title: Ninam language
text: # Ninam language
  
  Yanam, or Ninam, is a Yanomaman language spoken in Roraima, Brazil (800 speakers) and southern Venezuela near the Mucajai, upper Uraricaá, and Paragua rivers.
  
  ## Synonymy
  
  Yanam is also known by the following names: Ninam, Yanam–Ninam, Xirianá, Shiriana Casapare, Kasrapai, Jawaperi, Crichana, Jawari, Shiriana, Eastern Yanomaman.
  
  ## Regional variation
  
  Gordon (2009) reports 2 main varieties (Northern, Southern). Kaufman (1994) reports 3:
  
  * Yanam (a.k.a. Northern Yanam/Ninam (Xiliana, Shiriana, Uraricaa-Paragua))
  * Ninam (a.k.a. Southern Yanam/Ninam (Xilixana, Shirishana, Mukajai))
  * Jawarib
  
  The name Jawari is shared with Yaroamë.
  
  There are three dialects spoken in Roraima, Brazil according to Ferreira, et al. (2019):
  
  * Northern (Xiriana): Ericó and Saúba
  * Southern: Mucajaí
  * Central: Uraricoera
  
  The remaining speakers of Arutani and Sapé also speak Ninam (Shirián), since they now mostly live in Ninam villages.
  
  ## Phonology
  
  Yanam has seven base vowels. Yanam has both vowel length and nasalization, and both features can occur simultaneously, for all vowels except for /ɨ/.
  
  Vowels :
  
  | | Front | Central | Back |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Close | i | ɨ | u |
  | Mid | e | ə | o |
  | Open | | a | |
  
  Consonants :
  
  | | Bilabial | Alveolar | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Glottal |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Bilabial | plain | aspirated | Palatal | Velar | Glottal |
  | Stop | p | t | tʰ | | k | |
  | Affricate | | | | t͡ʃ | | |
  | Fricative | | s | | ʃ | | h |
  | Nasal | m | n | | | | |
  | Approximant | | | | j | | |
  | Flap | | ɾ | | | | |
  