Native to Brazil Native speakers 16,000 (2006) | Ethnicity Terena people ISO 639-2 ter | |
Language family Arawakan
Southern
Bolivia–Parana
Terêna ISO 639-3 Variously:
ter – Terena
gqn – Kinikinao & Guaná
caj – Chané | ||
Terêna or Etelena is spoken by 15,000 Brazilians. The language has a dictionary and written grammar. Many Terena people have low Portuguese proficiency. It is spoken in Mato Grosso do Sul. 20% are literate in their language, 80% literate in Portuguese.
There were once four varieties, Kinikinao, Terena proper, Guaná, and Chané, which are sometimes considered separate languages (Aikhenvald 1999). Only Terena proper is still spoken.
Terêna has an active–stative syntax.
References
Terêna language Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA