Language families (Ethnologue)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Main article: Language family

Language families are groups of languages that share common features. The study of languages and their relationships is an area of active research. New relationships are constantly being proposed, with varying levels of evidence. Old theories are frequently tested, and some are discarded. SIL International is a key organization, active in both research and publication of results. They regularly publish an updated database of current thinking in Ethnologue.

• Gordon, Raymond G, Jr (ed.). Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Fifteenth edition. Dallas, Texas: SIL International. 2005.

[edit] Definitions

The following table is based on the Ethnologue language family index. Each line of the table is a group of associated languages, according to the system Ethnologue uses for classifying languages. The first column gives the Ethnologue name for the group. The second column gives the general location of the languages by continent. The third column gives a simplification of proposed relationships between families. The fourth column gives the number of languages in the group, according to the Ethnologue system of counting languages.

The boundary between North and South America is taken to be the Panama Canal, between Africa and Asia the Suez Canal, and between Europe and Asia the Bosporus strait. Australasia includes New Zealand, Australia and the island of New Guinea. Indonesian islands are considered part of Asia. The Caucasian language families are classified as Asian, though the Caucasus Mountains form part of the boundary between Asia and Europe.

Question marks indicate the hypothetical nature of several of the proposed super families. Detailed information regarding the evidence for the hypothesis, including references can be found by following the internal links. The Amerind languages and Papuan languages are geographically related super families. Relationships between the families listed in these particular super families are still a matter of active research.

[edit] Table

Family	Continent	Super Family	Count
Afro-Asiatic	Africa/Asia	Afro-Asiatic	375
Alacalufan	South America	Amerind	2
Algic	North America	Amerind	44
Altaic	Asia	Altaic	66
Amto-Musan	Australasia	Papuan	2
Andamanese	Asia	unknown	13
Arauan	South America	Amerind	8
Araucanian	South America	Amerind	2
Arawakan	South America	Amerind	64
Artificial language	na	na	3
Arutani-Sape	South America	Amerind	2
Australian	Australasia	Australian	263
Austro-Asiatic	Asia	Austro-Asiatic	169
Austronesian	Asia	Austronesian	1268
Aymaran	South America	Amerind	3
Barbacoan	South America	Amerind	7
Basque	Europe	na	3
Bayono-Awbono	Australasia	Papuan	2
Caddoan	North America	Amerind	5
Cahuapanan	South America	Amerind	2
Cant	Australasia	na	1
Carib	South America	Amerind	32
Chapacura-Wanham	South America	Amerind	5
Chibchan	South America	Amerind	22
Chimakuan	North America	Amerind	2
Choco	South America	Amerind	12
Chon	South America	Amerind	2
Chukotko-Kamchatkan	Asia	Paleosiberian?	5
Chumash	North America	Amerind	7
Coahuiltecan	North America	Amerind	1
Creole	na	na	86
Deaf sign language	na	na	121
Dravidian	Asia	Dravidian	73
East Bird's Head	Australasia	Papuan	3
East Papuan	Australasia	Papuan	36
Eskimo-Aleut	North America	Eskimo-Aleut	11
Geelvink Bay	Australasia	Papuan	33
Guahiban	South America	Amerind	5
Gulf	North America	Amerind	4
Harakmbet	South America	Amerind	2
Hibito-Cholon	South America	Amerind	2
Hmong-Mien	Asia	Sino-Tibetan/Austro-Asiatic?	35
Hokan	North America	Amerind	28
Huavean	North America	Amerind	4
Indo-European	Europe/Asia	Indo-European	449
Iroquoian	North America	Amerind	11
Japanese	Asia	Altaic?	12
Jivaroan	South America	Amerind	4
Kartvelian	Asia	Basque?	5
Katukinan	South America	Amerind	3
Keres	North America	Amerind	2
Khoisan	Africa	Khoisan	27
Kiowa Tanoan	North America	Amerind	6
Korean	Asia	Altaic?	8
Kwomtari-Baibai	Australasia	Papuan	6
Language Isolate	na	na	40
Left May	Australasia	Papuan	6
Lower Mamberamo	Australasia	Papuan	2
Lule-Vilela	South America	Amerind	1
Macro-Ge	South America	Amerind	32
Maku	South America	Amerind	6
Mascoian	South America	Amerind	5
Mataco-Guaicuru	South America	Amerind	12
Mayan	North America	Amerind	69
Misumalpan	North America	Amerind	4
Mixed Language	na	na	21
Mixe-Zoque	North America	Amerind	17
Mura	South America	Amerind	1
Muskogean	North America	Amerind	6
Na-Dené	North America	Na-Dené	47
Nambiquaran	South America	Amerind	3
Niger-Congo	Africa	Niger-Congo	1514
Nilo-Saharan	Africa	Nilo-Saharan	204
North Caucasian	Asia	Dené-Caucasian?	34
Oto-Manguean	North America	Amerind	174
Panoan	South America	Amerind	28
Peba-Yaguan	South America	Amerind	2
Penutian	North America	Amerind	33
Pidgin	na	na	18
Quechuan	South America	Amerind	46
Salishan	North America	Amerind	27
Salivan	South America	Amerind	3
Sepik-Ramu	Australasia	Papuan	100
Sign language	na	na	3
Sino-Tibetan	Asia	Sino-Tibetan	403
Siouan	North America	Amerind	17
Sko	Australasia	Papuan	7
Subtiaba-Tlapanec	North America	Amerind (Oto-Manguean)	5
Tacanan	South America	Amerind	6
Tai-Kadai	Asia	Austric?	76
Tarascan	North America	Amerind	2
Torricelli	Australasia	Papuan	53
Totonacan	North America	Amerind	11
Trans-New Guinea	Australasia	Papuan	564
Tucanoan	South America	Amerind	25
Tupi	South America	Amerind	76
Unclassified	na	na	78
Uralic	Asia/Europe	Uralo-Yukaghir?	39
Uru-Chipaya	South America	Amerind	2
Uto-Aztecan	North America	Amerind	61
Wakashan	North America	Amerind	5
West Papuan	Australasia	Papuan	26
Witotoan	South America	Amerind	6
Yanomam	South America	Amerind	4
Yeniseian	Asia	Sino-Tibetan?	2
Yukaghir	Asia	Uralo-Yukaghir?	2
Yuki	North America	Amerind	2
Zamucoan	South America	Amerind	2
Zaparoan	South America	Amerind	7