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Jê–Kaingang, Gê, Ye
EthnicityGê peoples
Geographic
distribution
Brazil
Linguistic classificationMacro-Jê
Subdivisions
Glottologjeee1236
Jê languages proper (clear yellow) and other Macro-Jê languages (dark yellow) in modern times. Shadowed area represent approximately extension in the past.

The Jê languages (also spelled , Jean, Ye, Gean), or Jê–Kaingang languages, are spoken by the , a group of indigenous peoples in Brazil.

Genetic relations

The Jê family forms the core of the Macro-Jê family. Kaufman (1990) finds the proposal convincing.

Family division

According to Ethnologue (which omits Jeikó), the language family is as follows:

Ramirez (2015)

Internal classification of the Jê languages according to Ramirez, et al. (2015):[1]

Ramirez excludes Jaikó as a possibly spurious language.

Nikulin (2020)

According to Nikulin (2020), the internal branching of the Jê language family is as follows:[2][3]

Some sound changes and lexical innovations that define various Jê subgroups:[4]

Varieties

Below is a full list of Jê language varieties listed by Loukotka (1968), including names of unattested varieties.[5]

Jê language varieties listed by Loukotka (1968)
Timbirá group
  • Mehin – language spoken in the village of Araraparituya on the right bank of the Gurupí River, Maranhão state. Now perhaps extinct.
  • Tajé / Timbirá – spoken in the village of Bacurí on the right bank of the Mearim River, state of Maranhão.
  • Kukoekamekran – once spoken on the lower course of the Grajaú River, Maranhão. (Unattested.)
  • Kreapimkatajé / Krepúnkateye – spoken on the middle course of the Grajaú River.
  • Karákatajé – once spoken by the southern neighbors of the preceding tribe. (Unattested.)
  • Krenjé – spoken at the sources of the Gurupí River.
  • Remkokamekran / Remako-Kamékrere / Merrime – spoken on the Corda River and Alpercatas River, especially in the village of Ponto.
  • Aponegicran / Apáñekra – language spoken at the sources of the Corda River.
  • Krenkatajé / Canella – extinct language once spoken in the village of Suridade on the Alpercatas River.
  • Sakamekran / Chacamecran / Mateiros – spoken on the Codo River and Flores River.
  • Purekamekran – extinct language once spoken at the sources of the Grajaú River.
  • Makamekran / Pepuxi – once spoken on the Manuel Alves Pequeno River.
  • Kenpokatajé – once spoken between the Manuel Alves Grande River and Manuel Alves Pequeno River. (Unattested.)
  • Kanakateyé – once spoken on the Farinha River, Maranhão. (Unattested.)
  • Apinagé – language spoken between the Tocantins River and Araguaia River, near their confluence.
  • Karaho / Carauau – once spoken in the Serra do Estrondo, Goiás state.
  • Menren / Gavioes / Augutjé – spoken between the Tocantins River and Surubiu River in the state of Pará. (Only a few words.)
  • Meitajé – spoken by a few individuals northeast of Itupiranga, Maranhão state.
  • Norokwajé / Nurukwayé – spoken south of the Apinagé tribe on the Tocantins River, but perhaps extinct now. (Unattested.)
Krao group
  • Krahó / Krao – language spoken between the Macapá River and Balsas River and the Serra das Alpercatas, Maranhão state.
  • Krikati / Krikatajé – spoken between the Tocantins River and Grajaú River to the sources of the Pindaré River, Maranhão.
  • Piokobjé / Bncobu / Pukobje – spoken at the sources of the Grajaú River.
  • Kapiekran – once spoken on the Balsas River, Maranhão.
Kayapó group
Central group
Western
  • Suyá – language spoken by a tribe that once lived at the mouth of the Suia-Missu River on the Xingu River; now in an unexplored area to the north.
Eastern
Jeicó group

Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items.[5]

LanguageBranchheadeyetonguehandonetwothree
MehínTimbirá Ii-xreːntói-yotói-nuxrápütiibiaklüteinklüt
TajéTimbirá Ipá-krẽntópá-yõtópá-ushrá
KrenjéTimbirá Ií-xuntópá-yõtópá-ükrambuchídibyashüdnkri
Remkoka-MekranTimbirá Ipa-krãnpa-ntópa-ñatópa-nukrapuchitehibiakrukeinkri
AponegikranTimbirá Ii-krai-nthói-ñotoi-ninkráyhapuchitiipiakautuinkré
KrenkatajéTimbirá Ihõ-atóhõ-krábuchitídaikrutdonkré
SakamekranTimbirá IIi-krãi-tóyontouu-krá
PurekamekranTimbirá IIi-klani-notho
MakamekranTimbirá IIi-kranñótoi-nontóñukrápüchitäklúteglé
ApinagéTimbirá IIis-krani-ntoñotoñukrapushiadkrúteadrun-ati
KarahoTimbirá IIi-krani-ntoyotoñukraitaökrüdinkrä
MenrenTimbirá IIpa-krani-tói-yukrápititemkrötenkrí
KayapóKayapó Ii-krani-ntói-ñotoi-nikrapudiamaikrut
IraamráireKayapó Ikrãnoi-ñotonikrapúdiamaikrut
GorotiréKayapó IIkrãñótónikrapüdyiamaigru
DuludiKayapó IIhueh-nohhue-nohdohhue-nigrah
MetotíreKayapó IIi-krani-nói-ñotói-nikra
GradaúKayapó IIi-krani-nakái-ñotoi-nikrapodzyiameikrut
XikríKayapó IIkrãnontónikrápudíamaikrutamaikrutkieket
UsikrinKayapó IIno
Southern KayapóKayapó IIi-ikrani-ntótsutoshikria
KapiekranKraoñukrá
KrahóKraokrãnhitóhioptónikrápuchitehibiakrukenkri
PiokobjéKraonkrãnntótonkrápechätehibiakrótnkri
KrikatiKraoi-krãi-tói-yukráitá pochetnetá ipekrotitá ikri
SuyáEasternwa-kuráwoa-ndówã-notówa-ñikó
XavanteEasternda-kända-toda-nontodé-iperésimisimaipoänäskudaton
XerenteEasternda-krãnda-tóda-noitóda-nipikrashimishipoñkámenmepráne
XakriabáEasternda-kranda-tomanda-shipigráhemerotongpranéeskumantong
AkroáEasternai-kránaí-nthóaso-inthóas-subkrá
JeicóJeicógrang-bláa-lepúä-netáä-nänong


LanguageBranchwaterfiresunjaguartapirbow
MehínTimbirá Ikühüpuderbkuxrüdxúhi
TajéTimbirá Ikúhüpütorópkuxüdkúhi
KrenjéTimbirá Ikúxüpüdoróbkukrüdnkúhi
Remkoka-MekranTimbirá Ikuxúpudoróbokukrútekuːhí
AponegikranTimbirá Ikoxʔhópútuorópa
KrenkatajéTimbirá Igoxéputoropikuhé
SakamekranTimbirá IIkoputkuhẽ
PurekamekranTimbirá IIkuhüputropguklüthe
MakamekranTimbirá IIköyhébütrópkokreyutikuché
ApinagéTimbirá IIinkókukuvuburérobokoklütegutye
KarahoTimbirá IIkukuvuputrobokokrätikuhä
MenrenTimbirá IIkokoróputiriorótukkokrétkuhẽ
KayapóKayapó Ingokuwúmutrópkukrotdzyuzyé
IraamráireKayapó Inokuömútrobkukrütdzyudzye
GorotiréKayapó IIngókuwümudrobkukrüddyúdye
DuludiKayapó II
MetotíreKayapó IIingokuamutrokronrekukrutdudzye
GradaúKayapó IIngokuimutrabkukritdzyudzyä
XikríKayapó IIngoukuãmaːtrópdiudieː
UsikrinKayapó IIngokóãmudrokrarikokrítderätukä
Southern KayapóKayapó IIpiñkóichiúitputinapiáidzhútaishé
KapiekranKraokukusshiamikru
KrahóKraokuvrúamkrórobkutkrút
PiokobjéKraokahóamkróropkrokokrätkohé
KrikatiKraokokuhẽankró
SuyáEasternngokustómúrrurauitíkukrittuté
XavanteEasternkushebudukuhodukumikã
XerenteEasternkuzébedörhúkúkudukomikan
XakriabáEasternkuchéstakróukúkutókomekané
AkroáEasternkuchioputhukutukuäté
JeicóJeicópingxügkrákolunongxkünoniang

Proto-language

Proto-Jê
Reconstruction ofJê languages
Reconstructed
ancestor

Nikulin (2020)

Proto-Jê reconstructions by Nikulin (2020):[2]

glossProto-Jê
‘foot’*par
‘arm, branch’*pañ
‘tree, wood, firewood’*pĩm
‘to rub, to clean’*põ
‘to leave.PL’*pôc
‘to fart’*pê/*pê-k
‘hungry, to want’*prə̃m’
‘coal, ember’*prʏ
‘road’*pry (~ *pryn)
‘wife’*prũ
‘to hear, to understand’*mba
‘liver’*mba
‘to be afraid’*-mbaŋ’
‘DAT’*mə̃
‘to grab, to carry’*mbə̂
‘tail’*mbyn
‘celestial body’*mbyt
‘good’*mbec
‘PL; with’*mẽ
‘liquid’*mbên
‘husband’*mbɪn’
‘to go.PL’*mũ
‘ashes’*mbrə
‘ant’*mbrʊm’
‘relative by marriage’ (kinship term)*mbre
‘to walk’*wa
‘to take, to carry’*wy
‘to untie’*wô
‘to fly.SG’*tə
‘tongue’*ñũctə
‘INSTR’*tə̃
‘strong, hard’*tə̂t
‘to die’*ty
‘capybara’*k(r)Vmtym’
‘black, dark’*tyk
‘fat’*tom’
‘old’*tʊm’
‘to carry’*tu
‘horsefly’*potu
‘NEG’*tũ
‘to go.SG’*tẽ
‘to dream’*peti
‘to send’*jandə
‘eye’*ndəm
‘mother’*nə̃
‘to lie.SG’*nõ
‘bad or crooked’*pondʊ (~ *pondʊn)
‘to hit’*ra
‘wing; armpit’*jara
‘celestial body’*roñ
‘to transport liquid or to pour’*ru
‘to leave, to abandon’*re
‘to throw.PL’*rẽ
‘root’*jarê (~ *jarên)
‘to weed’*-rê(C)
‘to look’*rĩt
‘to weave’*cy
‘seed’*cym
‘to eat soft food, to suck’*cô
‘leaf’*côj
‘nest’*jacê ~ *jVmcê
‘bandage, sling’*-cĩ(C)
‘to chew’*kapnĵa
‘bee, bumblebee’*nĵy
‘to hang.SG’*nĵô
‘to tickle’*nĵê
‘to stand.SG’*ja
‘to put vertically.SG’*ja
‘nose’*ñĩja
‘to eat.INTR, food’*jañ
‘bitter’*jə̂
‘smoke’*ñĩjə̂
‘urine’*jʏ
‘to sit.SG’*ñỹ
‘tooth’*jo
‘salt’*kVjo
‘to tear, to rip’*jô
‘pus’*jʊ
‘postposition’*jʊ
‘father’*jʊm’
‘to hide’*peju
‘to heat, to dry’*nĵu
‘to sleep’*ũt/*ñũt
‘thread, knot, cloth’*jê (~ *jên)
‘female breast’*ñũmjê(C)
‘vein’*kujêk
‘to lay.SG’*ji
‘name’*jiji ~ *ñĩji
‘meat’*ñĩ
‘hand (in compounds)’*ñĩ(m)-
‘basket’*kaj’
‘skin, bark’*kyñ
‘lip’*jar-kyñ
‘to dig’*ko
‘mouth’*jar-ko
‘sky’*kVñko
‘fly, mosquito’*kôp
‘tree, horn’*kôm
‘horn’*ñĩ-kôm
‘wind’*kôk ~ *ka-kôk
‘to eat’*kʊ
‘stone’*kẽt
‘NEG’*kêt
‘pit’*kɪj
‘to split’*kɪ ~ *kɪj ~ *kɪj’
‘offspring’*kra
‘macaw’*krat
‘head’*krỹñ
‘knee’*jVkrỹñ
‘chin, beak’*krot
‘hole’*kre
‘to plant’*kre
‘thigh’*krɪñ
‘to push against, to grind’*ŋə̃(C)
‘feather, hair’*ŋgoñ’
‘louse’*ŋgô
‘to push against, to crumble’*ŋũ
‘to enter.PL’*ŋgɪ
‘toucan’*ŋrũ (~ *ŋrũn)
‘egg’*ŋgre
‘to dance’*ŋgre
‘wrap’*ŋrĩ(C)

For a more complete list of Proto-Jê reconstructions, as well as Proto-Southern Jê reconstructions, see the corresponding Portuguese article.

Ribeiro & van der Voort (2010)

Proto-Jê reconstructions by Ribeiro and van der Voort (2010):[6]

glossProto-Jê
‘relational prefix’*j-
‘dative’*mã
‘to open’*kje
‘wing’*j-ar
‘mouth’*j-arkua
‘mouth’*j-ar-
‘head’*krã
‘feather’*j-ar
‘path’*prɨ
‘causativizer’*-n
‘chief’*paʔi
‘to suck’*so
‘to catch’*wɨ
‘to eat, to bite’*ku
‘body’*hǝ
‘to sing, to dance’*ŋrɛ
‘to lay’*j-i, *s-i
‘hard’*tǝt
‘to stand’*j-am
‘thorn’*j-ĩ
‘to speak’*wẽ
‘fart’*pek
‘tree, wood, horn’*ko
‘wood, firewood’*pĩ
‘ashes, dust’*mrɔ
‘to wash’*pe
‘tongue’*j-õtɔ
‘hand’*j-ĩ-
‘hand’*ɲ-ĩkra
‘to kill’*wĩ
‘nest’*j-ase
‘bone’*si
‘to hear, to know’*ma
‘egg’*ŋrɛ
‘stone’*kɛn
‘skin, bark’*kɨ
‘to plant’*krɛ
‘1st person’*ĩj-
‘2nd person’*a-
‘3rd person’*ĩ-
‘3rd person’*s-
‘pus’*j-u, *j-ur
‘tail’*mɨ
‘root’*j-are
‘seed’*sɨ
‘to sit’*j-ã
‘hunger’*prãm
‘earth’*pɨka
‘to come’*tẽm

References

  1. ^ Ramirez, Henri; Vegini, Valdir; França, Maria Cristina Victorino de (2015). "Koropó, puri, kamakã e outras línguas do Leste Brasileiro". LIAMES: Línguas Indígenas Americanas. 15 (2): 223–277. doi:10.20396/liames.v15i2.8642302.
  2. ^ a b Nikulin, Andrey (2020). "A reconstruction of Proto-Jê phonology and lexicon". Journal of Language Relationship. 17 (1–2): 93–127. doi:10.31826/jlr-2019-171-211.
  3. ^ Nikulin, Andrey. 2020. Proto-Macro-Jê: um estudo reconstrutivo. Doctoral dissertation, University of Brasília.
  4. ^ Nikulin, Andrey; De Carvalho, Fernando O. (2019). "Estudos diacrônicos de línguas indígenas brasileiras: Um panorama" (PDF). Macabéa – Revista Eletrônica do Netlli. 8 (2): 255–305. doi:10.47295/mren.v8i2.1910.
  5. ^ a b Loukotka, Čestmír (1968). Classification of South American Indian languages. Los Angeles: UCLA Latin American Center.
  6. ^ Ribeiro, Eduardo Rivail (2010). "Nimuendajú was right: The inclusion of the jabutí language family in the Macro-Jê stock". International Journal of American Linguistics. 76 (4): 517–570. doi:10.1086/658056. hdl:2066/86080.