Endangered Languages Project

ALSO KNOWN AS		Ñeengatú, Nhengatu, Yeral, Geral, Língua Geral, Nyengatú, Nyengato, Ñeegatú, Waengatu, Língua Jeral, Jeral, Língua Geral Amazônica, Nheengatú, Tapïhïya
CLASSIFICATION		Tupian, Tupi-Guaranian, Tupi
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		yrl
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search

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Information from: “Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 19th Edition (2016)” . Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig · SIL International

Endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
19,060
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
In Brazil: 10,300 in Brazil (2005)
In Colombia: 8,000 in Colombia (2004)
In Venezuela: 760 in Venezuela (2001 census); very few if any (Crevels 2007).

DATE OF INFO: 2005

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS
TRANSMISSION

PLACES: Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: In Brazil: Amazonas state: Içana, Lower Vaupés, and Negro river areas.
In Colombia: Guainía department: Rio Negro; Vaupés department: Caruru and Yavarate municipalities.
In Venezuela: Amazonas state: Brazil border area, Río Negro area, lower Guainía Department, San Pedro and Bultón.

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
8,000
Native speakers worldwide

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
4294
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
~4294
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
3000 speakers in Brazil and 1294 speakers out of an ethnic population of 1294 people (2001) in Venezuela

DATE OF INFO: 1977 for Brazil, 2001 for Venezuela

PLACES: Brazil and Venezuela

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
8,000
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
3,000 in Brazil (1998).

PLACES: Venezuela; Brazil; Colombia;

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
3,000
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
Nheengatu is a creolised version of Tupinambá (Tupi-Guarani), which was spread from the east coast by white merchants and missionaries. It was widely used as a lingua franca among indigenous groups and is still used among various groups, some as a first language, others as only a second language. Estimates of numbers of speakers vary widely and it is difficult to get accurate figures.

DATE OF INFO: 1977

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

PLACES: Brazil and Venezuela

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Amazonas State, Upper Rio Negro, Vaupes area; Lower Rio Negro, Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira Municipality, especially between the Curicuriari and Mare rivers.

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
8,000
Native speakers worldwide

16	2009	Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16th Edition (2009)			M. Paul Lewis		SIL International	Dallas, TX	http://www.ethnologue.com/		Lewis, M. Paul (ed.). 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16 edn. http://www.ethnologue.com/home.asp. (15 February, 2011.)	ll_pub		8,000		1000-9999	3,000 in Brazil (1998).		Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)				Venezuela; Brazil; Colombia;
	2016	Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 19th Edition (2016)			Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig	online	SIL International	Dallas, Texas	http://www.ethnologue.com		Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig (eds.). 2016. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Nineteenth edition (2016). Dallas, Texas: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com.			19,060	2005	10000-99999	In Brazil: 10,300 in Brazil (2005) In Colombia: 8,000 in Colombia (2004) In Venezuela: 760 in Venezuela (2001 census); very few if any (Crevels 2007).		Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	12	14	In Brazil: Amazonas state: Içana, Lower Vaupés, and Negro river areas. In Colombia: Guainía department: Rio Negro; Vaupés department: Caruru and Yavarate municipalities. In Venezuela: Amazonas state: Brazil border area, Río Negro area, lower Guainía Department, San Pedro and Bultón.	Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
3rd	2010	Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger					UNESCO Publishing	Paris	http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas	Christopher Moseley (ed.)	Moseley, Christopher (ed.). 2010. Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, 3rd edn. http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas. (03 June, 2011.)	ll_pub		8,000		1000-9999			Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)						1.2303,-66.8408
	2007	South America	Atlas of the World's Endangered Languages	103-196	C. Moseley		London & New York: Routledge			Mily Crevels	Crevels, Mily. 2007. "South America." In Atlas of the World's Endangered Languages, edited by C. Moseley. 103-196. London & New York: Routledge.	HHOLD		3,000	1977	1000-9999	Nheengatu is a creolised version of Tupinambá (Tupi-Guarani), which was spread from the east coast by white merchants and missionaries. It was widely used as a lingua franca among indigenous groups and is still used among various groups, some as a first language, others as only a second language. Estimates of numbers of speakers vary widely and it is difficult to get accurate figures.	Tukano	Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)				Brazil and Venezuela	Amazonas State, Upper Rio Negro, Vaupes area; Lower Rio Negro, Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira Municipality, especially between the Curicuriari and Mare rivers.
		World Oral Literature Project							http://www.oralliterature.org		"World Oral Literature Project." Online: http://www.oralliterature.org.			8,000		1000-9999			Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)
	2012	Language endangerment in South America: The clock is ticking	The Indigenous Languages of South America: A Comprehensive Guide	167-234	Lyle Campbell and Veronica Grondona		Mouton de Gruyter	Berlin		Crevels, Mily	Crevels, Mily. 2012. "Language Endangerment in South America: The Clock Is Ticking." In The Indigenous Languages of South America: A Comprehensive Guide, edited by Hans Henrich Hock et al.. 167-234. Mouton de Gruyter.		~4294	4294	1977 for Brazil, 2001 for Venezuela	1000-9999	3000 speakers in Brazil and 1294 speakers out of an ethnic population of 1294 people (2001) in Venezuela		Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)				Brazil and Venezuela

Nheengatú

Language metadata

Language information by source

Endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

19,060

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

8,000

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

4294

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

8,000

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

3,000

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

8,000

Discussion

Nheengatú

Language metadata

Language information by source

Endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

19,060

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

8,000

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

4294

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

8,000

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

3,000

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

8,000

Discussion

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