Wayana

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A language of Suriname

ISO 639-3
way
Alternate Names
Alukuyana, Oayana, Oiana, Oyana, Roucouyenne, Uaiana, Upurui, Wajana
Population

500 in Suriname (Crevels 2007). Population total all countries: 850. Ethnic population: 500 (Crevels 2007).

Location

Southwest Marowijne District, upper Tapanahoni river; northwest of Trio [tri] language settlements on Lawa and Tapanahoni rivers. Also in Brazil, French Guiana.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Cariban, Central, Wayana
Dialects

Partially intelligible of Apalaí [apy].

Language Use

Actively spoken in geographically distant and isolated villages (2007). Sranantongo [srn] is used in trade relations (Crevels 2007).

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 10%–30%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%. NT: 1979.
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Christian.

Also spoken in:

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