atame

From öt- (intransitivizer) + ame (“to lick, to eat”).

(intransitive, agentive) to come to an end, to be over, to run out


atannöjü

From öt- (intransitivizer) + annöjü (“to pick up, fetch, raise”).

af

to rise (said of a boat rising from the water because of uneven weight, of tobacco leaves that have not been sufficiently compacted, etc.)


a'yanoma

From a'yano (“ill omen”) + -ma (verbalizer).


ata'yanoma

From öt- (intransitivizer) + a'yanoma (“to complain, to get angry”).


atü

(transitive) to wash, to clean with water


atüjötü

From atü (“to wash”) + -jötü (pluractional suffix).


awanñodo

a kind of parasite about the size of an earthworm


awanta'ñö

From Spanish aguantar + -'ñö (loanword verbalizer).

(transitive) to resist, withstand, bear, endure


awiyünka

Apparently from awiyümü (“to turn”) + -ka (privative suffix), although some complications may be involved, as the latter suffix generally attaches to nominal stems.


awiyüntö

Apparently from awiyümü (“to turn”) + -tö (benefactive suffix), although some complications may be involved, as the latter suffix generally attaches to nominal stems.

(transitive) to skirt, to circle (a place)


ayawaichudu

Derived from ayawa (“Protium heptaphyllum tree, torch, bodypaint”).

(Caura River dialect) bodypaint made from ayawa used to ritually purify a child when the stump of its umbilical cord dries up and falls off from the navel


ata'deeja

From öt- (intransitivizer) + a'deeja (“to call, to welcome”).

(intransitive, agentive) to be called to or greeted


a'de'tö

From a'deu (“word”) + -tö (benefactive verbalizer).


a'dojo

(transitive) to knock down, to fell (trees or other tall objects)


a'jööma

(intransitive) to invite other communities to participate in an event of the inviting community.


a'sajötü

From a'sa (“to grab (grain or liquid)”) + -jötü (pluractional suffix).

(transitive) to summon with one’s hand, to gesture over


a'suta

(intransitive, patientive) to faint from exertion


cheetüjüdü

[t͡ʃeːtɨhɨːɾ̠ɨ]

LIkely suffixed with -'jüdü (past possessed suffix).


köwa'kö

Likely derived from wa'kö (“the same as, equal to”).


chöwa'kö

From y- (third-person prefix) + köwa'kö (“like”), thus literally ‘like it’.


dadü

front part of the torso; chest and abdomen


-dawö

From -dü (action nominalizer) + awö (“at, in, on”).

marks circumstantial subordination with simultaneous time on a verb


etunuichojo

From etunuichö (“to injure”) + -jo (causative suffix).

2008, speaker ‘MaJo’ from Boca de Piña (CtoWoshi.003–004), recorded in Cáceres, Natalia (2011), Grammaire Fonctionelle-Typologique du Ye’kwana, page 355

“Mom,” he said, “take care of my wife. Take good care of her, lest you let her get hurt.”

“Edaichökö'de jinñamo” ke “maama. Aajichaane edaichökö'de, manetunuichojo'no.”

(transitive) to let (someone) get hurt, to let (someone) come to harm


önwena

(intransitive, agentive) to walk far away


yü'söödüjai

[ɟɨʔsəːɾ̠ɨhaj]


yuunaka

(transitive) to cause to deviate from what was planned


dedü aküdü

[deɾ̠ɨ akɨːɾ̠ɨ]

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of yedü aküdü (“a kind of caterpillar or small worm said to inhabit fruit and cause ritual pollution within it”)


yööwa'kö

From iyö (inanimate invisible demonstrative pronoun) + wa'kö (“the same as, equal to”).


yuduwa

a kind of palm tree with a slender trunk from which blowguns are made, which is placed on walls at the edges of rooves, and which serves to make a support for growing yuca


yööje

From iyö (inanimate invisible demonstrative pronoun) + -je (adverbializer).


yo'tawö

in the middle of, halfway along (something long)


deewiya

a kind of tree which, in mythology, had Waasani’s mane attached to it to form a liana


de'wonontö

Perhaps from de'wö (“upon, on”) + -ano (nominalizer) + -tö (benefactive verbalizer), although this leaves the second n unexplained.

(transitive) to put on top of, to put on


dijönö

a kind of insect that smells bad when crushed


shinñattö

a kind of liana used as a fiber cord for tying bundles of cassava


shi'chanü

new mother, woman who has recently given birth


sakudaje

Ultimately suffixed with -je (adverbializer).


sadimincha

Derived from sadimiñu (“straight line”).

(transitive) to straighten, to straighten out


sadijanmü

(intransitive, patientive) to move away from one’s home community


saddö

From a noun that also forms the stem of satta (“to toast”), suffixed with -dö (verbalizer).

(transitive) to toast in a comal, a frying pan, or the sun


sankwa

(transitive) to abandon, to desert, to leave behind


sankwajo

Perhaps from sankwa (“to detest, to abandon”) + -jo (causative suffix).

(transitive) to change the type of weaving when weaving a yuca press (tünküi) or hammock


sedenamjü

Suffixed with -nöjü (causative suffix). Presumably the preceding -na must be a suffix forming an intransitive patientive verb from a noun, as the constructions of the related words seedeta and ssedeje show that the root is a nominal stem.


seeka

(transitive) Alternative form of eseka (“to move, to remove”)


settu

small sturdy vase-shaped basket made of minñaatö with a coiled handle, used to cage small animals and store peppers, cotton, and other goods


se'namo

a kind of deep infection of the genitals, skin, or face


sunamo

spice or hot sauce of the Orinoco River villages


sha'kwö

spice or hot sauce of the Cunucunuma River villages


siichamüttü

From sichamü (“to secure with a rope”) + -tü.


siichödü

[siːt͡ʃəɾ̠ɨ]


sinñaatö

Alternative form of shinñattö (“kind of liana”)


siwö

respiratory tube at the level of the neck seen when dissecting birds


siyawa

the violaceous jay, Cyanocorax violaceus


sokkojato

From sokoje (“being like mud”) + -ato (nominalizer).


sokoje

Suffixed with -je (adverbializer), from the same unattested root as sooko'nö.

being like mud, having the qualities of mud


sooko'nö

From the root of sokoje (“being like mud”) + -nö (verbalizer).


sukutaka

yucuta, drink made with cornstarch dough soaked in water


duttö

hourglass-shaped basket smaller than a wüwa


müneju

From Proto-Cariban *mɨnepu; compare Kari'na munepu (“ladder, bridge”), Trió mïnepu, nnepu, Akawaio miye', Pemon müne'pu, münek.


maakö

From Proto-Cariban *masakô; compare Trió maakë, Kari'na mako, Wayana mësak, Apalaí masako, Waiwai masakï, Akawaio masa', Macushi masa', Pemon masak, as well as Sranan Tongo maku.


tüdüemü

From t- -e (adverbializer) + üdü (“to do, to make”) + -mü (patient nominalizer).

objects or artifacts made by the Ye'kwana, as opposed to those acquired by trade or chance


müsoma

objects or belongings acquired by trade or chance, as opposed to those made by the Ye'kwana


duusenawa

a kind of beverage (mythologically assigned to the anteater in the tale of Kamasi)


-düje

just as, as, like; attaches to a finite verb form to indicate that what comes next occurs in a like manner to the modified verb


düjükü

a kind of fish found in Amazonas resembling a loricariid catfish, but with a large head and mouth


dünane

chünane (alternative)
nünane (alternative)


chünane

allomorph of dünane (“then, so”) used after words that end in i


nünane

allomorph of dünane (“then, so”) used after words that end in nö or dü


düüjöökö

expresses a hypothesis: it seems, perhaps, I think, I suppose


edemi'chö

[eɾ̠eːmiʔt͡ʃə]

From ödemi (“ceremonial chant”) + -tö (benefactive verbalizer).

(transitive) to sing (a ceremonial chant)


tawini

(Brazil) Alternative form of tooni (“one”)


öudawö

(Brazil) Alternative form of aduwaawö (“three”)


aakö amojato

From aakö (“two”) + amo (“hand”) + jato (“on the other side of”), literally “two on the other side of the hand”.


aakö amöjato

(Brazil) Alternative form of aakö amojato (“seven”)


tooni amojato

From tooni (“one”) + amo (“hand”) + jato (“on the other side of”), literally “one on the other side of the hand”.


aduwaawö amojato

From aduwaawö (“three”) + amo (“hand”) + jato (“on the other side of”), literally “three on the other side of the hand”.


aaköiche'a amojato

From aaköiche'a (“four”) + amo (“hand”) + jato (“on the other side of”), literally “four on the other side of the hand”.


ökudajada

akudhajada (alternative)
akudajada (alternative)


amojadö de'wö tooni

From amojadö (“ten”) + de'wö (“upon”) + tooni (“one”).

amojadö de'wö tawini (alternative Brazil)


amojadö de'wö aakö

From amojadö (“ten”) + de'wö (“upon”) + aakö (“two”).


amojadö de'wö aduwaawö

From amojadö (“ten”) + de'wö (“upon”) + aduwaawö (“three”).

amojadö de'wö öudawö (alternative Brazil)


amojadö de'wö aaköiche'a

From amojadö (“ten”) + de'wö (“upon”) + aaköiche'a (“four”).


amojadö de'wö ijatode'a

From amojadö (“ten”) + de'wö (“upon”) + ijatode'a (“five”).

amojadö de'wö jhaatode'a (alternative)
amojadö de'wö ijatoodea (alternative Brazil)


tooni sotto

From tooni (“one”) + sotto (“person, twenty”).


ijatode'a sotto

From ijatode'a (“five”) + sotto (“person, twenty”).

jhaatodea ssoto (alternative)
ijatoodea soto (alternative Brazil)


tooni sotto de'wö amojadö

From tooni sotto (“twenty”) + de'wö (“upon”) + amojadö (“ten”).

tawini soto de'wö amojadö (alternative Brazil)


kodokodomadi

From kodokodo + madi (“capped heron”). For the first element, compare English corocoro, Spanish corocoro, Portuguese coro-coró; ultimately onomatopoeic, from the animal’s cry.

Mesembrinibis cayennensis
Mesembrinibis cayennensis#Translingual

the corocoro or green ibis, Mesembrinibis cayennensis


wokiya

Alternative form of wokkiya (“Spix's guan, Penelope jacquacu”)


ka'dau

Daptrius ater
Daptrius ater#Translingual

Ibycter americanus
Ibycter americanus#Translingual

Alternative form of kadau (“the black caracara, Daptrius ater, or red-throated caracara, Ibycter americanus”)


ka'kawa

Amazona farinosa
Amazona farinosa#Translingual


onode'jö

Botaurus pinnatus
Botaurus pinnatus#Translingual


tada'kwa

Ortalis motmot
Ortalis motmot#Translingual


yaimaadi

yaimadi (alternative)
yaiñadi (alternative)

Mitu tomentosum
Mitu tomentosum#Translingual


uuwau

the capuchinbird, Perissocephalus tricolor


yuduma

Cairina moschata
Cairina moschata#Translingual


jadijadi

[hʷaɾ̠iːçaɾ̠i]

the ivory-billed aracari, Pteroglossus azara

the many-banded aracari, Pteroglossus pluricinctus


edennamjü

From eedenna (“to stop”) + -nöjü (causative suffix).


ede'tö

(transitive) to make yield, to make pay, to get something out of


edöje

From edö (“this”) + -je (adverbializer).

so, thus, like this, in the manner demonstrated


edudawa

a kind of hollow bamboo, Guadua latifolia, used for making waja baskets


eedenna

(intransitive, patientive) to stop, to halt


eejata'tö

(intransitive, patientive) to go to sleep


eekonema

(of people) to quarrel, to fight (with one another)


eetajuduka

Most likely prefixed with e- (intransitivizer).

(intransitive, patientive) to stretch (extend one’s limbs)


jö'nö

white-throated tinamou
white-throated tinamou

(Brazil) Alternative form of jöönö (“the great tinamou or white-throated tinamou”)


taajui

a kind of house for being in when awake rather than for sleeping, found beside or in front of the village roundhouse (öttö)


-taame

marks a temporally simultaneous subordinated circumstantial clause when the subjects of the subordinate and main clauses are different: while, as

marks a contrasting subordinated circumstantial clause, regardless of whether the subjects of the subordinate and main clauses are different: though, although, even though, even if


taij-taij

Coordinate term: shokodododo


tajöwiye

Probably formed with the adverbializer t- -e. The root ajöwi may then in turn derive from ajö (“arm”).


Tada'kwanña

From tada'kwa (“the little chachalaca”) + -nña (“at the place of”).

in Tada'kwanña, a village on the middle Caura River in Venezuela


eetojinña

(intransitive, patientive) to whirl, to circle, to revolve


eetümü

to make animal noises
(of birds) to sing


eewadüka

Formed with e- (intransitivizer) + *wadüka (“to untie”), the latter formed with -ka (privative verbalizer) from the same root as wadü'tö (“to tie firmly”).

(intransitive, patientive) to get loose, to release oneself


eewadü'tö

[eːwaɾ̠ɨʔtə]

From e- (intransitivizer) + wadü'tö (“to tie firmly”).

(intransitive, patientive) to be tied on, lashed down, affixed


eja'dötö

From e- (intransitivizer) + ja'dötö (“to pass”).


waadeta

Suffixed with -ta (verbalizer), from the same root as waadejajo.

Coordinate term: ewoichone'ma

(intransitive, patientive, of animals) to get angry


waadejajo

Coordinate term: ewoichone'ma


watödö

From wattö (“feces”) + -dö (verbalizer).


o'womokü

From öt- (intransitivizer) + womokü (“to wait for”).

(intransitive, agentive) to be awaited or expected


ejenka

From e- (intransitivizer) + jenka (“to hunt large game by flushing it out with dogs”).

(intransitive, patientive) to be scared or startled


nnejenka

Ultimately from nne (“child”), perhaps nne (“child”) + -je (adverbializer) + -nü (nominalizer) + -ka (privative verbalizer).

(transitive) to rear, to raise (animals, children, etc.)


-eje

marks a subordinated circumstantial clause that describes a secondary activity: while incidentally, while also


jüdata'ñö

[hʷɨɾ̠aːtaʔɲə]

From jüdata (“money”) + -'ñö (loanword verbalizer).


jüdata

Borrowed from Spanish plata (“silver, money”).


ejüdata'ñö

[ehɨːɾ̠ataʔɲə]

From e- (“intransitivizer”) + jüdata'ñö (“to make rich”).


ejüka

to cut (the stem of a plant or vein of a leaf)


wedükü

From w- (intransitive marker) + edükü (“to have a fever”).


ekada'jötü

Suffixed with -jötü (pluractional suffix).


ekamma

(transitive) to tell, to notify, to inform


ekamö

(transitive) to share out, to distribute


michü

From Proto-Cariban *mitɨ (“root”); compare Apalaí mity, Kari'na mi, Trió mitï, Trió mi, Wayana mit, Akawaio mi', Pemon mük.


ekku

(transitive) to respond to (someone’s singing) by repeating it, to echo (lines of song)


ekkwöjötü

From ekku (“to respond to (singing) by repeating it, to echo”) + -jötü (pluractional suffix).

(transitive) to reply to, to respond to (someone)


ookunaka

From öt- (intransitivizer) + ekunaka (“to disarticulate (someone’s) leg”).

to injure or disarticulate the joint between one’s hip and femur


emakudö

Perhaps prefixed with e- (intransitivizer), though no transitive verb *makudö seems to be attested.

(intransitive, patientive) to rot, to spoil, to go to waste


ema'tö

(transitive) to move (something) away from the point of origin, to remove, to distance


emekantö

(transitive) to scatter, to share out, to distribute


emjü

Derived from önu (“eye”). Perhaps cognate to Kari'na enyky, enupy (“to hurt the eye of, to get something in the eye”) (the expected cognate form would likely be Kari'na *enypy).

(transitive) to put a substance in the eyes


oomomü

From öt- (intransitivizer) + emomü (“to put in”). Cáceres, however, records the resulting verb as patientive, whereas an agentive verb would be expected to result from such a construction.


jötü

From Proto-Cariban *potɨ (“beak, snout, point”).


jejeichö

From Proto-Cariban *pepeitô. Compare Kari'na pepeito, Trió pepei, Akawaio peseto, Yao (South America) pepeïte.


chooda

a kind of loricariid or auchenipterid catfish, the ‘chola’ fish, variously identified as Ageneiosus sp., Rineloricaria caracasensis, or Rineloricaria formosa


enkano'tö

(transitive) to worry over, to care about (someone)


emo'tö

Likely prefixed with e- (intransitivizer), though no transitive verb *mo'tö (“to lay (something) down, to lean (something)”) seems to be attested.


emöwi

The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include:


emu'nojü

to try to deceive, to set up a deception or engage in suspicious behavior in order to trick (someone)


öömu'nojü

From öt- (intransitivizer) + emu'nojü (“to try to deceive or distract”). However, an agentive verb would be expected from this construction, whereas according to Cáceres this verb is patientive.

af

(intransitive, patientive) to get distracted


enkwano'jo

(transitive) to lose track of, to lose the trail of


ennajötü

From enajü (“to swallow”) + -jötü (pluractional suffix).


enneka

From e- (intransitivizer) + nne (“child”) + -ka (privative verbalizer).

(intransitive, patientive) to give birth, to have children


enneke'ma

Likely prefixed with e- (intransitivizer).

(intransitive, patientive) to sing repeatedly


ennojü

(transitive) to make fun of, mock, tease


ensöma'tö

From e- (intransitivizer) + müsoma (“belongings acquired by trade or chance”) + -tö (benefactive verbalizer).

(intransitive, patientive) to put on clothes, to get dressed


entajo

Perhaps from e- (intransitivizer) + nta (“mouth”) + ajo (“to chew”).

(intransitive, patientive) to open one’s mouth


enta'du

From e- (intransitivizer) + nta (“mouth”) + a'du (“to close”).

(intransitive, patientive) to close one’s mouth


enta'na

(intransitive, patientive) to eat people, to be a cannibal


entö

(intransitive, patientive) to fall into a trap or net


enüntö

(transitive) to put cassava dough in a matapee


enwejü

(intransitive) to do something during the night


enwüjüñadü

[eŋwɨhɨːɲaɾ̠ɨ]

(transitive) to strip, to divest (someone)


e'saku

From e- (intransitivizer) + 'sakü (“to apply bodypaint to”).

(intransitive, patientive) to put on bodypaint, to paint oneself


'sakü

(transitive) to apply bodypaint to (someone), to paint (someone)


Madijanña

From Spanish Maripa + -nña (“at the place of”).

in Maripa, a town in the state of Bolívar in Venezuela


Adijaonña

From Spanish Aripao + -nña (“at the place of”).

in Aripao, a village in the state of Bolívar in Venezuela


Wojistanña

From Portuguese Boa Vista + -nña (“at the place of”).

in Boa Vista, a city in the state of Roraima in Brazil


Amasonanña

From Spanish Amazonas + -nña (“at the place of”).


Judansianña

From Spanish Francia + -nña (“at the place of”).


Kushimenña

From Spanish Cusime + -nña (“at the place of”).

in Boca de Cusime, a village on the Erebato River in Venezuela


eseka

Perhaps formed with -ka (privative verbalizer).


esidi'chö

[esiːɾ̠iʔt͡ʃə]

From e- (intransitivizer) + sidi (“buttocks, rear”) + -tö (benefactive verbalizer).

(intransitive, patientive) to dance backward, to retreat dancing


esi'jo

(intransitive, patientive) to make things up, to lie


eso'ka

From e- (intransitivizer) + sooka (“to pierce, to puncture, to sew”).

(intransitive, patientive) To be stuck by a thorn.


etadawa'kajo

From e- (intransitivizer) + tadawaaju (“work”) + -ka (privative verbalizer) + -jo (causative suffix).


etamiyö

(transitive) to make (someone) feel bad for not respecting prohibitions


ettija

Alternative form of eetija (“to trade for”)


etü

(transitive) to make (something) make a sound; to sound, to play (an instrument)


öötü

From öt- (intransitivizer) + etü (“to sound, to play (an instrument, etc.)”).

(intransitive, agentive) to sound; to make a sound


-etü'da

subordinate clause
subordinate clause#English

marks the verb of a subordinate clause describing the reason why or the cause from which the main clause occurred; because, since


-etükomo'da

From -komo + the components that make up -etü'da.


euwü

to tell insults or offensive words to; to offend, to insult


öökatonka

From öt- (intransitivizer) + ökatomjö (“ghost, ex-spirit”) + -ka (privative verbalizer), thus literally ‘to have one’s ghost taken away’. Compare Kari'na otàkaryka (“to suffer, be tortured, get scared”), with a similar but slightly different construction.

cog

to hurry up and do something, to make haste


öönejünü

Apparently from ööne (“to be seen”) + -jünü (negative suffix), but the latter does not ordinarily attach to verbs; an additional adverbializer may be at play somewhere.

af

something that cannot be seen with the naked eye


ödü'ya

Derived from or otherwise related to ödümö (first-person possessed form of jadui (“younger sister or female parallel cousin”)).


önönei

From önöö (“to eat meat”) + -nei (agent nominalizer).


ömu

scrotum, ball sack (of a human or animal)


ötaku

From Proto-Cariban *ôtaku; compare Kari'na ataku, otaku.


ötüja

the suckermouth catfish or common pleco, Hypostomus plecostomus


öttüi

trading partner, person with whom one does business


Jadu

Ultimately from Proto-Cariban *paru (“water”).


shiñawe

any of two particular kinds of toad, one that lives in ponds and one that lives on land


daudawi

the great kiskadee, Pitangus sulphuratus


dajaka

a kind of large tree used as a medicine for diarrhea


kuwanaweyu

(in ritual chants) Synonym of shiñawe (“a kind of toad”)


woije

under the will of, at the direction of, steered by


dakönaichu

a kind of tree used as a medicine for stomach pain


ewanküdüñö

[ewaŋkɨɾ̠ɨːɲə]

(transitive) to worry, to concern, to trouble


ötöwanküdüñö

head

ötöwanküdüñö

[ətəːwaŋkɨɾ̠ɨːɲə]

From öt- (intransitivizer) + ewanküdüñö (“to worry, to concern, to trouble”).

af

(intransitive, agentive) to fret, to worry


ewansinchö

From öwansi (“food, meal”) + -nü + -tö (benefactive verbalizer).


ewiiña

(transitive) to rock (something or someone)


ewoichone'ma

(intransitive, patientive, of people) to get angry


oowoncha

From öt- (intransitivizer) + ewoincha (“to leave behind forgotten”).


ewonka

From e- (intransitivizer) + womü (“clothing”) + -ka (privative verbalizer).


oowontö

From öt- (intransitivizer) + ewontö (“to defend”).

to refuse to be handed over to another family


ewotunnöicha

Ultimately derived from wötunnö (“oral tradition, story”).


ewö

to be wounded by something that penetrates the skin, such as a bullet or arrow


eyajö'tö

From öyajö (“master, possessor”) + -tö (benefactive verbalizer).

(Caura River dialect, transitive) to take ownership of, to appropriate


e'douwü

(intransitive, patientive) to roar, to growl


e'juuma

From e- (intransitivizer) + 'juuma (“to unite, gather, amass”).

(intransitive, patientive) to get together, to assemble, to gather


e'jüü

(intransitive) to be plugged up or covered up


e'kotontö

From e- (intransitivizer) + 'kotontö (“to join; to tie, to draw”).

(intransitive, patientive) to be tied, drawn, equally matched


e'mo

From e- (intransitivizer) + 'mo (“to break (something)”).


'mü

Alternative form of 'mo (“to break (something)”)


e'nomja

(transitive) to leave (something), to leave behind


o'nomjö

Apparently from öt- (intransitivizer) + e'nomja (“to leave behind”), although the expected form would be *oto'nomja.

o'nomja (alternative)
ö'nömja (alternative)

(Caura River dialect, intransitive, agentive) to remain, to stay, to be left


ö'shikija

Apparently from öt- (intransitivizer) + e'shikija (“to make play”), although the expected form would be *ötö'shikija.


ötö'tö

From öt- (intransitivizer) + e'tö (“to name”).


adh-

ewü (first-person pronoun)
y- (first-person)
ü- (first-person)
u- (first-person)
w- (agent first-person transitive)
w- (agent-like first-person intransitive)
wi- (agent first-person transitive)
wi- (agent-like first-person intransitive)
küwü (dual first-person inclusive pronoun)
k- (agent-like dual first-person inclusive intransitive patient-like)
k- (direct-object dual first-person inclusive postpositional)
k- (dual first-person inclusive patient transitive)
k- (dual first-person inclusive possessive)
k- (dual first-person inclusive series-ii-verb-argument)
kü- (agent-like dual first-person inclusive intransitive patient-like)
kü- (direct-object dual first-person inclusive postpositional)
kü- (dual first-person inclusive patient transitive)
kü- (dual first-person inclusive possessive)
kü- (dual first-person inclusive series-ii-verb-argument)
ku- (agent-like dual first-person inclusive intransitive patient-like)
ku- (direct-object dual first-person inclusive postpositional)
ku- (dual first-person inclusive patient transitive)
ku- (dual first-person inclusive possessive)
ku- (dual first-person inclusive series-ii-verb-argument)
ki- (agent-like dual first-person inclusive intransitive patient-like)
ki- (direct-object dual first-person inclusive postpositional)
ki- (dual first-person inclusive patient transitive)
ki- (dual first-person inclusive possessive)
ki- (dual first-person inclusive series-ii-verb-argument)
k- (agent dual first-person inclusive series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
kii- (agent dual first-person inclusive series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
ki- (agent dual first-person inclusive series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
amödö (pronoun second-person)
ö- (direct-object postpositional second-person)
ö- (intransitive patient-like second-person)
ö- (patient second-person transitive)
ö- (possessive second-person)
ö- (second-person series-ii-verb-argument)
öy- (direct-object postpositional second-person)
öy- (intransitive patient-like second-person)
öy- (patient second-person transitive)
öy- (possessive second-person)
öy- (second-person series-ii-verb-argument)
ödh- (direct-object postpositional second-person)
ödh- (intransitive patient-like second-person)
ödh- (patient second-person transitive)
ödh- (possessive second-person)
ödh- (second-person series-ii-verb-argument)
o- (direct-object postpositional second-person)
o- (intransitive patient-like second-person)
o- (patient second-person transitive)
o- (possessive second-person)
o- (second-person series-ii-verb-argument)
oy- (direct-object postpositional second-person)
oy- (intransitive patient-like second-person)
oy- (patient second-person transitive)
oy- (possessive second-person)
oy- (second-person series-ii-verb-argument)
odh- (direct-object postpositional second-person)
odh- (intransitive patient-like second-person)
odh- (patient second-person transitive)
odh- (possessive second-person)
odh- (second-person series-ii-verb-argument)
a- (direct-object postpositional second-person)
a- (intransitive patient-like second-person)
a- (patient second-person transitive)
a- (possessive second-person)
a- (second-person series-ii-verb-argument)
ay- (direct-object postpositional second-person)
ay- (intransitive patient-like second-person)
ay- (patient second-person transitive)
ay- (possessive second-person)
ay- (second-person series-ii-verb-argument)
adh- (direct-object postpositional second-person)
adh- (intransitive patient-like second-person)
adh- (patient second-person transitive)
adh- (possessive second-person)
adh- (second-person series-ii-verb-argument)
m- (agent second-person series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
m- (agent-like intransitive second-person series-ii-verb-argument)
mi- (agent second-person series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
mi- (agent-like intransitive second-person series-ii-verb-argument)
nña (dual exclusive first-person pronoun)
y- (dual exclusive first-person)
dh- (dual exclusive first-person)
ch- (dual exclusive first-person)
i- (dual exclusive first-person)
chö- (direct-object dual exclusive first-person postpositional)
n- (agent dual exclusive first-person series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
n- (agent-like dual exclusive first-person intransitive patient-like series-ii-verb-argument)
ni- (agent dual exclusive first-person series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
ni- (agent-like dual exclusive first-person intransitive patient-like series-ii-verb-argument)
tüwü (pronoun third-person)
y- (third-person)
dh- (third-person)
ch- (third-person)
i- (third-person)
chö- (direct-object postpositional third-person)
n- (patient series-ii-verb-argument third-person transitive)
ni- (patient series-ii-verb-argument third-person transitive)
n- (agent series-ii-verb-argument third-person transitive)
n- (agent-like intransitive patient-like series-ii-verb-argument third-person)
ni- (agent series-ii-verb-argument third-person transitive)
ni- (agent-like intransitive patient-like series-ii-verb-argument third-person)
tüwü (distant-past past pronoun)
kün- (agent distant-past past patient series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
kün- (agent-like distant-past intransitive past patient-like series-ii-verb-argument)
kun- (agent distant-past past patient series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
kun- (agent-like distant-past intransitive past patient-like series-ii-verb-argument)
kin- (agent distant-past past patient series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
kin- (agent-like distant-past intransitive past patient-like series-ii-verb-argument)
ken- (agent distant-past past patient series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
ken- (agent-like distant-past intransitive past patient-like series-ii-verb-argument)
küm- (agent distant-past past patient series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
küm- (agent-like distant-past intransitive past patient-like series-ii-verb-argument)
kum- (agent distant-past past patient series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
kum- (agent-like distant-past intransitive past patient-like series-ii-verb-argument)
kim- (agent distant-past past patient series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
kim- (agent-like distant-past intransitive past patient-like series-ii-verb-argument)
kini- (agent distant-past past patient series-ii-verb-argument transitive)
kini- (agent-like distant-past intransitive past patient-like series-ii-verb-argument)
t- (direct-object postpositional reflexive)
t- (possessive reflexive)
t- (reflexive series-ii-verb-argument)
tü- (direct-object postpositional reflexive)
tü- (possessive reflexive)
tü- (reflexive series-ii-verb-argument)
tu- (direct-object postpositional reflexive)
tu- (possessive reflexive)
tu- (reflexive series-ii-verb-argument)
ti- (direct-object postpositional reflexive)
ti- (possessive reflexive)
ti- (reflexive series-ii-verb-argument)
te- (direct-object postpositional reflexive)
te- (possessive reflexive)
te- (reflexive series-ii-verb-argument)
öö- (agent patient reciprocal transitive)
öö- (agent-like intransitive patient-like reciprocal)
öö- (direct-object postpositional reciprocal)
mön- (agent first-person object-second-person patient transitive)
man- (agent first-person object-second-person patient transitive)
mon- (agent first-person object-second-person patient transitive)
möm- (agent first-person object-second-person patient transitive)
möni- (agent first-person object-second-person patient transitive)
mön- (agent dual exclusive first-person object-second-person patient transitive)
man- (agent dual exclusive first-person object-second-person patient transitive)
mon- (agent dual exclusive first-person object-second-person patient transitive)
möm- (agent dual exclusive first-person object-second-person patient transitive)
möni- (agent dual exclusive first-person object-second-person patient transitive)
k- (agent object-first-person patient second-person transitive)
kü- (agent object-first-person patient second-person transitive)
ku- (agent object-first-person patient second-person transitive)
ki- (agent object-first-person patient second-person transitive)
k- (agent object-dual object-exclusive object-first-person patient second-person transitive)
kü- (agent object-dual object-exclusive object-first-person patient second-person transitive)
ku- (agent object-dual object-exclusive object-first-person patient second-person transitive)
ki- (agent object-dual object-exclusive object-first-person patient second-person transitive)

(Cunucunuma River dialect) allomorph of ö- (second-person prefix) used for stems that begin with a vowel a or e


odh-

(Cunucunuma River dialect) allomorph of ö- (second-person prefix) used for stems that begin with a vowel o or u


ödh-

(Cunucunuma River dialect) allomorph of ö- (second-person prefix) used for stems that begin with a vowel i, ö, or ü


dh-

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of y- (third-person prefix)


adhawa

(Cunucunuma River dialect and Brazil) Alternative form of ayawa (“a tree, Protium heptaphyllum, from which a sticky transparent liquid is extracted; a torch, a light, typically made from this liquid wrapped in Oenocarpus bataua leaves; the bodypaint made from this liquid; bodypaint in general”)


adhekato

The second element is ökato (“shadow, reflection, spirit, double”), with front-grade ablaut implying that it is preceded by either a first- or second-person prefix or a noun. The first element has been variously identified as either the allomorph ay- of the second-person prefix ö-, in which case the meaning would be ‘your spirit/double’; or else as related to the root found in adha'komo (“mortals, ephemeral creatures”) and adhe (“ephemeral”), in which case the meaning would be ‘ephemeral spirit/double’. In either case the predicted Caura River dialect form would have y instead of dh.

dream (seen as the journey of the önu ekato (“eye spirit”) outside the body)

the önu ekato (“eye spirit”) itself while dreaming


aichudi edhajö

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of aichudi eyajö (“master storyteller, singer, and ritual specialist”)


ödhajö

head

ödhajö (possessed ödhajö or edhajö, possessed plural ödhamo or edhamö)

(Cunucunuma River dialect and Brazil) Alternative form of öyajö (“master, ruler, chief; possessor”)


ödemi edhajö

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of ödemi eyajö (“master storyteller, singer, and ritual specialist in the Ye'kwana tradition”)


dhantadü

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of yantadü (“island”)


dhanwa

(Cunucunuma River dialect, Yujudunña dialect and Brazil) Alternative form of yanwaa (“man”)


dhanwa'kö

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of yanwa'kö (“boy”)


dhanwadü

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of yanwadü (“valley”)


dhawade

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of yawade (“the common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis”)


dha'me

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of ya'me (“with”)


dha'tu

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of yatu (“to burn”)


dhedü

dhedü (obligatorily possessed; possessed dhedü)

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of yedü (“tooth”)


tünküi dhedü

[tɨŋkɨj ðeɾ̠ɨ]

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of tünküi yedü (“elaborately constructed framework of poles with notches from which a yuca press (tünküi) is hung and stretched to press out prussic acid from yuca pulp”)


dhedü aküdü

[ðeɾ̠ɨ akɨːɾ̠ɨ]

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of yedü aküdü (“a kind of caterpillar or small worm said to inhabit fruit and cause ritual pollution within it”)


dhee

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of iye (“wood, tree”)


dheenü

(Cunucunuma River dialect) third-person possessed form of nü


dhe'kwana

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of ye'kwana (“a Ye'kwana, a Maquiritari, a speaker of Ye'kwana or member of a Ye'kwana-speaking tribe”)

ye'kwana

specifically, such a person who speaks a dialect with a separate phoneme /ð/ where other dialects have /j/


Dhe'kwana

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of Ye'kwana (“Wanatu, the first created Ye’kwana, made by Wanadi from the clay of Mount Dekuana”)


Dhe'kwana

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of dhe'kwana (“Ye’kwana”)


Dhe'kwana jüüdü

[ðeʔkʷana hʷɨːɾ̠ɨ]

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of Ye'kwana jüüdü (“Mount Dekuana in the Parima Mountains, treated in legend as the origin place of the Ye'kwana”)


dhudinñü

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of udinñü (“fire, flame”)


küdhede

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of kiyede (“manioc, cassava, yuca”)


adhadi

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of ayadi (“barbasco, any of several vines such as Lonchocarpus sericeus or Piscidia carthagenensis used as a poison for fishing”)


odha'kwököno

(Cunucunuma River dialect) skirt (as an independent article of clothing)


wadhada

(Cunucunuma River dialect) a kind of large tortoise


adhawaanai

From ö- (second-person prefix) + awaana (“to get up, to dawn”) + -i (recent past perfective suffix), literally “you got up”.

af

(Cunucunuma River dialect) a morning greeting


akudhajada

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of ökudajada (“gunpowder, powder”)


ijedü

Likely derived from jedü (“face”), if not merely a variant (the third-person possessed form?) of the same word.


ju'jötö

From ju'jö (“head”) + -tö (benefactive verbalizer).


möödhö

edö (inanimate pronoun proximal)
^Y e'dö (inanimate pronoun proximal)
mö'dö (proximal singular)
eetö (anaphoric proximal)
eetö (proximal)
eese (proximal)
eesemjo (proximal)
sadö (proximal)
mödö (inanimate medial pronoun proximal)
mööyö (medial proximal singular)
^Y möödhö (medial proximal singular)
kanno (medial plural proximal)
möötö (anaphoric medial proximal)
möönü (distal inanimate medial pronoun)
mökkü (distal medial singular)
makkamo (distal medial plural)
inña (distal medial)
möntö (anaphoric distal medial)
mönse (distal medial)
aneeseja (distal medial)
mönsemjo (distal medial)
maadö (distal medial)
iyö (distal inanimate pronoun)
^Y iiyö (distal inanimate pronoun)
ñöödö (distal singular)
ñanno (distal plural)
yöötö (anaphoric distal)
unwaa (distal)
Y. Caura River dialect.
Y. Caura River dialect. (inanimate pronoun)
Y. Caura River dialect. (singular)
D. Cunucunuma River dialect.
D. Cunucunuma River dialect. (inanimate pronoun)
D. Cunucunuma River dialect. (singular)
V. Alto Ventuari River dialect.
V. Alto Ventuari River dialect. (inanimate pronoun)
V. Alto Ventuari River dialect. (singular)
möödö (alternative)

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Synonym of mö'dö (animate singular proximal demonstrative pronoun)


tünküi dhedümmai

From tünküi dhedü (“yuca press frame”) + mma (“house”) + -i (possessed suffix), literally “house of the yuca press frame”.

(Cunucunuma River dialect) building where yuca is squeezed in a press (tünküi) and processed into yuca flour


tuna jedü

From tuna (“water”) + jedü (“face”), literally “face of the water”.


udutu

a kind of night butterfly said to be dangerous


-'tö

Alternative form of -tö (benefactive verbalizer) after an unreduced open syllable


nnejenö

From nne (“child”) + -je (adverbializer) + -nö (verbalizer).

(transitive) to pamper, to spoil (a child)


inñonö

From inño (“husband”) + -nö (verbalizer).

(transitive) to marry off (one’s daughter)


insho'kö

From insho (“many, much, a lot; *old man”) + -'kö (diminutive suffix). Compare inchomo'kö.


wadü'tö

Formed with -tö (benefactive verbalizer) from the same root as eewadüka (“to get loose”).


iye'töö

(transitive) to reinforce (a cord, cable, wire, etc.)


iyö'kö

Probably derived from iyö (inanimate invisible demonstrative pronoun).


ntajidichü

(transitive) to put something foul-tasting or very spicy in (someone’s) mouth


na'kwawö

Likely from an irregular contraction of tuna (“water”) + kwawö (“at, in, on (a body of water)”). Compare na'kwaka.


önaku

From Proto-Cariban *ônaku; compare Kari'na anaku. Likely ultimately derived from Proto-Cariban *ônu (“eye”); synchronically as if derived from Ye'kwana önu (“eye”).


tooki edemi'jüdü

[toːki eɾ̠eːmiʔçɨɾ̠ɨ]

From tooki (“burden of the conuco-festival chant”) + ödemi (“song, chant”) + -'jüdü (past possessed suffix), literally “what was sung of tooki”.

what was sung of <i class="Latn mention" lang="mch">tooki</i>

audaajö edemi'jüdü
audaajö edemi'jüdü#Ye'kwana

Synonym of audaajö edemi'jüdü (“the several-day-long chant sung during the festival to inaugurate newly-cleared village gardens and eliminate the ritual pollution (amoi) created by their clearing; also, the fesitval itself”)


tooki

the burden sung at the end of each line of the audaajö edemi'jüdü (“garden inauguration festival chant”)


tooki

tooki edemi'jüdü
tooki edemi'jüdü#Ye'kwana

Clipping of tooki edemi'jüdü (“the several-day-long chant sung during the festival to inaugurate newly-cleared village gardens and eliminate the ritual pollution (amoi) created by their clearing; also, the fesitval itself”).


kadaijai

a kind of river spider used as bait for fishing


küdha'kwö

kudha'kwö (alternative)
kudhakwö (alternative)

spice or hot sauce of the Cunucunuma River villages


ku'nö

day or date on which something is expected or planned

time when something is to end, end of something, ending point


ajö'tö

From ajö (“arm”) + -tö (benefactive verbalizer).


akaicha

(transitive) to make (manioc flour) via rubbing


shadwajö

From saddö (“to toast”) + -ajö (perfective past nominalizer).


a'sha

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of a'sa (“to grab, to take; to choose, to pick, to select”)


shoodü

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of soodü (“rapids”)


kumadü

From kuma (“to flood”) + -dü (action nominalizer).


kumaajö

From kuma (“to flood”) + -ajö (perfective past nominalizer).


'wa'tönei

From 'wa'tö (“to help”) + -nei (agent nominalizer).


-janño

proper, true, … itself; attaches to a noun to intensify it or emphasize that it itself, the true it, is the one under discussion


-jano

late, deceased, dead; attaches to a noun or proper noun referring to a dead person


Kashishiwade

→ Spanish: Casiquiare

→ English: Casiquiare

the Casiquiare River together with the Rio Negro, seen as a single river


Sichömüna

(Ye'kwana mythology) the elder and less cunning of the two Hero Twins (the younger being Yudeke), sons of the murdered water serpent Wiyu who serve as trickster figures and eventually cause a worldwide flood to avenge their mother’s death


Yudeke

(Ye'kwana mythology) the younger and more cunning of the two Hero Twins (the elder being Sichömüna), sons of the murdered water serpent Wiyu who serve as trickster figures and eventually cause a worldwide flood to avenge their mother’s death


jano'jüüdü

[hʷanoʔhʷɨːɾ̠ɨ]

done with difficulty or out of obligation


-köi

From Proto-Cariban *-kôi (suffix forming allative postpositions).

inh

forms locative or allative postpositions: at, to


-kökö

From Proto-Cariban *-kôkô (suffix forming perlative postpositions).

forms perlative postpositions: by way of


jataköi

From jata (“village”) + -köi (“at, to”).


-wö

From Proto-Cariban *-wô (suffix forming locative postpositions).


jata'tö

(transitive) to hunt (an animal, e.g. a tinamou) at evening


-jawö

Suffixed with -wö (“at”), from the same root as jaköi.


jayedö

being unconscious, struck down, in a faint


-ja'ma

attaches to the imperative form of a verb to make it a command to do something properly or completely


jedi'chö

[hʷeɾ̠iʔt͡ʃə]


jedonka

From jedo (“drool”) + -ka (privative verbalizer).


jeene

intensifies or makes more insistent what is said


jaichiitu

(Cunucunuma River dialect) Alternative form of jache'tu (“the green acouchi, Myoprocta pratti”)


tönömü

From t- -e (adverbializer) + önöö (“to eat meat”) + -mü (patient nominalizer).

meat to be eaten, meat as food or as a meal