Kaufman found the relationship likely and with general agreement among the major classifiers of South American languages.

Viegas Barros published additional evidence from 1996–2006.

However, Zamponi (2008) considers Lule and Vilela each as language isolates, with similarities being due to contact.

[2] Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for Lule, Vilela, and Chunupí.

[3] For reconstructions of Proto-Lule-Vilela by Viegas Barros (2006),[4] see the corresponding Spanish article.