Wayuu language

This article is about the language spoken in South America; for the language of Nepal, see Wayu language.

The Wayuu language, or Goajiro (Wayuu: Wayuunaiki), is spoken by 305,000 indigenous Wayuu people in northwestern Venezuela and northeastern Colombia on the Guajira Peninsula.

Wayuu is one of the major Arawakan languages. There are minimal differences depending on the region of La Guajira in which speakers live. Most of the younger generations speak Spanish fluently. The extinct Guanebucan language may actually have been a dialect of Wayuu.

To promote cultural integration and bilingual education among Wayuu and other Colombians, the Kamusuchiwo’u Ethno-educative Center or Centro Etnoeducativo Kamusuchiwo’u came up with the initiative of creating the first illustrated Wayuunaiki–Spanish, Spanish–Wayuunaiki dictionary.^[3]

Less than 1% of Wayuu speakers are literate in Wayuu while 5 to 15% are literate in Spanish. There are 200,000 speakers in Venezuela and 120,000 in Colombia. Smith (1995) reports that a mixed Guajiro-Spanish language is replacing Wayuu in both countries. However, Campbell (1997) could find no information on this.

Recent developments

In December 2011, the Wayuu Tayá Foundation and Microsoft presented the first ever dictionary of technology terms in the Wayuu language,^[4][5] after having developed it for three years with a team of technology professionals and linguists.

Sounds

Vowels

Note: "e" and "o" are more open than in English. "a" is slightly front of central, and "ü" is slightly back of central.

Consonants

"l" is a lateral flap pronounced with the tongue just behind the position for the Spanish "r," and with a more lateral airflow.

Grammar

The personal pronouns are:^[6]

Notes

1. ↑ Wayuu at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
2. ↑ Nordhoff, Sebastian; Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2013). "Wayuu". Glottolog. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. 
3. ↑ (Spanish) El Wayuunaiki impreso
4. ↑ Fundación Wayuu Tayá y Microsoft Venezuela presentan Diccionario de Computación en Wayuunaiki (Spanish)
5. ↑ Tatiana Chang (2011-12-27). "Venezuela: New computing dictionary enriches Wayuu language". Infosur hoy. Retrieved 2012-08-05. 
6. ↑ Mansen, Kais and Mansen, Richard. Aprendamos Guajiro. http://www-01.sil.org/americas/colombia/pubs/capitulo%2002_Guajiro.pdf

External links

Wayuu language test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator

Wayuu language test of Wiktionary at Wikimedia Incubator

• WayuuTribe.com -About the Wayuu People and Wayuu Art
• Media related to Wayuu language at Wikimedia Commons
• Brief explanation of the Wayuunaiiki language
• Spanish-Wayuunaiki dictionary
• Venezuelanalysis.com, 4 August 2010, Venezuelan history first - Wayuunaiki newspaper wins Venezuelan journalism award

Languages of Colombia Official languages Spanish Indigenous languages Arawakan Achawa Cabiyari Piapoco Wayuu Yucuna Bora–Witoto Andoque Bora Coconucan Minica Huitoto Muinane Murui Huitoto Ocaina Chibchan Arhuaco Barí Chimila Kogi Kuna Uwa Wiwa Chocoan Baudo Catio Chami Eperara Northern Embera Guajiboan Guahibo Guayabero Macaguán Tucanoan Barasana-Eduria Carapana Cubeo Cuiba Desano Koreguaje Macaguaje Macuna Siona Siriano Tanimuca-Retuarã Tatuyo Tuyuca Waimajã Wajiara Wanano Yauna Other Awa Pit Carijona Cocama Cofán Inga Kichwa Kakwa Kichwa Nheengatu Nukak Páez Ticuna Yukpa Creoles/Other Llanero Palenquero San Andrés–Providencia Sign languages Colombian Sign Language Providence Island Sign Language

Languages of Venezuela Official language Spanish Indigenous languages Mapoyo-Yabarana Panare Pemon Puinave Sapé Sikiana Warao Wayuu Yaruro Dialects of Spanish Llanero Maracucho Sign languages Venezuelan Sign Language