Geographic
distribution: Brazil Glottolog: maxa1246 | Linguistic classification: Macro-Gê
Maxakalían | |
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The Maxakalían languages (also Mashakalían) were first classified into the Gê languages. It was only in 1931 that Loukotka separated them from the Gê family. Alfred Métraux and Curt Nimuendaju Unkel considered the Maxakalían family isolated from others. John Alden Mason suggests a connection with the Macro-Gê stock, confirmed by Aryon Dall’Igna Rodrigues.
Languages
Apart from extinct varieties generally seen as dialects of Maxakalí, Mason noted resemblances with a few other extinct languages of the area: Pataxó, Malalí and Coropó. However, Coropó is now thought to be a Purian language. Campbell (1997) therefore lists the Maxakalian languages as:
- Malalí (†)
- Pataxó (Patashó) (†) (retain some words)
- Maxakalí (Mashacalí)
Glottolog (2016) restores Coropó (Koropó) as a Maxakalían language.
References
Maxakalían languages Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA