Documentation and description of Paraguayan Ayoreo, a language of the Chaco

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.

Ayoreo [ayo] is a Zamucoan language with approximately 4000 speakers in Bolivia and 2600 in Paraguay. The language remains underdescribed, specially the Paraguayan varieties.This project will initiate a documentation of the Ayoreo spoken in Campo Loro, Paraguay (lat: -22.059678, long: -59.801331), by recording and annotating a range of culturally significant text materials in collaboration with the community. The main outcome will be completion of my doctoral thesis, which will include an Ayoreo sketch grammar with a detailed analysis of its clause structure and the production of materials for community use. Primary investigator: Santiago Gabriel Durante

Project Details


Location: Paraguay, South America, Americas Organiser(s): Endangered Languages Documentation Programme Project partner(s): CAICYT - CONICET Funder(s): Arcadia Funding received: £36,673.00 Commencement Date: 01/2009
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