Tocantins Apiaká, Parirí and Yarumá as Members of the Pekodian Branch (Cariban)

Abstract

This brief paper expands on the discussion of the evidence for including the sparsely attested Parirí and (Tocantins) Apiaká doculects as part of the Pekodian branch of the Cariban language family, within a sub-branch that includes the Arára-Ikpeng dialect cluster but excludes Bakairí. The present discussion goes beyond mere formal/semantic similarities in the comparanda and shows that both Parirí and Apiaká share a number of sporadic developments with Ikpeng and Arára, and these suggest an intermediate, shared ancestor exclusive to these languages. I also advance some original claims on the diachrony of these languages, such as the adoption of loans from non-Cariban languages, and an interesting semantic development in their innovative forms for 'fire'. Based on this particular innovation, I conclude, tentatively, in favor of the inclusion of yet another doculect-Yarumá-in the same sub-branch.