Ninam language
# Ninam language

Yanam, or Ninam, is a Yanomaman language spoken in Roraima, Brazil (800 speakers) and southern Venezuela near the Mucajai, upper Uraricaá, and Paragua rivers.

## Synonymy

Yanam is also known by the following names: Ninam, Yanam–Ninam, Xirianá, Shiriana Casapare, Kasrapai, Jawaperi, Crichana, Jawari, Shiriana, Eastern Yanomaman.

## Regional variation

Gordon (2009) reports 2 main varieties (Northern, Southern). Kaufman (1994) reports 3:

* Yanam (a.k.a. Northern Yanam/Ninam (Xiliana, Shiriana, Uraricaa-Paragua))
* Ninam (a.k.a. Southern Yanam/Ninam (Xilixana, Shirishana, Mukajai))
* Jawarib

The name Jawari is shared with Yaroamë.

There are three dialects spoken in Roraima, Brazil according to Ferreira, et al. (2019):

* Northern (Xiriana): Ericó and Saúba
* Southern: Mucajaí
* Central: Uraricoera

The remaining speakers of Arutani and Sapé also speak Ninam (Shirián), since they now mostly live in Ninam villages.

## Phonology

Yanam has seven base vowels. Yanam has both vowel length and nasalization, and both features can occur simultaneously, for all vowels except for /ɨ/.

Vowels :

| | Front | Central | Back |
| - | - | - | - |
| Close | i | ɨ | u |
| Mid | e | ə | o |
| Open | | a | |

Consonants :

| | Bilabial | Alveolar | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Glottal |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Bilabial | plain | aspirated | Palatal | Velar | Glottal |
| Stop | p | t | tʰ | | k | |
| Affricate | | | | t͡ʃ | | |
| Fricative | | s | | ʃ | | h |
| Nasal | m | n | | | | |
| Approximant | | | | j | | |
| Flap | | ɾ | | | | |
