Bolivia

Extensive List of Languages of Bolivia: Spoken and Extinct Languages

Araona [aro] 81 (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 90 (Adelaar 2000). Northwest, headwaters of Manupari River. Alternate names: Cavina. Classification: Tacanan, Araona-Tacana, Araona

Aymara [aym] A macrolanguage. Population total all countries: 2,446,642.

Aymara, Central [ayr] 1,790,000 in Bolivia (1987). Population total all countries: 2,262,900. Whole Altiplano west of eastern Andes. Some migration to yungas and lowlands. Also in Argentina, Chile, Peru. Dialects:Chilean Aymara is very similar to La Paz, Bolivia dialect. Classification: Aymaran

Ayoreo [ayo] 770 in Bolivia (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 856 in Bolivia (Adelaar 2000). Gran Chaco region, Department of Santa Cruz. Alternate names: Ayoré, Moro, Morotoco, Pyeta, Yovai. Dialects: Tsiricua. Classification: Zamucoan

Baure [brg] 13 (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 631 (Adelaar 2000). Beni Department, northwest of Magdalena. Classification: Arawakan, Maipuran, Southern Maipuran, Bolivia-Parana Nearly extinct.

Bolivian Sign Language [bvl] 350 to 400 (1988 E. Powlison). Cochabamba, La Paz, Riberalta, Santa Cruz. Dialects:Based on American Sign Language [ase] with necessary changes for borrowed Spanish lexical items. Some groups in La Paz and Santa Cruz use the same signs with some dialect signs from their own areas. Morgan (2004) gives evidence that Bolivian Sign Language is no more divergent from ASL [ase] than some dialects of ASL. Classification: Deaf sign language

Callawalla [caw] 10 or 20 speakers (1995 SIL). Highlands and high valleys, east Andes north of La Paz, Charazani area north of Lake Titicaca. Alternate names: Callahuaya. Dialects: Seems to have Quechua affixes and syntactic patterns, but distinctive roots from a dialect of the extinct Puquina language. Classification: Mixed language, Quechua-Puquina

Canichana [caz] No known speakers. Ethnic population: 583 (Adelaar 2000). Lowlands. Alternate names:Kanichana. Dialects: Said to be of the Tucanoan family. Classification: Language isolate

Cavineña [cav] 1,180 (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 1,736 (Adelaar 2000). North Bolivia, southeast of Riberalta, along Beni River; east of the Beni; 500 in Pando west of the Beni. Classification:Tacanan, Araona-Tacana, Cavinena-Tacana, Cavinena

Cayubaba [cyb] No known speakers. Ethnic population: 794 (Adelaar 2000). Beni Department, west of Mamore River, north of Santa Ana. Alternate names: Cayuvava, Cayuwaba. Dialects: Ruhlen (1991) and others classify it as Equatorial. Classification: Language isolate

Chácobo [cao] 550 (2000 SIL). Ethnic population: 860 (2000 SIL). Northwest Beni, south of Riberaltaon, Alto Ivon River. Classification: Panoan, Southern

Chipaya [cap] 1,200 (1995), increasing. Ethnic population: 1,800. Department of Oruro, Province of Atahuallpa. Alternate names: Puquina. Dialects: May be Arawakan or distantly related to Mayan. Classification: Uru-Chipaya

Chiquitano [cax] 5,860 (Adelaar 2000). ISA (2000) lists 2,000 in Brazil. Ethnic population: 47,086 (Adelaar 2000). East Santa Cruz, east region. Alternate names: Chiquito, Tarapecosi. Dialects:Concepción, San Ignacio de Velazco, San Javier (Javierano, Xavierano), Santiago, San Miguel. Classification: Macro-Ge, Chiquito

Chorote, Iyo’wujwa [crq] 8 in Bolivia (1982). Southeast, Tarija Department. Alternate names: Choroti, Manjui, Manjuy. Classification: Mataco-Guaicuru, Mataco

Ese Ejja [ese] 1,300 in Bolivia (2000 SIL). Population total all countries: 1,770. Ethnic population: 1,300 in Bolivia (2000 SIL). Northwestern region; into foothills on Beni and Madre de Dios rivers; Tambopata and Heath rivers around Puerto Maldonado in Peru. Also in Peru. Alternate names:“Chama” , Ese Eja, Ese Exa, Huarayo, Tiatinagua. Dialects: Each clan has slight dialect differences; all seem inherently intelligible. Most divergent Tacanan language. Tambopata dialect in Peru somewhat different from the Bolivian dialect. Classification: Tacanan, Tiatinagua

Guaraní, Eastern Bolivian [gui] 33,700 in Bolivia (Adelaar 2000). Population total all countries: 51,230. Ethnic population: 36,917 in Bolivia (Adelaar 2000). South central Parapeti River area, Tarija. Also in Argentina, Paraguay. Alternate names: “Chawuncu” , “Chiriguano” , Western Argentine Guaraní. Dialects:Izoceño (Izocenio), Ava. Classification: Tupi, Tupi-Guarani, Subgroup I

Guaraní, Western Bolivian [gnw] 7,000. Chuquisaca Department, south to Pilcomayo River, east to Cuevo, north to Monte Agudo. Alternate names: Simba, Simba Guaraní. Classification: Tupi, Tupi-Guarani, Subgroup I

Guarayu [gyr] 5,930 (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 7,235 (Adelaar 2000). Northeast Guarayos River area. Alternate names: “Guarayo”. Classification: Tupi, Tupi-Guarani, Subgroup II

Ignaciano [ign] 4,500 (2000 SIL). Ethnic population: 20,805 with Trinitario (2000 W. Adelaar). South central Beni. Dialects: Limited comprehension of Trinitario [trn], similar to Spanish and Portuguese, with vowel reduction. Classification: Arawakan, Maipuran, Southern Maipuran, Bolivia-Parana

Itene [ite] No known speakers. Ethnic population: 108 (Adelaar 2000). North central Beni Department at junction of Mamoré and Itenez rivers. Alternate names: Iteneo, Itenez, More. Dialects: Itoreauhip. Classification: Chapacura-Wanham, Guapore

Itonama [ito] 10 (2000 Crevels). Ethnic population: 5,090 (Adelaar 2000). Beni Department and Itonamas River. Alternate names: Machoto, Saramo. Dialects: Ruhlen classifies it as Paezan. Classification: Language isolate Nearly extinct.

Jorá [jor] Extinct. Alternate names: Hora. Classification: Tupi, Tupi-Guarani, Guarayu-Siriono-Jora II

Leco [lec] 20 (2001 S. van de Kerke). Ethnic population: 80 (Adelaar 2000). Lake Titicaca east; Apolo area; scattered on Mapiri-Kaka River in Karura, Candelaria, Tutilimundi and Uyapi; Coroico River in Trapichiponte in KeleKelera. Alternate names: Leko, Rik’a. Classification: Language isolate Nearly extinct.

Machinere [mpd] 140 in Bolivia (1994). Ethnic population: 155 in Bolivia. Acre River. Alternate names:Manchinere, Manchineri, Manitenére, Manitenerí, Maxinéri. Classification: Arawakan, Maipuran, Southern Maipuran, Purus

Movima [mzp] 1,450 (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 6,528 (Adelaar 2000). Central Beni Department, Santa Ana area on Yacuma River. Dialects: Reportedly Tucanoan. Classification: Language isolate

Pacahuara [pcp] 17 (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 18 (Adelaar 2000). Northwest Beni. Alternate names:Pacawara. Classification: Panoan, Southern Nearly extinct.

Pauserna [psm] No known speakers. Ethnic population: 46 (Adelaar 2000). Southeast Beni on Guapore River. Alternate names: Guarayu-Ta, Paucerne, Pauserna-Guarasugwé. Classification: Tupi, Tupi-Guarani, Pauserna

Plautdietsch [pdt] 28,600 in Bolivia. Alternate names: German, Mennonite German. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Saxon

Quechua, North Bolivian [qul] 116,000 in Bolivia (1978 census), increasing. 18,452 monolinguals. Apolo region, La Paz Department. Also in Peru. Alternate names: North La Paz Quechua. Dialects: Apolo, Charazani, Chuma. Classification: Quechuan, Quechua II, C

Quechua, South Bolivian [quh] 2,780,000 in Bolivia (1987). Population total all countries: 3,635,000. Highland and lowland except around Apolo; Northwest Jujuy Quechua in Argentina. Also in Argentina. Alternate names:Central Bolivian Quechua, Quechua Boliviano. Dialects: Sucre, Cochabamba, Oruro, Potosí, Chuquisaca, Northwest Jujuy. May be intelligible with Chilean Quechua [cqu]. Classification:Quechuan, Quechua II, C

Reyesano [rey] 4,600 (2006). Possibly a few speakers (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 4,118 (Adelaar 2000). Beni Department, west central around San Borja, near Reyes. Alternate names: San Borjano. Classification: Tacanan, Araona-Tacana, Cavinena-Tacana, Tacana Proper

Saraveca [sar] Extinct. Eastern jungle. Classification: Arawakan, Maipuran, Central Maipuran

Shinabo [snh] Extinct. Classification: Panoan, Southern

Sirionó [srq] 400 (Adelaar 2000), increasing. 50 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 419 (Adelaar 2000) to over 600 (2000 P. Priest). Eastern Beni and northwestern Santa Cruz Departments, Ibiato (Eviato) village; along the Río Blanco in farms and ranches. Alternate names: Mbia Chee, Mbya. Dialects: Similar to Yuqui [yuq]. Classification: Tupi, Tupi-Guarani, Subgroup II

Spanish [spa] 3,480,000 in Bolivia (1995). Dialects: Afro-Yungueño (Black Spanish). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian

Tacana [tna] 1,820 (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 5,058 (Adelaar 2000). Beni and Madre de Dios rivers, jungle, some in foothills. Alternate names: Takana. Classification: Tacanan, Araona-Tacana, Cavinena-Tacana, Tacana Proper

Tapieté [tpj] 70 in Bolivia (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 74 in Bolivia (Adelaar 2000). Southeast, Samayhuate and Cutaiqui towns. Alternate names: Guasurango, Ñanagua, Tirumbae, Yanaigua. Classification: Tupi, Tupi-Guarani, Guarani I

Toba [tob] 100 in Bolivia. Alternate names: Qom. Classification: Mataco-Guaicuru, Guaicuruan

Toromono [tno] 200 (1983 Varese). Ethnic population: 200 (Adelaar 2000). Northwest, close to the Araona, between the upper Madidi and River Heath. Alternate names: Toromona. Classification:Tacanan, Araona-Tacana, Cavinena-Tacana, Tacana Proper

Trinitario [trn] 5,500 (2000 SIL). Ethnic population: 20,805 with Ignaciano (Adelaar 2000). South central Beni. Alternate names: Mojos, Moxos. Dialects: Loreto (Loretano), Javierano. Classification:Arawakan, Maipuran, Southern Maipuran, Bolivia-Parana

Tsimané [cas] 5,320 (Adelaar 2000). Includes 585 Moseten speakers. Ethnic population: 5,907. Southwest Beni Department and along Maniqui River; San Miguel de Huachi and Santa Ana de Alto Beni.Alternate names: Chimané, Mosetén. Dialects: Tsimané, Mosetén. Mosetén move into Tsimané communities and function with seemingly no communication difficulties (2002 NTM). Classification: Language isolate

Uru [ure] 2 (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 142 (Adelaar 2000). Department of Oruro, Province of Atahuallpa, near Lake Titicaca, near where the Desaguadero River comes out of Titicaca, near Iruitu. Alternate names: Iru-Itu, Morato, Muratu. Classification: Uru-Chipaya Nearly extinct.

Wichí Lhamtés Nocten [mtp] 1,810 in Bolivia (1994). Population total all countries: 1,910. Ethnic population: 2,081 (1994). North central Tarija Department, southwest of Pilcomayo River, Cordillera de Pirapo. Also in Argentina. Alternate names: “Mataco” , Bolivian, “Mataco Nocten” , Nocten, Noctenes, Oktenai, Weenhayek. Classification: Mataco-Guaicuru, Mataco

Yaminahua [yaa] 140 in Bolivia (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 161 in Bolivia (Adelaar 2000). Northwest corner Pando Department. Alternate names: Jaminawa, Yamanawa, Yaminawa. Classification:Panoan, South-Central, Yaminahua-Sharanahua

Yuqui [yuq] 120 (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 138 (Adelaar 2000). Foothills north of Cochabamba; Chimoré River. Alternate names: Bia, Yuki. Dialects: Similar to Sirionó [srq]. Classification: Tupi, Tupi-Guarani, Guarayu-Siriono-Jora II

Yuracare [yuz] 2,680 (Adelaar 2000). Ethnic population: 3,333 (Adelaar 2000). Beni and Cochabamba departments, primarily along Chapare River. Alternate names: Yura. Dialects: Mansinyo, Soloto. Classification: Language isolate

:: Reference ::
Courtesy of Lewis, M. Paul (ed.), 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com/