Guarani languages

The Guarani languages are a group of about six languages that belong to the Tupi–Guarani language family. The most well-known language in this family is called Guarani. It is one of the official languages of Paraguay, where it is used alongside Spanish. Many people in Paraguay speak Guarani every day, and it is an important part of their culture and history. The Guarani languages have a long history and are still spoken by many people today.

Classification

The Guarani languages are a group of related languages from South America. The most famous is Paraguayan Guarani. It is one of the official languages of Paraguay and is spoken by many people. Other types include Western Bolivian Guarani, Eastern Bolivian Guarani, Correntine Guarani, Chiripá Guarani, and Mbyá Guarani.

Some of these languages can be understood by people who speak similar varieties, because many people speak more than one. However, some, like Aché, are very different and hard for others to understand.

Documentation

The Guaraní language has been studied a lot since the 1600s. The three dialects of Guaraní have small differences, mostly in sounds and sentence building. These differences depend on where the language is used. The Mbyá people mainly teach their language by speaking it. Learning to read and write became more important for the Mbyá in the late 1990s because of new schools in their villages. Even though there are many dialects in the Tupí-Guaraní family, many words are still similar across them.

Literature

The Tupí-Guaraní branch has been studied a lot. This has led to many books and research about these languages. These include grammar guides, histories, and studies of their structure.

People are working to use Guaraní more, so more books and studies are being made. Scholars like Robert A. Dooley have collected many works about the Guaraní-Mbyá language. His research looks at how sentences are built and how they tell a story. This helps us understand cultural ideas. Other scholars, such as Guillaume Thomas, study time words in Guaraní and compare different versions of the language in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. These studies help us learn more about Guaraní.

Geographical distribution

Paraguay

Paraguayan Guarani is one of the official languages of Paraguay, along with Spanish. Both languages are used in the country's laws and schools.

There are several types of Guarani spoken in Paraguay. Chiripá and Mbyá are two of these types. The Aché, also called Guayaki, is the smallest group. In the Chaco Department, some people speak a type of Guarani called Ñandeva or Tapiete.

Argentina

In Argentina, Correntine Guarani is an official language in Corrientes Province, along with Spanish. Many people speak Western Argentine Guarani in Jujuy and Salta Province. Some also speak Mbyá.

Bolivia

Eastern Bolivian Guarani and Western Bolivian Guarani are spoken in southeastern Bolivia. Eastern Bolivian Guarani is also called Chawuncu or Chiriguano. Some other groups include the Gwarayú and the Sirionó. In 2009, Bolivia started a Guarani-language university.

Brazil

The Guarani people live in Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay. Their history includes the arrival of the Jesuits and changes made by Spanish and Portuguese colonizers.

Phonology

This section talks about the sounds used in the Guarani languages. There are tables showing details about these sounds, but they are handled separately.

Note. Data in chart above retrieved from A. Gutman, B. Avanzati, and R. Dooley.

Note. Chart above reprinted from A. Gutman and B. Avanzati.