Editing General Language

{{Short description|South American lingua francas}}

The term '''General Language''' ({{langx|pt|língua geral}}) refers to [[lingua franca]]s that emerged in [[South America]] during the 16th and 17th centuries,<ref>Rodrigues, Aryon (1996). [https://etnolinguistica.wdfiles.com/local--files/artigo%3Arodrigues-1996/rodrigues_1996_linguas_gerais.pdf "As línguas gerais sul-americanas"]</ref> the two most prominent being the [[Paulista General Language]], which was spoken in the region of [[Paulistania (region)|Paulistania]] but is now [[Extinct language|extinct]], and the [[Amazonian General Language]], whose modern descendant is [[Nheengatu language|Nheengatu]].

Both were simplified versions of the [[Tupi language]], the native language of the [[Tupi people]]. [[Portugal|Portuguese]] colonizers arrived in Brazil in the 16th century, and faced with an indigenous population that spoke many languages, they sought a means to establish effective communication among the many groups. The two languages were used in the [[Jesuit Reductions]], the Jesuit missions in Brazil and by early colonists; and came to be used by enslaved Africans and other Indian groups.

== References ==
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== Further reading ==
{{refbegin}}
*Campbell, Lyle (1997). ''American Indian Languages: The historical linguistics of Native America''. New York: Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-514050-8}}
*[https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/28/international/americas/28amazon.html?8hpib=&pagewanted=all Rohter, Larry.  "Language Born of Colonialism Thrives Again in Amazon."] ''[[New York Times]]''. August 28, 2005.
{{refend}}

{{Tupian languages|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Colonial Brazil]]
[[Category:Tupi language]]
[[Category:Portuguese colonization of the Americas]]
[[Category:South America Native-based pidgins and creoles]]
[[Category:Extinct languages of South America]]
[[Category:Languages attested from the 16th century]]
[[Category:International auxiliary languages]]


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