The Waorani (Huaorani) language, earlier also known as Sabela (also Wao, Huao, Auishiri, Aushiri, Ssabela; autonym: Wao Terero; pejorative: Auka, Auca), is a vulnerable language isolate spoken by the Waorani people, an indigenous group living in the Amazon rainforest between the Napo and Curaray Rivers in Ecuador. A small number of speakers among uncontacted groups may live in Peru.

Classification

Waorani is not known to be related to any other language. However, it forms part of Terrence Kaufman's Yawan proposal.

Jolkesky (2016) also notes that there are lexical similarities with Yaruro.

Geographical distribution

Waorani is primarily spoken in Waorani Ethnic Reserve, which is the largest indigenous reserve in Ecuador. Other areas where it is spoken include Pastaza and Napo provinces (including the towns of Puyo and Coca), Yasuní National Park, and the Taromenani Tagaeri Intangible Zone. Waorani is considered endangered due to growing bilingualism in Quechua and Spanish and diminishing Waorani usage among youth.

Dialects

Waorani has three dialects: Tiguacuna (Tiwakuna), Tuei (Tiwi Tuei, Tiwi), and Shiripuno.

Phonology

Waorani distinguishes oral and nasal vowels. Its syllable structure is (C)V, with frequent vowel sequences. The allophones of /o/ range from [ɵ,o,ʊ,ɤ] and the allophones of /õ/ have a similar range, [ɵ̃,õ,ʊ̃,ɤ̃], and allophones of /e,ẽ/ can be heard as [ɪ,ɪ̃]. The alveolar tap [ɾ] is an allophone of /d/ and the palatal glide [j] is an allophone of /ɟ/.

BilabialAlveolarPalatalVelar
Nasalmnɲŋ
PlosiveVoicelessptk
Voicedbd~ɾɟ~jɡ
Continuantw
FrontBack
OralNasalOralNasal
Closeiĩ
Mideẽoõ
Openææ̃aã

Bibliography

  • Campbell, Lyle. (1997). American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-509427-1.
  • Kaufman, Terrence. (1990). Language History in South America: What We Know and How to Know More. In D. L. Payne (Ed.), Amazonian Linguistics: Studies in Lowland South American languages (pp. 13–67). Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN 0-292-70414-3.
  • Kaufman, Terrence. (1994). The Native Languages of South America. In C. Mosley & R. E. Asher (Eds.), Atlas of the World's Languages (pp. 46–76). London: Routledge.
  • Peeke, M. Catherine. (2003). A Bibliography of the Waorani of Ecuador. SIL International. Retrieved 2021 April 4 from
  • Pike, Evelyn G and Rachel Saint. 1988. Workpapers Concerning Waorani discourse features. Dallas, TX: SIL.
  • Rival, Laura. Trekking through History: The Huaorani of Amazonian Ecuador, Columbia University Press, 2002.

External links