“How Can I Write My Language?” Linguistic Analysis and Language Revitalization: Lessons from Waimiri Atroari Syllable Structure

Abstract

There are few linguistic studies of the Waimiri Atroari language and all are relatively recent: Hill and Hill (1985), Lacerda (1991), Bruno (1995, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2009). Yet, the point of this paper is that linguistic analysis is crucial for language revitalization. To support this position, I discuss the experience of the Waimiri Atroari with formal education and orthography, in particular as it relates to syllable structure. I describe how syllable structure works in Waimiri Atroari and I discuss the failings of orthographies that do not take into account the language structure.

Keywords

• Ortografia. Estrutura silábica. Língua waimiri-Atroari. Família karib.