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Wapishana

A language of Guyana

ISO 639-3: wap

Population	6,000 in Guyana (2000 J. Forte). Population total all countries: 12,500.
Region	Southwest Guyana, south of the Kanuku Mountains, northwest of the Waiwai; a few villages. Also in Brazil.
Language map	Guyana
Alternate names	Uapixana, Vapidiana, Wapichan, Wapichana, Wapisana, Wapishshiana, Wapisiana, Wapitxana, Wapixana
Dialects	Amariba. Lexical similarity: 10% with Mapidian [mpw].
Classification	Arawakan, Maipuran, Northern Maipuran, Wapishanan
Language use	Amariba dialect may have no remaining speakers. Also use English.
Language development	Bible portions: 1975–1994.
Writing system	Latin script.
Comments	Their own name for the people is ‘Wapichana’ or ‘Wapichan’. Swidden agriculturalists: cassava. Traditional religion, Christian.

Also spoken in:

Brazil

Language name	Wapishana
Population	6,500 in Brazil (2000 ISA).
Region	Roraima.
Language map	Brazil, reference number 55
Alternate names	Uapixana, Vapidiana, Wapishiana, Wapisiana, Wapixiana, Wapixiána
Dialects	Amariba, Atorai.
Language use	Amariba dialect may have no remaining speakers. Some also use Portuguese.
Comments	The dialect Atorai is not the same as the language Waimiri-Atroarí [atr].

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

GRIMES, Joseph E., editor. 1972. Languages of the Guianas.  

TRACY, Frances V., author. 1972. "Wapishana phonology."  

TRACY, Frances V., compiler. 1972. Dictionary: English-Wapishana, Wapishana-English.

WAPISHANA Language Project, compiler. 2000. Scholar's dictionary and grammar of the Wapishana language = Tominpainao ati'o wapichan paradan parada-karu na'iki paradauzo-karu kaduzu.

Vernacular Publications

AIDS dau'a'o. 2008.

Kadorari dauʼaʼo. 1996.

Kaina'a idikinauda'u bakanu'iti kotu'ainaonao. 1996.

Matada dauʼaʼo. 1996.

Matunao dau'a'o. 1997.

Ogaru mani arimaraka. 1997.

Ogaru mani dizdarai. 1998.

Õgaru mani gala. 1997.

Ogaru mani kooshi daro. 1998.

Ogaru mani kotuʼuza. 1998.

Ogaru mani pishanaba. 1998.

Õgaru mani udaru'o kopau. 1997.

Read Wapishana!. 1973.

Reading Wapishana. 1974.

Taawab naʼapain anowan dauʼaʼo. 1996.

Tiichaanao saadanii kowai kida. 1998.

Wapichan kotu'ainaoun (Wapishana legends). 1974.

Wapishana primer. 1986.

Zuna dani kotuʼuzatinan dauʼaʼo. 1996.