Puri language

Wikipedia

Puri
Puri–Coroado
Kwaytikindo
Native toBrazil
EthnicityPuri people
Extinctlate 19th century[1]
Revivalunknown L2 speakers[2]
Purian
  • Puri
Dialects
Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3prr
Glottologpuri1262  Puri

Puri (Puri: Kwaytikindo 'language') is an extinct and revitalizing language of eastern Brazil, spoken by the Puri people. It ceased being spoken sometime in the 19th century, but the Puri people have begun to use the language once more. It can be considered a language isolate, with the related Coroado language seen as a dialect.

Classification

Puri is part of the eponymous Purian language family, composed of Coroado, Puri and possibly Waitaká, which is unattested. Previously, the Koropó language was seen as Purian,[3] but it has been proven to be part of the Maxakalían languages instead.[4]

History

In the 2010s, a Puri language revitalization project was launched in the indigenous village of Maraká’nà (Maracanã), Rio de Janeiro State.[5] In 2021, a primer was published.[6]

Phonology

The following phonemic inventory of Puri, based on phonological data from various scholars, was proposed by Neto in 2007.[7][3]

Consonants

Consonants of Puri
Bilabial Alveolar Post-alveolar Palatal Velar
Plosive b ᵐp p t k
Nasal m n ɲ
Sibilant affricate t̠ʃ
Sibilant fricative ʃ
Approximant j
Tap/flap ɾ

Vowels

Vowels of Puri
Front Central Back
Close i (ɨ) u
Close-mid e o
Open ä

It is uncertain if [ɨ] existed in Puri.

Vocabulary

Numerals

[8]
Numeral Puri
1 omi
2 kuriri

References

  1. Puri at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed access icon
  2. "Puri Language (PRR) – L1 & L2 Speakers, Status, Map, Endangered Level & Official Use | Ethnologue Free". Ethnologue (Free All). Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  3. 1 2 Neto, Ambrósio Pereira da Silva (2007). Revisão da Classificaçao Da Família Lingüística Puri (PDF) (Thesis). p. 23. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  4. Campbell, Lyle (2024-06-25), "Indigenous Languages of South America", The Indigenous Languages of the Americas (1 ed.), Oxford University PressNew York, pp. 182–279, doi:10.1093/oso/9780197673461.003.0004, ISBN 978-0-19-767346-1, retrieved 2025-04-21
  5. Puri, Txâma Xambé; Puri, Tutushamum; Puri, Xindêda (2021-01-20). "Kwaytikindo: retomada linguística Puri". Revista Brasileira de Línguas Indígenas. 3 (2): 77. doi:10.18468/rbli.2020v3n2.p77-101. ISSN 2595-685X.
  6. Gamito, José Aristides Silva (2021-01-01). Cartilha da Língua Puri - um exercício de revitalização.
  7. "Puri". South American Phonological Inventory Database (SAPhon v2.1.0). UC Berkeley. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  8. Loukotka, Čestmír (1937). "La familia lingüística coroado". Journal de la Société des Américanistes (in French). 29 (1): 157–214. doi:10.3406/jsa.1937.1952. ISSN 0037-9174.