Wayana

Facts

  • Language: Wayana
  • Alternate names: Oayana, Wajana, Uaiana, Oyana, Oiana, Alukuyana, Upurui, Roucouyenne
  • Language code: way
  • Language family: Cariban, Guianan, Wayanaic
  • Number of speakers: 747
  • Vulnerability: Threatened [Read more...]
  • Script: Latin script

More information:

    Introduction

    Wayana is spoken by a Carib-speaking people located in the south-eastern part of the Guiana highlands, a region divided between Brazil, Surinam, and French Guiana. In 1980, when the last census took place, the Wayana numbered some 1,500 individuals. About half of them still spoke their original language.

    The verb

    Sample verb: e-si 'to be'

    Present Immediate Past Distant Past
    Sg.1 wai weha wehaken
    Sg.2 manai, man 1 meha mehaken
    Sg.3 man, nai neha kunehak
    1-2 kutai heha hehaken
    Pl.1 kutatëi hehatëo hehatëken
    Pl.1-2 nai emna neha emna kunehak emna
    Pl.2 manatëi mehatëo mehatëken
    Pl.3 man, nai tot neha tot kunehak tot

    Notes:

    1. man is used only in questions.