lara

Loukotka includes four additional languages, for which no linguistic documentation exists:^[2]

• Coyone, spoken at the sources of the Portuguesa River in the state of Portuguesa, sometimes considered a synonym for Gayon
• Cuiba, spoken near the city of Aricagua
• Atatura, spoken between the Rocono and Tucupido rivers
• Aticari, spoken along the Tocuyo River

Mason (1950) lists:^[3]

• Gayón (Cayon)
• Ayomán
• Xagua (not to be confused with Achawa language)
  • Cuiba (?)
• Jirajara

Classification

The Jirajaran languages are generally regarded as isolates. Adelaar and Muysken note certain lexical similarities with the Timotean languages and typological similarity to the Chibchan languages, but state that the data is too limited to make a definitive classification.^[1] Jahn, among others, has suggested a relation between the Jirajaran language and the Betoi languages, mostly on the basis of similar ethnonyms.^[4] Greenberg and Ruhlen classify Jirajaran as belonging to the Paezan language family, along with the Betoi languages, the Páez language, the Barbacoan languages and others.^[5]

Language contact

Jolkesky (2016) notes that there are lexical similarities with the Sape, Timote-Kuika, and Puinave-Kak language families due to contact.^[6]

Typology

Based on the little documentation that exists, a number of typological characteristics are reconstructable:^[7]

1. VO word order in transitive clauses

apasi

I.cut

mamán

my.hand

(Jirajara)

 

apasi mamán

I.cut my.hand

'I cut my hand'

2. Subjects precede verbs

depamilia

the.family

buratá

is.good

(Ayamán)

 

depamilia buratá

the.family is.good

'The family is good'

3. Possessors which precede the possessed

shpashiú

arc

yemún

its.rope

(Ayamán)

 

shpashiú yemún

arc its.rope

'the arc of the rope'

4. Adjectives follow the nouns they modify

pok

hill

diú

big

(Jirajara)

 

pok diú

hill big

'big hill'

5. Numerals precede the nouns they quantify

boque

one

soó

cigarette

(Ayamán)

 

boque soó

one cigarette

'one cigarette'

6. Use of postpositions, rather than prepositions

angüi

I.go

fru-ye

Siquisique-to

(Jirajara)

 

angüi fru-ye

I.go Siquisique-to

'I go to Siquisique.'

Vocabulary comparison

Jahn (1927) lists the following basic vocabulary items.^[4]

Comparison of Jirajaran vocabulary, based on Jahn (1927)

English	Ayomán	Gayón	Jirajara
fire	dug	dut, idú	dueg
foot	a-sengán	segué	angán
hen	degaró	digaró	degaró
house	gagap	hiyás	gagap
snake	huhí, jují	jují	túb
sun	iñ	yivat	yuaú

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items.^[2]

Comparison of Jirajaran vocabulary, based on Loukotka (1968)

gloss	Jirajara	Ayomán	Gayón
one		bógha
two		auyí
three		mongañá
head	a-ktegi	a-tógh	is-tóz
ear	a-uñán	a-kivóugh	himigui
tooth		a-king
man	iyít	yúsh	yus
water	ing	ing	guayí
fire	dueg	dug	dut
sun	yuaú	iñ	yivat
maize	dos	dosh	dosivot
bird		chiskua	chiskua
house	gagap	gagap	hiyás

Further reading

• Oramas, L. (1916). Materiales para el estudio de los dialectos Ayamán, Gayón, Jirajara, Ajagua. Caracas: Litografía del Comercio.
• Querales, R. (2008). El Ayamán. Ensayo de reconstrucción de un idioma indígena venezolano. Barquisimeto: Concejo Municipal de Iribarren.