Page Type: languageWajiara | Ethnologue

YUI ISO 639-3

Wajiara

Wajiaraye Autonym

A language of Colombia

ISO 639
yui
Alternate Names
Juriti, Juriti-Tapuia, Juruti, Luruty-Tapuya, Patsoka, Totsoca, Wadzana, Waijiara masa-wadyana, Waikana, Waimasá, Wayhara, Yuriti, Yuruti, Yuruti-Tapuya, Yurutiye
Autonym
Wajiaraye
Population
1,100 in Colombia (2011 SIL), increasing. Few monolinguals.
Location:
Vaupés department: Upper Paca river (Papurí river tributary); Caño Yi and Caño Tuy rivers (Vaupes river tributaries).
Language Status
5* (Developing).
Classification
Tucanoan, Eastern Tucanoan, Tucano
Typology
11 consonants and 6 vowels.
Language Use
Vigorous. Positive attitudes. Also use Spanish [spa], in schools and government contexts. Also use Tucano [tuo], especially along the Pacá and Caño Yi rivers. Used as L2 by Waimaha [bao].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 15%–20%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–40% in Spanish [spa]. 10% can write Wajiara. Bible portions: 1985–1986.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Wajiara
Writing
Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments
Marriage patterns require spouses to be from different language groups. Children speak the languages of both parents and grandparents, but identify with the father’s language.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Wajiara
User Population
No known L1 speakers in Brazil. Last known speakers likely survived into the 2000s (Crevels 2012).
Location
Amazonas state: Iauarete.
Language Status
9 (Dormant)
View other languages of Brazil

Map

Location: Vaupés department: Upper Paca river (Papurí river tributary); Caño Yi and Caño Tuy rivers (Vaupes river tributaries).