Guinau is an extinct Arawakan language of Venezuela, formerly spoken along the Merevarí River, a tributary of the Caura River. It has been sometimes considered a dialect of closely related Baré. It is classified in the Rio Negro branch by Ramirez and França (2019).

Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968)

Loukotka (1968) gives the following basic vocabulary items for Guinau:

glossGuinau
headin-chéue
eyena-uízyi
handn-kábi
waterúne
firechéke
sungamũhũ
housebáni
tapirzéma
maizeyúnu
oneabamédzya
twoabiamáka

Schomburgk (1848)

⟨ae, ui⟩ represent one sound.

GuinauGlossGuinauGlossGuinauGloss
nisihairtotolikneeyamkassiforest
intshebuheadkatabulegwamityosavannah
teiburrifrontunkuiankletshaeke-weimafirewood
‘nawisieyesintshibefoottsabamountain
intseibueyelashesintshibihanshitoestshibarock
intseibitzieyebrowintshibi-arahularge toetshimari-tshebibow
‘nawisi tateeyelidintshibi-hityulittle toetshimariarrow
intshenoseabbafatherwatabablowpipe
‘nomamouthammamotherhoihwar club
intarihalipspapa aeyewenigrandfathermakuripoisoned arrow
‘nahaeteethpaki homorragrandmotherennehripoisoned blowdart
tashinitongueyaenarisontakarubasket for carrying burdens
‘nuabbineckinteghdaughtertshachibasket peculiar to the Guinau
kaukshicheeksenarihusband1umataghpot
kakutachinhennauwifeurukumamatappa
intsanimabeardyiwienibrothermanarisieve for sifting cassava flour
‘noakushouldermatyusistertshibacassava rasp or grater
takanneelbowapaharikari, apaheumanmanokannajaguar
inkabo-akuiwristarriekyebo, apahokowomanmurayuforest deer
inkabohandemiboypurrika"savannah deer" (Pampas deer?)
kabhanshifingerhinahutyugirlkarriaku"smallest deer" (gray brocket?)
nabau-itafingernailkatiearthkwashidog
inkabo-yauthumbtshekefiretsaematapir
inkabofirst fingerwaenuheavenweiyurumishagouti
inkabo-yetsebisecond fingerkamuhusunweiyurulaba
inkabo-metahithird fingerkewarimoonontsahafish
inkabo-hityunalittle fingeryuwintistarswamiricock
intanaarmkaburitucloudshinnauhen
untokobreastawetshiwindmerishicollared peccary
undurabellyhiarainkeraukawhite-lipped peccary
taiïburunavelkeimarithunderwuishacalabash
‘nishinniheartkanhilightningparuplantain
pashitaribsoniwatermekurubanana
‘naetaskinarahaukoriverkantyericassava
‘nuiyabloodpanihousetsaricassava bread
‘naetinafleshmoimahigrassteweshiyam
‘nabibacktamon-hihatreeka-uhsweet potato
pashithightamona-yekafloweruraricurare poison
GuinauGlossGuinauGloss
yawaricoaitakewakanniday
piyawubatewiknife
warisavnnah dogsuparacutlass
kabihiSouth American coatimariaaxe
ibihayawariwotshifishhooks
tebishimapale-throated slothmavassirazor
waetunine-banded armadillokirre-kirrefile
maranoBrazilian three-banded armadillomeiyuruglass beads
keyucapybarakurarashired glass beads
kurishaiBrazilian porcupineirashiscissors
ikurigiant anteaterwannamarilooking glass
karihuBrazilian squirrelarripirirupin
munaBolivian river dolphinmakutsineedle
kukuiharpy eagletsaeworriokoblue, green
kwehtoco toucankanniokored
tshiwariblack curassowkritokoyellow
dakobellbirdkahaukoblack
iïyahoatzinpariokowhite
kwanorock manakinahayes
maradiguanegho marinano
kuyuwiwhite-headed guanniato weep
karimaanhingatshakeitaba akakutyuto laugh
tujujujabiru
marimacocoi heron
wanarewaccara (white crane)
kunashimitziroseate spoonbill
huromaMuscovy duck
visishiuwhite-faced whistling duck
kuttuaneotropic cormorant
warraraArrau turtle
tarrikea"small turtle"
kaimanAmerican crocodile
arraiyemannolizard
warramakagreen iguana
turraenatimber rattlesnake
mattariboa constrictor
tshibaufrog
tukuraublacksmith tree frog
timaruiocellate river stingray
umaharedeye piranha
yarinuniElectrophorus electricus
mawishiblunt shell
kuibashi"savannah shell"
matutushell sp.
takutakushell sp.
toma-kurimashicrab
tshitaboshrimp
tsiwoyuscorpion
ararutarantula
ikyebaScolopendra morsitans
tawaigrasshopper
hannejomosquito
tshikaTunga penetrans
mawnisandfly
uretaflea
tshaewetalouse
pareita1
yamika2
piampatyam3
kereha4
abba kawika5
yamunakatsi6
abba kabo watyam kab8
tshannaha ishaka akati9
abba kubba-kack10
tshohinorth
abbabatassisouth
kamahu atsinaeast
kamahu asslabowest
kibaunight

Notes

  1. Also means "'man' in a general sense"