The Puruborá language of Brazil is one of the Tupian languages. It is also known as Aurã, Cujubim, Burubora, Kuyubi, Migueleno, Miguelenho or Pumbora. Specifically, it is spoken in the Brazilian state of Rondônia, in Costa Marques and around the headwaters of the Rio São Miguel tributary of the right bank of the Guaporé. It is nearly extinct, with only two native speakers (and 243 in the ethnic group in 2014) reported in 2015.

Phonology

Consonants

LabialAlveolarPalatalVelarGlottal
Plosivevoicelessptkʔ
voicedbd
prenasalᵐbⁿd
implosiveɓɗ
Nasalmn
Fricativevoicelessʃh
voicedʒ
Tapɾ
Approximantwj
  • /j/ has an allophone of [ɲ] when before or in between nasal vowels.
  • [ŋ] is an allophone of /n/ when before /k/, or is also an allophone of /k/ when after nasal vowels in word-final position.
  • /w/ may also be heard as [β] when before high vowels or in free variation with [w].
  • Stops /t, d/ are also heard as palatalized [tʲ, dʲ] when before /i/.

Vowels

FrontCentralBack
Closei ĩɨ ɨ̃u ũ
Midẽə ə̃o õ
Open-midɛ(ɔ)
Opena ã

[ɔ] may also be heard as an allophone of /o/.

Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items.

gloss Puruborá one múm two wewáb three bokód-wewáb head azyá ear zapetó tooth inká hand wapitái woman bagoyá water zereré fire ndamizyá stone muruá maize zyiá tapir taní

External links

  • ELAR archive of