Saparo–Yawan languages

Saparo–Yawan (Zaparo–Yaguan, Zaparo–Peba) is a language family proposal uniting two small language families of the western Amazon. It was first proposed by Swadesh (1954), and continues through Payne (1984) and Kaufman (1994).^[1]

Saparo–Yawan
Zaparo–Yaguan, Zaparo–Peba
(controversial)
Geographic distribution	western Amazon
Linguistic classification	Proposed language family
Subdivisions	Zaparoan Peba–Yaguan ? Candoshi-Shapra Omurano (†) Taushiro ? Abishira (Awishiri) † Huaorani
Language codes
Glottolog	None

Links

There are also four language isolates and otherwise unclassified languages which have been indirectly linked to Saparo–Yawan, and for convenience they are included here. Tovar (1984) proposed a connection between Zaparoan and the otherwise unclassified Taushiro; Stark (1985) and Gordon (2005) see a connection with the extinct Omurano language. The extinct Awishiri and the Candoshi isolate have lexical similarities with Taushiro, Omurano, and each other; however, the four languages also have lexical similarities with Zaparoan, Jivaroan, and Arawakan. These six languages and families in the table at right have not been linked in any coherent fashion. Given that Candoshi is well described, this is something that may be resolved relatively soon.

Proposed classification

This forms part of Kaufman's Macro-Andean proposal:

• Sáparo–Yawan (Kaufman 2007)
  • Sáparo (Zaparoan)
  • Yawan
    • Peva–Yawan (Peba–Yaguan)
    • Sabela (Huaorani)
    • Taushiro, almost extinct^[2][3]
    • Omurano

See also

• Indigenous languages of South America