Cubeo

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A language of Colombia

ISO 639-3
cub
Alternate Names
Cuveo, Hehenawa, Hipnwa, Kobeua, Kobewa, Kubeo, Kubwa, Pamiwa
Autonym
Pamié
User Population

6,100 in Colombia (Civallero 2008), increasing. 610 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 14,100 (2018 census). Total users in all countries: 6,260.

Location

Vaupés department: Cuduyari, Querarí, and Vaupés rivers and tributaries; possibly also in Guainía department.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication). Cubeo is lingua franca for northwest Vaupés area and Tucano [tuo] is the lingua franca for the southeast section.

Classification
Tucanoan, Central Tucanoan
Typology

SOV; 11 consonants and 6 vowels.

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. About 5% are 7 years old or younger. Positive attitudes. Also use Spanish [spa]. Most also use other Tucanoan languages. Used as L2 by Cacua [cbv].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 50%. Literacy rate in L2: 60%. Written form used for religion and commerce. Taught as subject in primary schools. Newspapers. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. NT: 1970–2009.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Cubeo
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Exogamous marriage pattern with speakers of other languages. Decrease in infant mortality has caused an increase in population. Traditional religion, Christian.

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