Carib language
| Carib | |
|---|---|
| Kari'nja | |
| Native to | Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, the Guianas, Suriname, and Brazil |
| Ethnicity | Kali'na |
|
Native speakers
|
7,430 (2009) |
|
Cariban
|
|
| Dialects |
|
| Latin script | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-2 | |
| ISO 639-3 | |
| Glottolog | gali1262 |
Carib or Kari'nja is a Cariban language spoken by the Kalina people (Caribs) of South America. It is spoken by around 7,400 people mostly in Venezuela, Trinidad and TobagoGuyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and Brazil. The language is currently classified as highly endangered.
The language is known by several names to both its speakers and outsiders. Traditionally it has been known as "Carib" or "Carib proper" in English, after its speakers, called the "Caribs" in English. It is known Caribe in Spanish, Galina in French, and Karaïeb in Dutch. However, the speakers call themselves Kalina or Karìna (variously spelled), and call their language Karìna auran [kaɽiɁnʲauɽaŋ]. Other variants include Kali'na, Kari'nja, Cariña, Kariña, Kalihna, Kalinya; other native names include Maraworno and Marworno.
Kari'nja is classified as part of the Cariban languages but also as a Guianan language.
Due to contact with Kari'nja invaders, some languages have Kari'nja words incorporated into them, despite being Arawakan languages linguistically.
In Suriname, there is an area called Konomerume which is located near the Wajambo River. With about 349 people living there, a majority identify as ethnically Kari'nja and as for who knows the language, the adults are reported to at least have a decent knowledge of it. Those above the age of 65 use the language as a primary language among the members of the community. Speakers between the ages of 45 and 65 tend to use the language only when speaking with older residents or elder members of their family, while for the most part using the official languages: Dutch and Sranangtongo. Younger adults between the ages of 20 to 40 for the most part understand the language but do not speak it, and children learn bits about Kari'nja in school.
Carib dialects (with number of speakers indicated in parentheses):
The Carib alphabet consists of 15 letters: a, e, i, j, k, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u, w, and y.
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