Reconstruction:Proto-Cariban/kɨku

This Proto-Cariban entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Cariban

Etymology

Perhaps derived from an element *kɨ-, also shared by the alternative constructions *kɨwɨ and *kɨnmô; it is possible that only this first element should actually be reconstructed for Proto-Cariban, with *kɨwɨ, *kɨnmô, and *kɨku being later derivations. However, Meira alternatively suggests that the latter two forms may themselves be derived from *kɨwɨ, though this proves more problematic with regard to *kɨku, which he therefore suggests may instead derive from a reduplicated element *ku.

Pronoun

*kɨku

the first-person inclusive dual pronoun; you and I, me and you, the two of us
Synonyms: *kɨwɨ, *kɨnmô

Inflection

Proto-Cariban personal pronouns

	singular	dual	collective
first person exclusive	*ôwɨ	*apina	*apina
first person inclusive	—	kɨwɨ, kɨnmô, *kɨku	kɨwjamo, kɨmjamo
second person	*ômô	—	*ômjamo
third person	(use demonstratives)

Descendants

Guianan:
- ⇒ Kari'na: kỳko
Kuikuroan:
- ⇒ Kuikúro: kukuge
Pekodian:
- ⇒? Bakairí: kurâ
- ⇒ Ikpeng: uguro, ugro
- ⇒ Pará Arára: ugoro
Waimiri-Atroari: kyky

References

Meira, Sérgio (2002) “A first comparison of pronominal and demonstrative systems in the Cariban language family”, in Mily Crevels, Simon van de Kerke, Sergio Meira and Hein van der Voort, editors, Current Studies on South American Languages‎, Leiden: Research School of Asian, African, and American Studies (CNWS), Leiden University, →ISBN, pages 255–275
Meira, Sérgio, Bruna Franchetto (2005) “The southern Cariban languages and the Cariban family”, in International Journal of American Linguistics, volume 71, pages 127–192
Courtz, Hendrik (2008) A Carib grammar and dictionary‎, Toronto: Magoria Books, →ISBN, page 310