Description and documentation of the Apurinã (Arawak) language of Brazil: grammar, dictionary and text collection

The Endangered Language Documentation Programme (ELDP) provides grants worldwide to for the linguistic documentation of endangered language and knowledge. Grantees create multimedia collection of endangered languages. These collections are preserved and made freely available through the Endangered Languages Archive (ELAR) housed at the library of SOAS University of London.

The purpose of the project is to accomplish detailed description and documentation of the Apurinã language (Arawak family). Apurinã is highly endangered language and spoken in the Amazon region of Brazil, mainly by elders, and presents typologically and theoretically important linguistic structures. Apurinã is the most scattered Indigenous language of Brazil, spoken along over 1,500km of the Purus River. The geographic spreading is analogous to the spreading of the Arawak languages (the most widespread language family of South America) in general, and has produced various dialects whose traits have not been described yet. Hence it will come as no surprise if an understanding of the Apurinã migration patterns sheds some light on the migration patterns of Arawak. endangered languages. These collections are preserved and made freely available through the Endangered Languages Archive (ELAR) housed at the library of SOAS University of London. Primary investigator: Sidney Facundes

Project Details


Location: Brazil, South America, Brazil, Americas, United States of America Organiser(s): Endangered Languages Documentation Programme Project partner(s): Universidade Federal do Para Funder(s): Arcadia Funding received: £9,747.00 Commencement Date: 01/1999 Project Status: Active
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