Canichana, also called Canesi, is an extinct language of the Beni Department of Bolivia, spoken historically along the Mamoré and Machupo rivers in the Moxos region. It is generally considered a language isolate or an unclassified language despite tentative proposals to link it to other families. The UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger records it as extinct, with the last speakers who learned it as a mother tongue gone by 2000, though as of 2001 three elderly people could still recall isolated words and phrases.
Facts
RegionBeni Department, Bolivia, along the Mamore and Machupo rivers in the Moxos region. 1 Speaker CountBy 2000 the language had no mother tongue speakers left; three elderly individuals (Crevels, research conducted 1999-2001) could still recall isolated words and phrases. Proto-Language StatusConsidered a language isolate or unclassified language; despite tentative proposals, no family relationship has been demonstrated. 1 In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Canichana Language
Wikimedia FoundationLead paragraph, first sentence
Canichana, or Canesi, is a possible language isolate of Bolivia (department of Beni).
Lead paragraph, final sentence
It was spoken on the Mamoré River and Machupo River.
Classification section
Despite tentative proposals to classify the language, it is generally considered a language isolate or an unclassified language.
Lead paragraph, second sentence
by 2000 the ethnic population was 583, but the language had no mother tongue speakers left
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