Charruan languages


The Charruan languages are a group of languages once spoken in Uruguay and the Argentine province of Entre Ríos. In 2005 a semi-speaker of Chaná language was found.

Genetic relations

Jorge Suárez includes Charruan with Guaicuruan in a hypothetical Waikuru-Charrúa stock. Morris Swadesh includes Charruan along with Guaicuruan, Matacoan, and Mascoyan within his Macro-Mapuche stock. Both proposals appear to be obsolete.

Languages

Four languages are considered to definitively belong to the Charruan language family, basically Chañá, Nbeuá, Charrúa and Guenoa.
A number of unattested languages are also presumed to belong to the Charruan family:
The Charruan languages are poorly attested. However, sufficient vocabulary has been gathered for the languages to be compared:
EnglishCharruaChanáGüenoa
mem'mi-tíhum
youm'mutí /em/ batém
werampti/ am-ptírambuí
eyei-houocál
eari-mau / i-mantimó
mouthejhek / obá
handguarnam
foot / toeatiteté
waterhuéatá
sundioi
doglohánagó
whitehuok
oneu-gil / nguiyut
twosamusan / amá
threedetí / datitdetit / heítdetit
knowsepéseker
good / nicebilúoblí / oblé
brother/sisterinchalánchalá
friendhuamáuamá
why? / how?retámretanle*
who?ua-reté
past ndau / ndenedam