Also Known As: Chamacoco Language,Ishiro,Jeywo
Description:
Chamacoco is a Zamucoan language spoken in Paraguay and maybe Brazil. It is also known as Xamicoco or Xamacoco, although the tribe itself prefers the name Ishír, which is also spelled Ishiro or Jewyo. It is spoken by a traditionally hunter-gatherer society that has now turned to agriculture. Its speakers are of all ages, and generally do not speak Spanish or Guarani well.
Chamacoco is classified as a Zamucoan language, along with Ayoreo. There is relatively little information about the Zamucoan family.
Chamacoco speakers live in the northeastern part of the Chaco Boreal at the origin of the Río Verde in Paraguay. Four dialects of Chamacoco have been identified: Héiwo, in the Fuerte Olimpo area; Ebidóso and Hório, spoken in the Bahía Negra region; and Tomaráho, in the Paraná-Paraíba interior forests.
The speakers of Hório and Ebidóso were estimated to be 800 in 1970. less than 200 people spoke Tomaráho then. Back in 1930, over 2000 people were estimated to speak Chamacoco...... full article at Wikipedia |