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Reyesano
Chirgua, Chiriba
Native to	Bolivia
Region	Beni Department
Ethnicity	1,130 (1994 census)
Native speakers	12-15 (2011)
Language family	Tacanan Araona–Tacanan Cavinena–Tacana Tacana Proper Reyesano
Official status
Official language in	Bolivia
Language codes
ISO 639-3	rey
Glottolog	reye1240
ELP	Reyesano

Reyesano, or Chirigua (Chiriba), is a nearly extinct Tacanan language that was spoken by only a few speakers, including children, in 1961 in Bolivia. It is spoken by the Maropa people who number 4,505 in 2012.

There still are adult speakers in the largely indigenous community of El Cozar in Reyes. However, it is doubtful that this language will survive much into the 21st century. Such is the margination of the indigenous people in the Beni that very little Reyesano words have entered the popular criollo Spanish, very unlike the situation in Quechua and Aymara influenced areas. There are many indigenous terms in "camba" (Spanish of the Beni) but they mostly of Guaraní origin carried to the Beni by the original settlers from Santa Cruz.

Evidently the name Reyesano comes from the name of the town of Reyes, of the José Ballivián Province in the Department of the Beni in the plains adjacent to the Bolivian Amazon. The language is also known as Sapiboca (Sapibocona), Maropa, Chumana, and perhaps Warisa (Guariza); these may have corresponded to different dialects.

Phonology

Consonants

Voiced sounds /b, dʐ/ are heard as prenasal in word-initial positions.

/w/ may also be heard as a fricative when before front vowels /i, e/.

Vowels

Sounds /i, ʊ/ may also be heard as semivowels when in the position of consonants.

References

1. Reyesano language at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
2. Guillaume, Antoine (2010). "Documentation du reyesano de Bolivie: portraits des derniers locuteurs". Faits de Langues. 35–36 (1): 265. ISSN 1244-5460.
3. "Censo de Población y Vivienda 2012 Bolivia Características de la Población". Instituto Nacional de Estadística, República de Bolivia. p. 29.
4. Gallinate Soliz, Gabriel Alfredo (2018). Análisis acústico para la redefinición de los inventarios fonético y fonémico de las consonantes de la lengua Maropa, en el municipio de Reyes, Beni. Universidad Mayor de San Simón MA thesis.

External links

• Lenguas de Bolivia (online edition)

v t e Jesuit Missions of Moxos
Missions	Loreto Trinidad San Ignacio San Javier San Borja Santos Reyes Exaltación San Joaquín Santa Ana Santa Magdalena
Peoples	Mojo Baure Canichana Movima Cayuvava Itonama Tsimané
Languages	Moxo Baure Canichana Movima Cayubaba Itonama Tsimané Reyesano Mamoré–Guaporé linguistic area Chapacuran Itene Chapacura Napeca Rocorona Quitemo
Geography	Beni savanna Beni Department

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