Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Malibu languages

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Linguistic classification:
  
unclassified

Subdivisions:
  
Malibú Mocana

Malibu languages

Geographic distribution:
  
Department of Magdalena, Colombia

Glottolog:
  
(not evaluated) mali1242  (Malibu proper)

The Malibu languages are a poorly attested group of extinct languages once spoken along the Magdalena River in Colombia. Material exists only for two of the numerous languages mentioned in the literature: Malibú and Mocana.

Contents

Classification

The Malibu languages have previously been grouped into a single family with the Chimila language. However, Chimila is now known to be a Chibchan language, and Adelaar & Muysken regard the grouping of Chimila with the Malibu languages as "without any factual basis".

Family division

Rivet initially listed three Malibu tribes, each with its own language:

  • Malibú, spoken near the Magdalena River from Tamalameque to Tenerife
  • Mocaná, spoken by the Mokaná people in the region east of Cartagena
  • Pacabuey, also known as Sompallón or Laguna Malibu, spoken near the Zapatoza lagoon

    • To this list, Loukotka adds six more languages (excluding Chimila):

  • Papale, spoken on the Fundación River
  • Coanoa or Guanoa, spoken on the Cesar River
  • Zamirua, spoken on the Ariguaní River
  • Cospique, spoken somewhere in the Department of Magdalena
  • Mompox, spoken near the city of Santa Cruz de Mompox
  • Calamari, spoken along the coast south of Cartagena to Coveñas

    • Vocabulary

    Rivet gives a brief list of words from Malibú and Mocana, but does not distinguish the two languages. A selection of these is provided below:

  • tahana – manzanilla tree
  • malibu – chief
  • man – small boat
  • ytaylaco/yteylaco/yntelas/ytaylas – devil, deity
  • entaha/enbutac – cassava

    • References

    Malibu languages Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA