Jirajaran languages

Based on adequate documentation, three languages are definitively classified as belonging to the Jirajaran family: • Coyone, spoken at the sources of the Portuguesa River in the state of Portuguesa, sometimes considered a synonym for Gayon • Cuiba, spoken near the city of Aricagua • Atatura, spoken between the Rocono and Tucupido rivers • Aticari, spoken along the Tocuyo River Mason (1950) lists: • Gayón (Cayon) • Ayomán • Xagua (not to be confused with Achawa language) • Cuiba (?) • Jirajara ==Classification==

The Jirajaran languages are generally regarded as isolates. Adelaar and Muysken note certain lexical similarities with the Timotean languages and typological similarity to the Chibchan languages, but state that the data is too limited to make a definitive classification. ==Language contact==

Jolkesky (2016) notes that there are lexical similarities with the Sape, Timote-Kuika, and Puinave-Kak language families due to contact. ==Typology==

Based on the little documentation that exists, a number of typological characteristics are reconstructable:{{cite book ;1. VO word order in transitive clauses {{interlinear|indent=2 ;2. Subjects precede verbs {{interlinear|indent=2 ;3. Possessors which precede the possessed {{interlinear|indent=2 ;4. Adjectives follow the nouns they modify {{interlinear|indent=2 ;5. Numerals precede the nouns they quantify {{interlinear|indent=2 ;6. Use of postpositions, rather than prepositions {{interlinear|indent=2 ==Vocabulary comparison==

Jahn (1927) lists the following basic vocabulary items. : : ==Further reading==