Aproximación fonológica a las lenguas de la región Guaporé-Mamoré/Phonological Approach to the Language of the Guaporé-Mamoré Region

The article examines the phonological features that characterize the languages of the Guaporé-Mamoré region (Bolivia, Brazil) and provides data that help to assess the hypothesis that this region is a linguistic area. Based on a comparative study of 38 languages, some features shared with languages of other regions of South America, as well as more specific features of the Guaporé-Mamoré region that distinguish them from the languages of the subcontinent were identified. In addition, two sub-areas in which languages display specific traits depending on whether they are spoken in the areas east or west of the Mamoré river were also distinguished. Our study provides data that contribute to an explanatory theory of sound patterns observed in the languages of the world and the reasons for their emergence.