Information from: “Sapé (Venezuela) - Language Snapshot” . Jorge Emilio Roses Labrada, Francia Medina (2019) , Peter K. Austin · ELPublishing
Critically endangered
100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
5
9
In 2017, researchers found one (semi-)speaker in Boca de Ichún, one in Venevené, and two from Karunkén who moved to Yuwapí Merú,
DATE OF INFO
2016
DOMAINS OF USE
SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS
TRANSMISSION
OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY
Pemón
Spanish
PLACES
Karún and Upper Paragua rivers & tributaries in the Bolivar State of Venezuela
Information from: “Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16th Edition (2009)” . M. Paul Lewis · SIL International
Critically endangered
20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
5
<25
5 (1977 E. Migliazza). Ethnic population: 25 or fewer (1977 E. Migliazza). (Speaker number unchanged 2016.)
DATE OF INFO
1977
PLACES
Venezuela;
LOCATION DESCRIPTION
Bolivar State, 3 small settlements on the Paragua and Karuna rivers.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Bolivar State, 3 small settlements on the Paragua and Karuna rivers.
Information from: “Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger” . Christopher Moseley (ed.) (2010) UNESCO Publishing
Severely endangered
20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
50
Information from: “World Oral Literature Project” .
Critically endangered
20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
5
Information from: “South America” (103-196) . Mily Crevels (2007) , C. Moseley · London & New York: Routledge
Critically endangered
20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
5
28 (in 1992)
Most Sapé have intermarried with Pemon (Cariban), and a few with Uruak and Yanam (Yanomaman). These linguistically mixed marriages, especially with the economically more powerful Pemon, have led to a language shift from Sapé to Pemon.
DATE OF INFO
1985
PLACES
Venezuela
LOCATION DESCRIPTION
Bolivar State, three settlements on the Paragua and Karun rivers.
Information from: “The status of the least documented language families in the world” (177-212) . Hammarström, Harald (2010)
Critically endangered
80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
5
DATE OF INFO
1977
SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS
TRANSMISSION
Information from: “Language endangerment in South America: The clock is ticking” (167-234) . Crevels, Mily (2012) , Lyle Campbell and Veronica Grondona · Mouton de Gruyter
Critically endangered
80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
a few elders
20
DATE OF INFO
2008
SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS
TRANSMISSION
PLACES
Venezuela
Information from: “Three critically endangered language isolates, Mako, Sape, and Uruak” . Campbell, Lyle, Ernesto Migliazza, Raoul Zamponi, Christopher Rogers (2013)
Dormant
0?
4?
In 1964 only 10 adults could speak some Sapé; Migliazza recorded Sapé materials from one of the last speakers in that year. Walter Coppens (1970a) found a speaker who was married to two women of Uruák origin, though everyone in the family spoke only Pemón. From Coppens’ description, this consultant seems to have been a semi-speaker. Coppens (1970a) collected a small unpublished vocabulary list from him. By 1977 there were reported to be only 5 speakers (Migliazza 1978). Francia Medina (2008) reported that the last speaker of Sapé passed away in 2004; she had lived in the community of Boca de Karún. Nevertheless, Laura Perozo et al. (2008:175) report that in fieldwork in 2005 four speakers (apparently semi-speakers) of Sapé were found, two in the community of Karunken (río Karún), one in Boca de Ichún, and one in the community of Kawaimaken. One of these, Carolina Torres Capote of Karunken was over 60 years old in 2005 (Medina 2008:740), from whom Perozo et al. were able to obtain a short wordlist.
MORE ON VITALITY
Francia Medina (2008) reported that the last speaker of Sapé passed away in 2004. Laura Perozo et al. (2008:175) report that in fieldwork in 2005 four speakers (apparently semi-speakers) of Sapé were found. One of these, Carolina Torres Capote of Karunken, was over 60 years old in 2005 (Medina 2008:740), from whom Perozo et al. were obtained a short wordlist (40 words).
SPEAKER ATTITUDE
Negative
OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY
Spanish
Pemon
PLACES
Venezuela
LOCATION DESCRIPTION
Sapé (a.k.a. Kaliana, Kariana, Sape) was spoken on the Paragua River and its Karun tributary in southern Venezuela near Brazil. Its status is unclear.
