There is a clear binary split between Northern Guaicuruan (Kadiwéu) and Southern Guaicuruan according to Nikulin (2019). Guaicuruan/Waikurúan languages are often classified as follows: •
Guaicuruan •
Northern Guaicuruan •
Kadiweu (also known as Caduveo, Kadiwéu, Mbayá-Guaycuru,
Mbayá, Guaicurú, Waikurú, Ediu-Adig) •
Southern Guaicuruan •
Pilagá (also known as Pilacá) •
Toba Qom (also known as Chaco Sur, Namqom) •
Mocoví (also known as Mbocobí, Mokoví, Moqoyt) •
Abipón (also known as Callaga, Kalyaga, Abipon) •
Eastern Guaicuruan (often considered to be separate
language isolates rather than part of Guaicuruan Harriet Klein argues against the assumption that Kadiweu is Guaicuruan. Most others accept the inclusion of Kadiweu into the family. The Guachi were absorbed by the Mbayá. The similarities with the Mbayá language may be due to borrowing rather than a familial relationship. •
Toba is spoken in the eastern part of the Chaco and Formosa provinces of Argentina, in southern Paraguay, and in the eastern part of Bolivia; there are approximately 25,000 speakers. The Guaicuruan Toba language here should not be confused with the
Mascoy language of the
Mascoyan family which is also called
Toba (or
Toba-Emok,
Toba-Maskoy). •
Pilagá, with about 4,000 speakers, is spoken in the northeastern part of Chaco province, and in eastern Formosa, Argentina; •
Mocoví, with about 7,000 speakers, is spoken in Argentina in the northern part of Santa Fe and southern Chaco provinces. •
Abipón, which was spoken in the eastern part of Chaco province, Argentina, is now extinct and was very closely related to the other languages in the southern branch
Mason (1950) Internal classification of the Guaicuruan languages by
Mason (1950): •
Guaicuruan • Guaicurú, Northern: Mbayá-Guaicurú • West: Caduveo (Cadiguegodí), Guetiadegodí (Guetiadebo) • East: Apacachodegodegí (Mbayá Mirim), Lichagotegodí (Icachodeguo ?), Eyibogodegí, Gotocogegodegí (Ocoteguebo ?) • Payaguá (Lengua) • North: Sarigué (Cadigué) • South: Magach (Agacé, Siacuás, Tacumbú) • Frentones • Middle: Toba (Tocowit) • Toba: Guazú, Komlék, Michi (Miri), Cocolot, Lanyagachek, Mogosma, Chirokina, Natica • Pilagá • Aguilot • South • Abipón (Callaga) • Mapenuss (Yaukanigá) • Mepene • Gulgaissen (Kilvasa) • Mocoví (Mbocobí) Possible or doubtful Guaicuruan languages listed by Mason (1950): • Guachi • Layaná • Juri (Suri) • Querandí • Mahoma (Hohoma) ==References==