EME ISO 639-3
Tekó
A language of French Guiana
- ISO 639
- eme
- Alternate Names
- Emereñon, Emerillon, Emerilon, Melejo, Mereo, Mereyo, Teco
- Population
- 400 (Crevels 2012), increasing. Ethnic population: 400 (Crevels 2012).
- Location:
- Brazil border area, at the confluence of Camopi and Oiapock rivers; Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni district: Maroni river area, on Suriname border.
- Language Status
- 6a (Vigorous).
- Classification
- Tupian, Tupí-Guaraní, Wayampí, Wayampí
- Dialects
- None known. Mutually intelligible with Wayampi [oym].
- Typology
- SOV (rather free); postpositions, noun head generally final, no noun classes or genders, content q-word in initial position, up to 3 prefixes, verbal affixation marks person and number, both tense and aspect, no passives; nontonal; 16 consonant and 7 vowel phonemes.
- Language Use
- Used by all. All also use French [fra], especially educated persons. Also use Guianese French Creole [gcr]. Also use Portuguese [por]. Used as L2 by Wayampi [oym].
- Language Development
- Grammar. Texts.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Tekó
- Writing
- Unwritten [Qaax].
- Other Comments
- Some borrowing from Wayana [way] or Carib [car]. Intermarriage with Wayana or Wayampi [oym].
Also Spoken in
Map
Location: Brazil border area, at the confluence of Camopi and Oiapock rivers; Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni district: Maroni river area, on Suriname border.
Size and Vitality
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