Pankararú language
# Pankararú language

Pankararú (Pancaré, Pankaré, Pancaru, Pankaruru, Pankarará, Pankaravu, Pankaroru, Pankarú, Brancararu) is an extinct language of eastern Brazil. There are 6,000 ethnic Pankararú, but they all speak Portuguese. In 1961, only two elders could remember anything of the language. Today, they live in Brejo dos Padres and other villages of Tacaratu, Pernambuco State. The language was originally spoken between the Moxotó River and the Pajeú River.

In the 19th century the people split into two ethnic groups, the Pankararú and the Pankararé. One quarter of the Parkararé retain their traditional religion. Their language, however, is unattested, and can only be assumed to be a dialect of Pankararu.

## Classification

Pankararú has no proven relatives and remains unclassified. There are similarities with Tukano and Tupian. Meader (1976) found that of 80 known lexical items, one third (26) are clearly cognate with Tupian languages. He speculates that the last speakers of Pankararú may therefore have been bilingual in Tupi. The identity of the rest of the vocabulary has not been identified, and Pankararú may be a language isolate.

The Atikum language was spoken nearby, but it is a language isolate and is not related to Pankararú.

Loukotka (1968) also lists these languages as being formerly spoken in Tacaratu, Pernambuco State. It is not known whether or not they were related to Pankararú:

* Jeriticó or Jiripancó – village of Pindaé near Brejo dos Padres in Tacaratu, Pernambuco. Survivors now speak only Portuguese.
* Macarú – village of Brejo dos Padres, Tacaratu. A few survivors now speak only Portuguese.

Koiupanká and Karuazu may have been related.

Kalankó (Cacalancó), with descendants now living in Água Branca, Alagoas, may have also been related to Pankararú.

## Vocabulary

### Loukotka (1968)

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items.

    glossPankarurú manporkiá sunpanyé earthzyobazyí tobaccoazyó

### Pompeu (1958)

Language variety from Pompeu (1958), originally collected by Carlos Estêvam:

    Portuguese gloss (original)English gloss (translated)"Brejo dos Padres" fogofireobaí águawaterjinikací; jatateruá; jai, já brejoswampibiji, arôto lagoapondjoo terraearthjobají pedrastonetóitú; ipá salsalttuká cachimbosmoking pipekuna kuní cachimbo cerimonialceremonial pipematrinadô; matrigó maracámaracakáma, kabá eyá pinheiropineburúti meninoboyjorã, óibo parenterelativegôyáji irmã e primasister and cousindakatái onça pretablack jaguartupé maracajámargayGwariatã porcopigtarací mocórock cavy (Kerodon rupestris)kewí tatu-pebasix-banded armadillo (Euphractus sexcinctus)kuriépe boioxkanarí vacacowtú ovelhasheeppusharé; sumui íra passarinhosmall birdiushií penafeathertik ovoeggaji papagaioparrotumaiatá periquitoparakeetglyglilin peixefishkamijo abelhabeeaxxaó madeira, pauwood, treedáka florflowerbarkíra milhocornta, mõni tabaco, fumotobacco, smokepõi; ajó bonitobeautifullimin

### Meader (1978)

Below is a 1961 word list of Pankarú (Pankararú) recorded in Brejo dos Padres by Wilbur Pickering from his informant João Moreno. The list is published in Meader (1978).

    Portuguese gloss (original)English gloss (translated)Pankarú (Pankararú) amareloyellowˈžúbʌ̀ pedra amarelayellow stoneitapurʌŋga bocamouthūːřú kàˈtiŋ̄ minha bocamy mouthsε̄ ūˈřú bomgoodkátù ele é bomHe is good.ayε katu o olho é bomThe eye is good.sảːkàtú kyả̀ vocês são bonsYou (plural) are good.pε̄ñékātù / pε̃ñékátù brancowhiteˈtíŋgʌ́ buracoholekwàřà cabeçaheaduukà a cabeça é redondaThe head is round.muukὶ(ː) cabelohairuŋkyò o cabelo é pretoThe hair is black.uŋkyò àlóːkià cachorrodogítōˈlókyà caminhoroadpε carnemeatsóːō casahouseókhà céuskytšιakι / aʌ̨nsε cobrasnakefítš̭ˈàká / fítš̭iākà coraçãoheart(úpíˈá) ūpia kàtú asu cordaropeˈmúsúřʌ̨̀nʌ̨̀ dedo grandebig fingerkų̀ʌ̨́ kàtέ gàsú dentetooth(tʌ̨̄ˈíŋkàtī) diadayˈářà ele / elahe / sheàyέ eles, elastheyāìˈtá este, estathiskwa euIšεʔ facaknifekisε fogofireˈpo fumo (tabaco)smoke (tobacco)pɔi pedra furadapierced stoneítákwàřà ele furou a orelhaHe pierced his ear.oː màlί ásò homemmanaba homem velhoold manábá ùmʌ̨̀ joelhokneeàˈlų́ o joelho está mauThe knee is bad.sātkālί ˈʔų́ː línguatongue(mε̄āŋˈgā) luamoonˈžasì lua cheiafull moonkaiřε lua novanew moonkatiti mãemothersέʔžàʔ mandiocacassavamʌ̨̀nˈdī mãohandpɔ̄pitέkàí marseapəřəˈnà maubadpùší meninagirlmítákų̄įˈʌ̨̀ / íādε̄doŋ̄kīˈà meninoboyíādε̄dùˈà milhomaizeávātì moçagirlkų̀įʌ̨̀ mùkú moça velhaolder girlkų̀įʌ̨̀ fìlìwà mulherwomankų̀įʌ̨̄ nãonoų́hų̄ nariznosetákwí meu narizmy noseséˈtį̀ nossos narizes (meu e seu)our noses (inclusive)iānέʔtį̀ seu nariz (de você)your nosešέˈtį́ seu nariz (dele)his nosesέˈtį́ àyὲ noitenightpīˈtų̀ nós, nossowe, ourìànέʔ olho (pavεořukya)eye(pavεořukya) / sả̀ː onçajaguaržáˈgwà orelhaearmōːkìhkyà pai (meu pai)father (my father)sέʔpāià pedrastoneítà pedra brancawhite stoneitatiŋga pedra pretablack stoneítáʔų̀na pernalegkóškì pretoblackʔų́nʌ̨̄ redondoroundpúʌ̨̄ solsunkwářásí velhooldùmʌ̨̄ homem velhoold manábá úmʌ̨̀ moça velhaolder girlkų̀iʌ̨̀ fìlìwà vós (vocês)youpὲˈñε̄ açúcarsugardódəsākà cabragoatkářkíá camaleãochameleonfìˈkíˈá canelacinnamon(kālε̄ˈʔί̨ʌ) kia coxolamekóš dedofingerkų̄nˈkàtέ farinhaflourkítshià feijãobeannátsākā gargantathroatgāε̄òˈŋkyà grossothicksábóó lagartolizardšōá macaxeiracassavaaipį́ morenodark-skinnedpìˈtùnà queixochintʔíŋkwˈí simyesʌ̨̅hʌ̨́  ? ?(pʌ̨̅ŋkārὲː)
