Categorias ontológicas e afixos taxonômicos em línguas ameríndias

In this article, which contains preliminary conclusions from our research, we focus on the non-limited modifier category of American language classification systems. For this, we will analyze modifying elements of Xavante and Guajajara languages and Mbya variant of Guarani. A semantic function of some modifiers is like two described by Viveiros de Castro (1996, 2002) for the Yawalapiti language, as in the case of morphemes like -ete. More specifically, we will point out that these linguistic marks include abstract and concrete elements and obey a particular taxonomic logic, configuring what we call ontological modifiers, a concept that we are in the process of definition.