The Maxakalían languages (also Mashakalían) are a group of related indigenous languages of Brazil, named after Maxakalí, the one surviving language in the group. Many of the other, extinct, languages are poorly attested and linguists differ in the languages they identify as part of the group. The Maxakalían group is today usually considered part of the Macro-Jê language family. Maxakalían languages were first classified into the Jê languages. It was only in 1931 that Čestmír Loukotka separated them from the Jê family. Alfred Métraux and Curt Nimuendajú considered the Maxakalían family isolated from others. John Alden Mason suggests a connection with the Macro-Jê stock, confirmed by Aryon Rodrigues.

Languages

Apart from extinct varieties generally seen as dialects of Maxakalí, Mason noted resemblances with a few other extinct languages of the area: Pataxó, Malalí and Coropó. However, Coropó is now thought to be a Purian language. Campbell (1997) therefore lists the Maxakalian languages as: Glottolog (2016) restores Coropó (Koropó) as a Maxakalían language.

Nikulin (2020)

Nikulin (2020) proposes the following internal classification of the Maxakalían languages: Maxakalí is a sister of Krenák and possibly also Kamakã. Together, they form a Trans-São Francisco branch within the Macro-Jê language phylum in Nikulin's (2020) classification.

Ramirez (2015)

Internal classification of the Maxakali languages according to Ramirez, et al. (2015): Currently, Maxakali (excluding Old Machacari) is the only living language, while all other languages are extinct. Pataxó as documented by Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied (1989: 510–511) in 1816 is distinct from Pataxó-Hãhãhãe. Pataxó-Hãhãhãe was spoken into the 20th century and has been documented by Meader (1978: 45–50), Loukotka (1963: 32–33), and Silva & Rodrigues (1982). Many Maxakalian varieties are attested only from 19th-century word lists, some of which are:

Loukotka (1968)

Below is a full list of Mashakali languages and dialects listed by Loukotka (1968), including names of unattested varieties.

Mason (1950)

Mason (1950) lists:

Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Mashakali languages.