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Cahuapanan language family
Where are the Cahuapanan languages spoken?
These languages are spoken in Peru, South America.
Total number of speakers (estimates)
Around 7,000 according to the figures provided by Mary Ruth Wise (1999) (MRW)
Around 10,000 according to the UNESCO (UN)
This family counts 2 active languages
Classification
Chayahuita (alternative name: Shawi): 7,000 speakers according to MRW, 10,000 according to the UNESCO
Jebero: 100 speakers according to the UNESCO
Notes on the classification
Little comparative work has been conducted on these languages at this point. According to Wise (1999) these languages are close, yet mutually unintelligible.
Are the Cahuapanan languages endangered?
Yes, both of these languages are endangered. With only a few aged speakers, Jebero could be on the brink of extinction. The UNESCO specifies that their estimation is approximate, and that the actual figures are probably lower. Chayahuita is still under threat, despite a few thousand speakers.
Sources
Wise, M.R. (1999) “Small languages families and isolates in Peru” in R.M.W. Dixon and Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald, (eds) The Amazonian languages, Cambridge University Press.
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