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The linguist Douglas MacRae Taylor termed the following languages "ghost" languages because virtually no trace was left of them. For some of these languages, only their names remain, saved in 17th century texts. For Macorixe and Ciboney only one word survives for each. Two words are recorded for Ciguayo. More words were recorded for Nepuyo, Shebayo, and Yao, the most being Yao, for which a total of 52 words were recorded in 1640. (Where I can, I have given easier spellings within brackets to help with pronunciation.)
For Ciguayo, Macorixe, and Ciboney, these words remain: Ciguayo: tuob "gold", Quisqueya [Kiskeya] Macorix: baeza "a negation" Ciboney: nuçay [nusay] "gold" No one really knows what language Ciguayo and Macorix belong to. They don't seem to be either Arawakan or Cariban, and they don't seem to be related to Warao either. The Ciboney word seems to have a parallel with the Warao word for gold "naséi simo" meaning "yellow pebble" and seems to be of Warao origin. NEPUYO In his book, Compendium published in 1629, A. Vazquez de Espinosa recorded a few words of the Nepuyo people, a Carib people who lived in Trinidad. I have translated the Spanish to English, though truth be told, I don't think all of Espinosa's translations were correct to begin with.
Even though Nepuyo is classified as extinct, I heisitate to put it here curiously enough, there is a Cariban language called Mapoyo. It doesn't seem to spectacular, but another name for the Mapoyo language is Nepoye. It would be great if someone could investigate whether these Nepuyo words are related to Mapoyo. Whoever it is should act fast though, the Mapoyo language is unfortunately nearly extinct. SHEBAYO Johannes de Laet recorded the Shebayo words below in the 1600s. The Shebayo lived in Trinidad, and their language was Arawakan language. I am also aware that there were/are Shebayo in Guyana though I cannot get any information about whether there are still speakers of the language. De Laet's wrote Shebayo words based on the Dutch writing system so I am not sure how to pronounce them.
YAO The Yao language is known to us by only 52 words, also recorded by De Laet in 1640. It was spoken in Trinidad as well as the coast of Venezuela. It was a Cariban language closely related to Galibi.
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