Wajiara

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A language of Colombia

ISO 639-3
yui
Alternate Names
Juriti, Juriti-Tapuia, Juruti, Luruty-Tapuya, Patsoka, Totsoca, Wadzana, Waijiara masa-wadyana, Waikana, Waimasá, Wayhara, Yuriti, Yuruti, Yuruti-Tapuya, Yurutiye
Autonym
Wajiaraye
User Population

1,100 in Colombia (2011 SIL), increasing. Few monolinguals.

Location

Vaupés department: Upper Paca river (Papurí river tributary); Caño Yi and Caño Tuy rivers (Vaupes river tributaries).

Language Maps
Language Status

5* (Developing).

Classification
Tucanoan, Eastern Tucanoan, Tucano
Typology

11 consonants and 6 vowels.

Language Use

Vigorous. Positive attitudes. Also use Spanish [spa], in schools and government contexts. Also use Tucano [tuo], especially along the Pacá and Caño Yi rivers. Used as L2 by Waimaha [bao].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 15%–20%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–40% in Spanish [spa]. 10% can write Wajiara. Bible portions: 1985–1986.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Wajiara
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Marriage patterns require spouses to be from different language groups. Children speak the languages of both parents and grandparents, but identify with the father’s language.

Also spoken in:

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