Kanhgág
Kaingang
Macro-Jê (Southern Jê)
Kaingang (ISO 639-3: kgp), endonym Kanhgág, is a Southern Jê language of the Macro-Jê stock and one of the most widely spoken Indigenous languages of Brazil, with about 27,000 speakers (2022 census) across roughly thirty Indigenous lands in the southern states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná and São Paulo. Its phonology is known for nasal harmony: nasality spreads through a word so that the voiced stops surface as nasal or prenasalized consonants depending on the neighbouring vowels. It is written in a Latin-based orthography developed for schooling and Bible translation by Ursula Wiesemann, whose Kaingang–Portuguese dictionary remains the standard lexical reference.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Kaingang
Sources
- UT Austin Hunter-Gatherer Language Database #91 (Kaingáng), based on U. Wiesemann’s documentation
- Wiesemann, Ursula (2011) Dicionário Kaingang–Português Português–Kaingang (Editora Evangélica Esperança)
- Speaker count: IBGE 2022 Census
- Glottolog kain1272; ISO 639-3 kgp
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Macro-Jê (Southern Jê)
| Meaning | Kaingang | Dâw | Yanomami | Baniwa | Makuxi | Lardil | Karajá |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | goj /ŋoj/ | nǝ̌x /nə̌x/ | maũ ũ /maũ ũ/ | óoni /óoni/ | tuna /tuna/ | nguka /ŋuka/ | be /be/ |
| Fire | pĩ /pĩ/ | bohõ̂ /bohõ̂/ | koa wakə /koa wakə/ | ttídzee /t̪ídzee/ | apóó /apóó/ | nyuda /ɲuda/ | heɔtɨ /heɔtɨ/ |
| Sun | rã /ɾã/ | xɨtɨ̂m /xɨtɨ̂m/ | motʰoka /motʰoka/ | kámoi /kámoi/ | wéi /wéi/ | warrka /waɾka/ | tʃuu /tʃuu/ |
| Moon | kysã /kɨsã/ | xɨtɨ̂m /xɨtɨ̂m/ | peɾipo /peɾipo/ | kéeri /kéeɻi/ | kapói /kapói/ | kirdikir /kiɖikir/ | ahãdu /ahãdu/ |
| Star | krĩg /kɾĩŋ/ | mʼæ̃̌h /mʼæ̃̌h/ | ʃitikaɾi /ʃitikaɾi/ | hiwírhi /hiwíɻhi/ | sírikɨ́ /sírikɨ́/ | kuwa thungal /kuwa θuŋal/ | taina /taina/ |
| Night | kuty /kutɨ/ | cem /cem/ | titi ha /titi ha/ | déepi /déepi/ | ewaron /ewaron/ | nata /nata/ | ruu /ruu/ |
| Rain | ta /ta/ | doɟ /doɟ/ | maː /maː/ | íidza /íidza/ | konoʔ /konoʔ/ | — | biu /biu/ |
| Snow | kukryr kó /kukɾɨɾ ko/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — | — /—/ |
| Wind | kãka /kãka/ | hǒt /hǒt/ | watoɾi /watoɾi/ | káwaaɺe /káwaaɺe/ | aʔsitun /aʔsitun/ | — | ɨhɨ /ɨhɨ/ |
| Earth | ga /ŋa/ | cax /cax/ | maʃitʰa /maʃitʰa/ | híipai /híipai/ | non /non/ | — | — /—/ |
| Stone | pó /pɔ/ | pǎʃ /pǎʃ/ | maa ma /maa ma/ | hiipada /hiipada/ | tɨʔ /tɨʔ/ | — | mɨna /mɨna/ |
| Mountain | pãnónh /pãnɔɲ/ | — | hehu /hehu/ | hidzápa /hidzápa/ | wɨʔ /wɨʔ/ | — | hãwãlɔ /hãwãlɔ/ |
| Sea | goj kafã tũ /ŋoj kaɸã tũ/ | — | — | — | pɨranna /pɨranːa/ | — | — |
| Mother | nỹ /nə̃/ | mɛ̃ʔ /mɛ̃ʔ/ | najə /najə/ | hádoa /hádoa/ | maʔmá /maʔmá/ | ngama /ŋama/ | adi /adi/ |
| Father | panh /pãɲ/ | ʔǐp /ʔǐp/ | hajə /hajə/ | hániɻi /hániɻi/ | paʔpá /paʔpá/ | kantha /kan̪t̪a/ | təbɨ /təbɨ/ |
| Daughter | kósin fi /kɔsin ɸi/ | — | — | — | yensi /jensi/ | — | deei /deːi/ |
| I | inh /ʔĩɲ/ | ʔãh /ʔãh/ | ja /ja/ | nhóa /nhóa/ | urɨ /urɨ/ | ngada /ŋada/ | dʒiarɨ̃ /dʒiarɨ̃/ |
| You | ã /ʔã/ | ʔãm /ʔãm/ | wa /wa/ | phía /pʰía/ | ámɨrɨ́ /ámɨrɨ́/ | nyingki /ɲiŋki/ | kai /kai/ |
| We | ẽg /ʔẽŋ/ | ʔid /ʔid/ | pəmakə /pəmakə/ | wha /wha/ | uurɨʔnɨkon / anna /uurɨʔnɨkon / anna/ | ngakuli / nyali /ŋakuli / ɲali/ | dʒiarɨ̃ boho /dʒiarɨ̃ boho/ |
| Name | jiji /jiji/ | xǎt /xǎt/ | wãhã /wãhã/ | iipítana /iipítana/ | yeseʔ /jeseʔ/ | nyunda /ɲunda/ | ni /ni/ |
| Person | kanhgág /kaɲŋəŋ/ | — | jãnõmãmɨ /jãnõmãmɨ/ | newíki /newíki/ | pemonkon /pemoŋkoŋ/ | — | inɨ /inɨ/ |
| Head | krĩ /kɾĩ/ | nũh /nũh/ | he /he/ | hiwída /hiwída/ | puʔpai /puʔpai/ | — | rati /rati/ |
| Eye | kanẽ /kanẽ/ | tɨm /tɨm/ | mamo /mamo/ | thi /thi/ | énu /énu/ | kuwa /kuwa/ | rue /rue/ |
| Ear | nĩgrẽg /nĩŋɾẽŋ/ | xũ̂j /xũ̂j/ | jɨmɨkakɨ /jɨmɨkakɨ/ | héeni /héeni/ | pana /pana/ | — | nohõti /nohõti/ |
| Nose | nĩjẽ /nĩjẽ/ | tôɟ /tôɟ/ | hu /hu/ | hitáko /hitáko/ | yeuna /jeuna/ | — | deiãsɨ̃ /deiãsɨ̃/ |
| Mouth | jẽnky /jẽnkɨ/ | nɔ̃h /nɔ̃h/ | kahikɨ /kahikɨ/ | nóma /nóma/ | mutá /mutá/ | — | irɨ /irɨ/ |
| Tooth | jã /jã/ | tǝg /təɡ/ | nakɨ /nakɨ/ | eétsha /eétʃa/ | yé /jé/ | kadma leman /kadma leman/ | dʒuu /dʒuu/ |
| Tongue | nũnẽ /nũnẽ/ | nɔ̃hkæ̂d /nɔ̃hkæ̂d/ | aka /aka/ | eenéne /eenéne/ | nu /nu/ | jalda leman /dʒalda leman/ | dɔrɔtɔ /dɔrɔtɔ/ |
| Hand | nĩgà /nĩŋɛ/ | ʃôb /ʃôb/ | imɨkɨ /imɨkɨ/ | káapi /káapi/ | míá /míá/ | marlda /maɭda/ | debɔ /debɔ/ |
| Foot | pẽn /pẽn/ | cɨ̌m /cɨ̌m/ | mamikɨ /mamikɨ/ | híipa /híipa/ | puu /puu/ | jaa /dʒaː/ | wa /wa/ |
| Heart | fe ror /ɸɛ ɾoɾ/ | hæ̃g tôj /hæ̃ɡ tôj/ | koko pata /koko pata/ | kaale /kaaɺe/ | yewan /jewan/ | bulja /buldʒa/ | telesõ /telesõ/ |
| Bone | kuka /kuka/ | kɛg /kɛɡ/ | ũ /ũ/ | áapi /áapi/ | yeʔpɨ /jeʔpɨ/ | kadma /kadma/ | ti /ti/ |
| Blood | kyvènh /kɨwɛɲ/ | jɨ̂w /jɨ̂w/ | ĩjə̃ĩjə̃pə /ĩjə̃ĩjə̃pə/ | iiránaa /iiɻánaa/ | mɨ́ŋ /mɨ́ŋ/ | kanda /kanda/ | hãləbu /hãləbu/ |
| Poop | jãfa /jãˈɸa/ | — /—/ | ʃi /ʃi/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — | — /—/ |
| Love | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | saʔnama /saʔnama/ | — /—/ | luu /luu/ |
| Tree | ka /ka/ | təg /təɡ/ | hii hi /hii hi/ | háiko /háiko/ | yéi /jéi/ | thungal /θuŋal/ | ɔwɔru /ɔwɔru/ |
| Dog | hoghog /hoŋhoŋ/ | jãm /jãm/ | tʰãɾi /tʰãɾi/ | tsíino /tsíino/ | areimaraaká /areimaraaká/ | ngawa /ŋawa/ | idʒɔrɔsa /idʒɔrɔsa/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | — /—/ | mɨʃɨ /mɨʃɨ/ | pitsána /pitsána/ | pisana /pisana/ | — /—/ | hãloeni /hãloeni/ |
| Fish | pirã /piɾã/ | hãːp /hãːp/ | juɾi /juɾi/ | kóphe /kúpʰe/ | moróʔ /moróʔ/ | yaka /jaka/ | ətora /ətora/ |
| Bird | sẽsĩ /sɛ̃sĩ/ | təwə́t /təwə́t/ | seimɨ /seimɨ/ | áadaro /áadaɻo/ | toron /toron/ | — | nawii /nawii/ |
| Butterfly | toto /toto/ | mem /mem/ | uwãuwãmɨ /uwãuwãmɨ/ | makálo /makálo/ | peppeʔ /pepːeʔ/ | — | otʃiʃa /otʃiʃa/ |
| Egg | o /o/ | tɨ̌p /tɨ̌p/ | natʰe /natʰe/ | éewhe /éewhe/ | pomói /pomói/ | — | si /si/ |
| Horse | kãvãru /kãvãɾu/ | — | — | — | kaware /kaware/ | — | awaru /awaru/ |
| House | ĩn /ʔĩn/ | tɔp /tɔp/ | ʃapono /ʃapono/ | pántti /pánt̪i/ | wɨttɨ /wɨttɨ/ | ngambirr /ŋambir/ | heto /heto/ |
| Milk | leite /lejte/ | — | suhe upə /suhe upə/ | — | paaka manatɨ yekku /paaka manatɨ jekːu/ | — | howɨ̃sɨ /howɨ̃sɨ/ |
| Honey | mỹg /mɨ̃ŋ/ | — | puu /puu/ | doni /doni/ | wan /wan/ | — | bədi /bədi/ |
| Salt | sa /sa/ | — | saju /saju/ | íiwi /íiwi/ | pan /pan/ | — | dʒɨra /dʒɨra/ |
| Wine | vĩjũ /wĩjũ/ | — | — | — | wuku /wuku/ | — | vĩĩ /vĩĩ/ |
| Rice | aronh /aɾoɲ/ | — | atoɾoso /atoɾoso/ | — | arosi /arosi/ | — | maiʃəmo /maiʃəmo/ |
| Iron | — /—/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wheel | jyryryn /jɨɾɨˈɾɨn/ | — | — | — | tararan pisaʔsaʔ /tararan pisaʔsaʔ/ | — | — |
| Silk | seda /seda/ | — | — | — | seeta /seeta/ | — | — |
| Book | vẽnh rá /wẽɲ ɾə/ | — | ɾipɾo /ɾipɾo/ | — | kaareta /kaareta/ | — | tɨɨrəti /tɨɨrəti/ |
| Eat | ko /ko/ | wæ̂d /wæ̂d/ | ijaɨ /ijaɨ/ | íiñha /íiɲha/ | entamoʔka /entamoʔka/ | jitha /dʒiθa/ | roʃi /roʃi/ |
| Drink | kron /kɾõn/ | ʔǝg /ʔəɡ/ | koaɨ /koaɨ/ | íira /íiɻa/ | enɨrɨ /enɨrɨ/ | kurdama /kuɖama/ | õ /õ/ |
| Sleep | nũr /nũɾ/ | ʔã̂ /ʔã̂/ | miõ /miõ/ | ímaa /ímaa/ | wetun /wetun/ | — | õrõ /õrõ/ |
| One | pir /piɾ/ | mʼæ̃ʔ /mʼæ̃ʔ/ | tahiapɨ /tahiapɨ/ | aapa /aapa/ | tiwíŋ /tiwíŋ/ | warnge /waɾŋe/ | sohodʒi /sohodʒi/ |
| Two | règre /ɾɛŋɾe/ | tɨ̌m /tɨ̌m/ | hoɾohopɨ /hoɾohopɨ/ | dzáma /dzáma/ | sáákɨné /sáákɨné/ | kiyarrng /kijaɾŋ/ | inatʃi /inatʃi/ |
| Three | tãgtũ /tãŋtũ/ | mũtwáp /mũtwáp/ | jãmi /jãmi/ | madali /madali/ | séúruné /séúruné/ | mungkalan /muŋkalan/ | inataõ /inataõ/ |
| Four | vẽnh kãgra /wẽɲ kãŋɾa/ | — | — | — | saakɨrɨrɨ /saakɨrɨrɨ/ | — | inaubiɔwa /inaubiɔwa/ |
| Five | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | miaʔtaikin /miaʔtaikin/ | — | iruɨre /iruɨre/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Good | há /hə/ | jæ̃̂w /jæ̃̂w/ | totihitawə /totihitawə/ | mátsia /mátsia/ | morɨ /morɨ/ | kuba /kuba/ | awi /awi/ |
| New | tãg /tãŋ/ | — | tute /tute/ | éemi /éemi/ | amenan /amenan/ | — | itɨ̃mɨra /itɨ̃mɨra/ |
| Red | kusũg /kusũŋ/ | nô /nô/ | wakə /wakə/ | íirai /íiɻai/ | suyú /sujú/ | kandukan /kandukan/ | isɔ /isɔ/ |
| White | kupri /kupɾi/ | hô /hô/ | au /au/ | háale /háaɺe/ | áímutun /áímutun/ | — | ura /ura/ |
| Black | sá /sə/ | câ /câ/ | iʃi /iʃi/ | íitta /íit̪a/ | arikkɨtun /arikːɨtun/ | — | iləbɨ /iləbɨ/ |
| Green | tánh /təɲ/ | mɨ̃̂ /mɨ̃̂/ | ɾijə /ɾijə/ | hípole /hípole/ | rora /rora/ | — | tyre /tɨ̃re/ |
| Blue | tánh /təɲ/ | — | — | — | rora /rora/ | — | tyre /tɨ̃re/ |
| Cuckoo | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — | — /—/ |
| Woof | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — | — /—/ |
| Computer | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — | — /—/ |
| Sushi | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — | — /—/ |
| Tea | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — | — /—/ |
| Sugar | asuka /aʃuka/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Orange | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — | — /—/ |
| Dopamine | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — | — /—/ |
| At sign | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — | — /—/ |
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