Carib

A language of Venezuela

Caribe, Cariña, Galibi, Kalihna, Kalinya, Kari’nja, Kari’ña, Kariña

Autonym

Karìna auran

User Population

4,450 in Venezuela (2001 census). Ethnic population: 38,800 (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 8,558.

Location

Anzoátegui, Bolívar, and Monagas states: Orinoco river mouth area; Guyana border; some in Delta Amacuro state.

Language Maps

Guyana

Venezuela

Northeastern Brazil

French Guiana and Suriname

Language Status

6b (Threatened). Recognized language (2008, Indigenous Languages Law, Article 4).

Classification

Cariban

Dialects

Tabajari, Murato (Myrato, Western Carib). Eastern dialect primarily in eastern Suriname and in French Guiana and Brazil; western dialect in central and western areas of Suriname and in Guyana and Venezuela.

Typology

SOV; postpositions; 11 consonants and 6 vowels.

Language Use

Many in the ethnic group speak Carib but lack intergenerational transmission (Crevels 2007). Home. Some young people, all adults.

Language Development

Literature. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. NT: 2003.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Carib

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Also spoken in:

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Brazil

Language NameGalibi

User Population

28 in Brazil (Moore 2006). Ethnic population: 66 (Crevels 2012).

Location

Amapá state: Terra Indigena Galibi, São José dos Galibi village on Oiapoque river right bank, south of Saint Georges, between Morcego and Taparabu streams.

Alternate Names

Carib, Caribe, Cariña, Kalihna, Kalinya, Kari’na auran, Kari’ña, Maraworno, Marworno

Dialects

Tyrewuju (Eastern Carib).

Language Status

8a (Moribund).

Language Use

Older adults only. Shifted to Portuguese [por]. Also use Karipuna French Creole [kmv]. Karipuna French Creole taught in a 3 year primary school program (Ferreira 2010).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Portuguese-Carib creole people (Galibí do Uaça) also speak Karipuna French Creole [kmv].

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French Guiana

Language NameCarib

User Population

2,400 in French Guiana (Crevels 2012). No monolinguals. Ethnic population: 4,000 (Crevels 2012).

Location

Northwest coast, along lower Mana and Maroni rivers east of Maroni river mouth, Iracoubo and Organabo areas between Kourou and Mana.

Alternate Names

Caribe, Cariña, Galibi, Kalihna, Kalin’a, Kalinya, Kari’na, Kari’na auran, Kari’ña

Dialects

Tyrewuju (Eastern Carib).

Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Language Use

Home, friends, education. Some young people, all adults. Neutral attitudes. Also use French [fra]. Also use Guianese French Creole [gcr]. Also use Sranan Tongo [srn].

Language Development

It is taught in some schools experimentally.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Guyana

Language NameCarib

User Population

480 in Guyana (1991). Ethnic population: 3,000 (2000 J. Forte). The ethnic group represents 6% of the Amerindians in Guyana.

Location

Barima-Waini and Pomeroon-Supenaam regions: Northwest, coastal river heads and coastal lowland forests.

Alternate Names

Caribe, Cariña, Galibi, Kalihna, Kalinya, Kari’nja, Kari’nya, Kari’ña, Kariña, Karìna, Karìna auran

Dialects

Murato (Myrato, Western Carib), Aretyry.

Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

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Suriname

Language NameCarib

User Population

1,200 in Suriname (Carlin 2001). Ethnic population: 3,000 (Crevels 2012).

Location

Coronie district: Welgelegen commune; Marowijne district: Albina and Galibi communes; Para district: Bigi Poika commune; Saramacca district: Calcutta commune; Sipaliwini district: Boven Coppename commune.

Alternate Names

Caribe, Cariña, Galibí, Kali’na, Kalihna, Kalinya, Kara’ibs, Kari’na, Kari’na auran, Kari’nja, Kari’nya, Kari’ña, Karìna, Maraworno

Dialects

Murato (Myrato, Western Carib), Tyrewuju (Eastern Carib), Aretyry.

Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Language Use

Home, friends; mixed use: Religion. Some young people, all adults. All ages, but spoken less and less by children (Crevels 2007). Neutral attitudes. Also use Dutch [nld]. Also use Sranan Tongo [srn], with central dialect speakers shifting towards it and becoming bilingual in it.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Ethnic autonym: Kari’na. Glossonym: Kara’ibs in Dutch, Galibí in French, Caribe in Spanish, Carib in English.

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Carib

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A language of Venezuela

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