Guarani dialects
| Guarani | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution |
Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil |
| Linguistic classification |
Tupian
|
| Subdivisions | |
| ISO 639-3 | [http://www.ethnologue.com/language/grn grn grn] |
| Glottolog |
tupi1282 (Mbya–Paraguayan) tupi1283 (Bolivian) |
Guarani is a Native American language or dialect continuum spoken in Paraguay and parts of Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil.
These share some degree of mutual intelligibility and are close to being dialects; however, Chiripá is reported to be intelligible due to bilingualism, not inherently. Also, there is a degree of intelligibility with Kaiwá–Pai Tavytera, which is not included in the Ethnologue. Ethnologue considers Tapieté to be a separate language, intermediate between Eastern Bolivian and Paraguayan, and has shifted from the name Chiripá to Avá, though the latter is ambiguous. Paraguayan Guarani is by far the most widely spoken variety and is what is often meant by the term "Guarani" outside South America.
Paraguayan Guarani, is, alongside Spanish, one of the official languages of Paraguay. Paraguay's constitution is bilingual, and its state-produced textbooks are typically half in Spanish and half in Guarani.
Speakers of Guarani who are not fluent in any other language have markedly limited opportunities for education and employment. There are very few speakers of Guarani outside South America. Those few that exist include emigrants, scholars, missionaries, and former volunteers of the Peace Corps.
A variety of Guarani known as Chiripá is also spoken in Paraguay. It is closely related to Paraguayan Guarani, a language which speakers are increasingly switching to. There are 7,000 speakers of Chiripá in Paraguay.
Additionally, another variety of Guarani known as Mbyá is also spoken in Paraguay by 8,000 speakers. Lexically, it is 75% similar to Paraguayan Guarani.
The smallest Guarani speaking community in Paraguay is that of the Aché, also known as Guayaki, with a population of 850.
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