Mamaindê language

Updated on Jan 09, 2024

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Native to Brazil Language family Nambikwaran Mamaindê		Region Mato Grosso Linguist list xyl Yalakalore
Native speakers 250 (2009) to 340 (2007–2010) ISO 639-3 Variously: wmd – Mamaindé proper ltn – Latundê lkd – Lakondê xtw – Tawandê xyl – Yalakalore (presumed but unattested) apv – Alapmunte

Mamaindê, also known as Northern Nambikwara, is a Nambikwaran language spoken in the Mato Grosso state of Brazil, in the very north of the indigenous reserve, Terra Indígena Vale do Guaporé, between the Pardo and Cabixi Rivers. In the southern part of the reserve, speakers of Sabanê and Southern Nambikwara are found.

Varieties

Among the Nambikwaran languages, at least Northern (Mamainde), Southern (Nambikwara), and Sabane are mutually unintelligible. Mamainde, however, is a dialect cluster, and its varieties are sometimes considered distinct languages. The following distinctions are made by Eberhard (2009). Population figures are those of Ethnologue 16, dated 2007:

Mamaindê proper (including Nagarotê, 330 speakers)

Latundê (20)

Lakondê (1)

Tawaindê (or Da’wan’du; unattested and speakers unknown)

Yalakalore (extinct and unattested)

Yalapmunde (Alapmunte; extinct and unattested)

Yelelihre is another unattested Nambikwaran variety.

Distribution

Anonby & Eberhard (2008:4) list geographic locations for the following 3 Northern Nambikuara language varieties.

The Mamaindê (population: 200) live in Capitão Pedro, Mato Grosso, a village located near Vilhena, Rondônia.

The Negarotê (population: 100) live in a main village near the town of Comodoro, Mato Grosso, as well as another village close to the town of Nova Alvorada, Mato Grosso.

The Latundê (population: 20) live in the Tubarão-Latundê reserve, located about 150 kilometres west of Vilhena, Rondônia. The reserve has 3 villages.

Rio do Ouro: mostly ethnic Aikanã

Gleba: contains ethnic Aikanã, Kwazá, and Latundê

Barroso: mostly ethnic Latundê