Ayoreo

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A language of Paraguay

ISO 639-3
ayo
Alternate Names
Ayoeo, Ayoré, Ayoweo, Coroino, Garaygosode, Guarañoca, Guidaigosode, Koroino, Moro, Morotoco, Poturero, Pyeta Yovai, Pyta Jovai, Samococio, Takrat, Totobiegosode, Yanaigua
User Population

2,460 in Paraguay (2012 census), increasing. 1,000 monolinguals (2012). Total users in all countries: 4,650.

Location

Alto Paraguay department: Arocojnadi, Cucaani, Guidaichai, and Isla Alta; Boquerón department: Campo Loro, Ebetogue, Jesudi, and Tunocojai.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing). Recognized language (2010, Languages Act, No. 4251, Article 2).

Classification
Zamucoan
Dialects

Tsiracua (Sirákua, Tsirákua). Lexical similarity: 30% with Chamacoco [ceg].

Typology

SVO; prepositions and postpositions; noun head initial, except for possessors; 2 genders (masculine and feminine); inflectional language; verb affixes mark person, number, and gender; no passive or voice; no tense or aspect; 19 consonants and 5 vowels, including voiceless nasal consonants.

Language Use

Used by all. Many also use Spanish [spa], with more younger than older people speaking it, with more men than women speaking it, and more urban dwellers than rural speaking it.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 20%. Dictionary. Texts. NT: 1982.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Ayoreo
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Partially nomadic. Christian.

Also spoken in:

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