Arabela

Arabela is a nearly extinct indigenous American language of the Zaparoan family spoken in two Peruvian villages in tropical forest along the Napo tributary of the Arabela river. Also known as Chiripuno and Chiripunu, it is spoken by fewer than 50 people out of an ethnic population of about 400. Since there are so few speakers of Arabela left, its speakers speak either Spanish or Quechua as a second language. The literacy rate for Arabela as a first language is about 10–30%, and about 50–75% for a second language. It uses a SOV word order. Like all native languages in Peru, it has an official status in areas where it is spoken.