The Piaroa–Saliban, also known as Saliban (in spanish : Sálivan), are a small proposed language family of the middle Orinoco Basin, which forms an independent island within an area of Venezuela and Colombia (northern llanos) dominated by peoples of Carib and Arawakan affiliation. Betoi may be related.

Languages

Piaroa and Wirö (or "Maco") form a Piaroan branch of the family. The extinct Ature language, once spoken on the Orinoco River near the waterfalls of Atures, Venezuela, is unattested but was said to be 'little different' from Saliba, and so may have formed a Saliban branch of the family.

Language contact

Jolkesky (2016) notes that there are lexical similarities with the Andoke–Urekena, Arawak, Máku, Tukano, and Yaruro language families due to contact. Lozano (2014:212) has also noted similarities between the Saliba-Hodi and Arawakan languages.

External relations

Zamponi (2017) notes resemblances between the extinct Betoi language and Piaroa–Saliban. He considers a genealogical relationship plausible, though data on Betoi is scarce. There are lexical similarities with the Hotï language (Jodï), and this has been interpreted as evidence for a Jodï–Saliban language family. However, the similarities have also been explained as contact. Jolkesky (2009) includes Piaroa-Saliba, Betoi and Hodi in a Duho family along with Ticuna–Yuri.

Vocabulary

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Piaroa–Saliban languages. ! gloss !! Piaroa !! Maco !! Saliva ! one ! two ! three ! head ! eye ! tooth ! man ! water ! fire ! sun ! maize ! jaguar Rosés Labrada (2019) lists the following Swadesh-list items that are reconstructable to Proto-Sáliban. ! no. !! gloss !! Sáliba !! Piaroa !! Mako