Kaiwá

A language of Brazil

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Caingua, Caiua, Caiwa, Cayua, Kaiova, Kaiowá, Kayova

Population

18,000 (2003 ISA).

Location

Mato Grosso do Sul, from the Apa, Dourados, and Ivinhema rivers in the north to the Mbarakaju mountains and tributaries of Jejui river in the south.

Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification

Dialects

Kaiwá, Tembekuá, Teüi. Some comprehension of Paraguayan Guaraní [gug]. Lexical similarity: 70% with Pai Tavytera [pta] of Paraguay.

Language Use

Vigorous. Young people shifting to Paraguayan Guarani [gug].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 5%–10%. Literacy rate in L2: 15%–25%. NT: 1986.

Language Resources

Writing

Latin script.