Cubeo | Ethnologue

A language of Colombia

ISO 639: cub
Alternate Names: Cuveo, Hehenawa, Hipnwa, Kobeua, Kobewa, Kubeo, Kubwa, Pamiwa
Autonym: Pamié
Population: 6,100 in Colombia (Civallero 2008), increasing. 610 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 14,100 (2018 census). Total users in all countries: 6,260.
Location:: Vaupés department: Cuduyari, Querarí, and Vaupés rivers and tributaries; possibly also in Guainía department.
Language Status: 3 (Wider communication). Cubeo is lingua franca for northwest Vaupés area and Tucano [tuo] is the lingua franca for the southeast section.
Classification: Tucanoan, Central Tucanoan
Typology: SOV; 11 consonants and 6 vowels.
Language Use: Vigorous. All domains. About 5% are 7 years old or younger. Positive attitudes. Also use Portuguese [por]. Also use Spanish [spa]. Most also use other Tucanoan languages. Used as L2 by Cacua [cbv].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 35%. Literacy rate in L2: 60%. Written form used for religion and commerce. Both oral and written in primary school. Newspapers. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. NT: 1970–2009.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Cubeo
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Exogamous marriage pattern with speakers of other languages. Decrease in infant mortality has caused an increase in population. Traditional religion, Christian.