Taíno Language
Taino
Information
Family: Amerind, Arawakan, Northern Arawakan, Ta-Arawakan, Old Taíno
Region: Caribbean Regions to Puerto Rico
Ethnicity: others
Speakers: 0 (first to tertiary speakers); few (via loanwords)
Writing System: Latin Alphabet
Language Status: Extinct, possibly Extinct (UNESCO)
Taino is an extinct language according to the classification system of the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger
Revived Taino is now critically endangered according to the classification system of the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger.
Taino also called Classical Taino, is an extinct Arawakan language that was spoken by the Taíno people of the Caribbean. At the time of Spanish contact, it was the most common language throughout the Caribbean. Classic Taíno (Taíno proper) was the native language of the Taíno tribes living in the northern Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and most of Hispaniola, and expanding into Cuba, it was introduced in Worldcraft: My Last Blessings.
As the first indigenous language encountered by Europeans in the New World, it was a major source of new words borrowed into European languages.
Old Taino
Classical Taino
Contemporary Taino
Pronunciations
Vowel
A - a/e
E - ɛ/ə/e
I - i
O - ɔ
OU - u
U - u/y
AN - ã
EN - ẽ
IN - ĩ
ON - õ
UN - u/ỹ
Consonants
B - b
C/QU-/K - k
D - d/ð
Dh - ð
F - f
G/GUE/GUI/GUY - ɡ
H - silent
J/GE/GI/GY/H - h
K - k
L - l
LY- - ʎ
M - m
N - n
GN - ɲ
P - p
R - r
S - s/z
T - t/θ
Ty- - tʃ
GU-/GÜ-/W - w
Words
Lukku-Cairi / Lukku Kayri (island people)
Bori (native)
Ka, Ke, Ha, Kha, Xa (land)
Kayri (island)
Kasike (king, duke, prince, emperor)
Mais (maize, corn)
Patata (potato)
Tumato (tomato)
Mawey (maguey)
Tabaku (tobacco)
Eyeri (human)
Akuti (agouti)
Loro (parrot)
Mukaru (owl)
Kirikeke (nighthawk) / querequequé
Iwana (iguana, lizard)
Tiburu (shark)
Waba (spider)
Tanoma (butterfly)
Manati (sirenians)
Hariku (pelican)
Hikotea (turtle)
Kehikotea (tortoise)
Nihikotea (terrapin)
Kataru (green turtle)
Kawana (leatherback sea turtle)
Utiya (hutia)
Warawwau (red-tailed hawk) / guaraguao
Makana (bludgeon, mace)
Kampo (smoked meat)
Baranakur (Europeans, Asians)
Saban (grove, savanna)
Kassaba (cassava)
Hamaka (hammock)
Barabaka (Barbacoa, Barbeque)
Simu (face)
Arabuko (forest, grove)
Kaya (island)
Kuiriksa (nation)
Inawa (small eastern land) / Inagua
Hayi ti (land of mountain) / Haiti
Kiske-ya (great land) / Quisqueya
Bahama (large-upper-middle) / Bahamas
Ya-mah-ye-ka (great spirit of the land of man) / Jamaica
Kayman (crocodile, alligator, caiman) / Cayman Islands
Kebau (great fertile land') / Cuba
Kaona (gold)
Kaniba (cannibal)
-no (plural form)
Hu- (you)
Buka (You are)
Waiba (We go)
Warike (We see)
Makabuka (Not important)
Imaka (important)
Daka (I am, I'm)
Anegwaha? (How are you?)
Yan Katu (as should be)
Tainwei (I am well)
Mabrika (hello)
Iseykata (please)
Tau mautya (good morning)
Tau tireyro (good night)
Lyaniy (wife)
Iri (name)
Watyau (friend)
Da Nanityi (my love)
Ani (thing)
Huka (You are)
Tuka (she)
Anakeno (anyone)
Kisilea (time)
Banna (feather)
Tay Ku (great spirit)
Ahiyahude (to ask for)
Da maita (I don't understand)
Bakutu (grandmother)
Atyau (brother)
Nawa (pineapple)
Nana (girl)
Wayli (boy)
Inaru (mother)
Itu (sister)
Seneko (many)
Kakano (blessing)
Abali (when)
Ako (eye)
Goeiz (spirit)
Guwa (majesty)
Wa (place)
Waka (nearness)
Wakara (cave)
Wada (garden)
Wawa (vehicle)
Wawa kotye (car)
Washey (Gord Scraper)
Wake'te (gather)
Wa'kia (our, we)
Wali (child)
Wama (principal, supervisor)
Wama' (shade tree)
Wami' (lord, sir, mister)
Wami'ke'na (Superior Chief)
Wami'ke'ni (Christopher Columbus)
Kuso (chest)
Sibi (smoke)