Kaingang

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A language of Brazil

ISO 639-3
kgp
Alternate Names
Bugre, Caingang, Caingangue, Coroado, Coroados, Kanhgág
User Population

18,500 (Crevels 2012). Ethnic population: 28,000 (Crevels 2012).

Location

Paraná State: 9 reservations between Paranapena and Iguaçu rivers; Rio Grande do Sul state: 5 reservations of southeast dialect south of Uruguay river east of Passo Fundo river; southwest dialect on 7 reservations; east of Passo Fundo river; outskirts of cities in Rio Grande do Sul; Santa Catarina state: 8 reservations between Iguaçu and Uruguay rivers; São Paulo state: 3 reservations north of Paranapena river; Scattered.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Classification
Jean, Southern, Kaingang
Dialects

Paraná Kaingang, Central Kaingang, Southwest Kaingang, Southeast Kaingang.

Typology

SOV; 12 consonants and 14 vowels, including 5 nasal vowels.

Language Use

Language use varies: in some communities all speak Kaingang as L1, but not in others. Growing interest in revitalization (Golla 2007). Most also use Portuguese [por], in some vilages (Crevels 2007). Used as L2 by Xetá [xet].

Language Development

Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. NT: 1977–2005.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kaingang
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Alternate names now only used in old documents.