On rare typological features of the Zamucoan languages, in the framework of the Chaco linguistic area

[Extract] The Zamucoan family only includes two surviving endangered languages:Ayoreo (AY) and Chamacoco (CH), spoken in northern Chaco between Bolivia and Paraguay by approximately 4500 and 2000 people, respectively. The Zamucoan family also includes an extinct language, Ancient Zamuco (AZ), described in the 18yh century by the Jesuit Father Ignace Chomé. AZ is very close to AY from the lexical point of view, but shows striking morphosyntactic correspondences with CH; this allows robust diachronic insights (Ciucci 2013; Ciucci & Bertinetto, submitted)