Obscure cognates and lexical reconstruction: notes on the diachrony of the Xinguan Arawak languages

Abstract

Abstract:The present paper discusses evidence supporting the claim that the common Xinguan Arawak noun for 'hand', *wɨʂɨku, is a shared lexical innovation of this subgroup and that, in addition, a formation for 'finger' derived from a nominal compound with the roots for 'hand ' and 'head', *kapɨ-tɨwɨ,

Diachronic labial palatalization in Xinguan Arawak

“…InCarvalho (2016c), a historical linguistic study of the Xinguan Arawak languages, I gave some attention to the Von den Steinen materials, though the focus was not at the evidence they provide for labial palatalization in Yawalapiti.…”