Difference between revisions of "List of language families"

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{{under construction}}
{{under construction}}


This set of lists of [[language families]] also includes language isolates, unclassified languages and other types.
This set of lists of language families also includes language isolates, unclassified languages and other types.
 
Language counts can vary significantly depending on what is considered a dialect.
 
==Language families (non-sign)==
{{See also|Language family|List of languages by number of native speakers}}
In the following, each bullet item is a known or suspected language family.  Phyla with historically wide geographical distributions but comparatively few current-day speakers include [[Eskimo–Aleut languages|Eskimo–Aleut]], [[Na-Dene languages|Na-Dené]], [[Algic languages|Algic]], [[Quechuan languages|Quechuan]] and [[Nilo-Saharan languages|Nilo-Saharan]].
 
The geographic headings over them are meant solely as a tool for grouping families into collections, more comprehensible than an unstructured list of a few hundred independent families.  Geographic relationship is convenient for that purpose, but these headings are ''not'' a suggestion of any "super-families" phylogenetically relating the families named.  


==Language families==
{{See also|List of languages by total amount of speakers}}
In the following, each bullet item is a known or suspected language family.


{| class="wikitable sortable" cellspacing="2" style="text-align:center;"
{| class="wikitable sortable" cellspacing="2" style="text-align:center;"
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!Proposed parent family
!Proposed parent family
|-
|-
|[[Afro-Asiatic languages]]
|[[Adzamic languages|Adzo-Neviran languages]]
|366
|
|380,000,000
|
|[[Languages of Africa|Africa]], [[Languages of Asia|Asia]], [[Languages of Europe|Europe]]
|[[Ekuosia]]
|[[Ekuo-Lahiri languages]]
|-
|[[Amaian languages]]
|
|
|[[Vaniua]], [[Parshita]]
|
|-
|[[Argeyazic languages]]
|
|
|[[Ekuosia]]
|
|-
|[[Asuranesian languages]]
|
|
|[[Asuranesia]], [[Nagu]]
|
|-
|[[Atruozan languages]]
|
|
|[[South Baredina]], [[Ystel]]
|
|-
|[[Baredan languages]]
|
|
|[[South Baredina]]
|
|-
|[[Bavkir languages]]
|
|
|[[Upper Boroso]], [[Ekuosia]]
|
|-
|[[Cathani languages]]
|
|
|[[Parshita]]
|
|-
|[[Colian languages]]
|
|
|[[Soltenna]]
|
|-
|[[Daleic languages]]
|
|
|[[Ekuosia]], [[Parshita]]
|
|-
|[[Darkinic languages]]
|
|
|[[Soltenna]]
|
|-
|[[Jö-Ku languages]]
|
|
|[[Parshita]]
|
|-
|[[Kame languages]]
|
|
|[[Parshita]]
|
|-
|[[Kõ languages]]
|
|
|[[Ekuosia]]
|
|-
|[[Lahiri languages]]
|
|
|[[Lahan]]
|[[Ekuo-Lahiri languages]]
|-
|[[Letsic languages]]
|
|
|[[Ekuosia]]
|
|-
|[[Maakpauean languages]]
|
|
|[[North Miraria]]
|
|-
|[[Methic languages]]
|
|
|[[Soltenna]]
|
|-
|[[Mherdic languages]]
|
|
|[[Boroso]]
|
|-
|[[Milevic languages]]
|
|
|[[Parshita]]
|[[Shaelic languages]]
|-
|[[Ngerupic languages]]
|
|
|[[Akulanen]], [[Soltenna]], [[Ekuosia]]
|
|-
|[[Õlukalic languages]]
|
|
|[[Parshita]]
|
|-
|[[Otjesi-Lonish languages]]
|
|
|[[Ekuosia]]
|
|-
|[[Palawe languages]]
|
|
|[[Ekuosia]]
|
|-
|[[Paroan languages]]
|
|
|[[Parshita]]
|
|-
|[[Q'eb languages]]
|
|
|[[Ekuosia]]
|[[Ekuo-Lahiri languages]]
|-
|[[Quatic languages]]
|
|
|[[Northwest Miraria]]
|
|-
|[[Rartakan languages]]
|
|
|[[Parshita]]
|
|-
|[[Rietic languages]]
|
|
|[[Soltenna]]
|
|-
|[[Saru-Asuran languages]]
|
|
|[[Lahan]], [[Asuranesia]]
|
|-
|[[Shekkuan languages]]
|
|
|[[Shekku]]
|[[Shaelic languages]]
|-
|[[Sitr-Yenan languages]]
|
|
|[[Soltenna]]
|
|-
|[[Theweric languages]]
|
|
|[[Upper Boroso]]
|
|-
|[[Tiengic languages]]
|
|
|[[Parshita]]
|
|-
|[[Tlukeric languages]]
|
|
|[[Parshita]]
|[[Shaelic languages]]
|-
|[[Vaniuan languages]]
|
|
|[[Vaniua]]
|
|-
|[[Varkanic languages]]
|
|
|[[Draconic Sea Islands]]
|
|-
|[[Voontic languages]]
|
|
|[[Vaniua]]
|
|-
|[[Xhovian languages]]
|
|
|[[South Baredina]]
|
|-
|[[Ystellic languages]]
|
|
|[[Ystel]]
|
|
|-
|-
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==Language isolates==
==Language isolates==
{{seealso|Language isolate}}
[[Language isolate]]s are languages which are not part of any known family and they can be alternatively described as being its sole representative.
[[Language isolate]]s are languages which are not part of any known family and they can be alternatively described as being its sole representants.


{{div col|2}}
{{div col|2}}
===continent===
===Baredina===
beep boop
[[Kavahiri language]]


===continent2===
===Miraria===
[[Doktakur language]]
[[Way language]]


beeop booop
{{div col end}}
{{div col end}}


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Languages are considered unclassified either because, for one reason or another, little effort has been made to compare them with other languages or more commonly, because they are too poorly documented to permit reliable classification: most such languages are extinct and, most likely, will never be known well enough to classify.
Languages are considered unclassified either because, for one reason or another, little effort has been made to compare them with other languages or more commonly, because they are too poorly documented to permit reliable classification: most such languages are extinct and, most likely, will never be known well enough to classify.


===continent===


==Extinct families and unclassified languages==
==Extinct families and unclassified languages==
This section lists extinct languages and families which have no known living relatives; while a minority of these is well known but is still classified as genetically independent (like the ancient [[Sumerian language]]), the lack of [[Attested language|attestation]] makes many of these hard to put into larger groups.
This section lists extinct languages and families which have no known living relatives; while a minority of these is well known but still classified as genetically independent, the lack of attestation makes many of these hard to put into larger groups.


{| class="wikitable sortable" cellspacing="2" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!Name
!Languages
!Year of death
!Location
!Well-attested?
!Proposed parent family
|-
|[[Hurro-Urartian languages]]
|2
|7th century BC?
|[[Languages of Asia|Asia]]
|{{yes}}
|[[Alarodian languages]]
|-
|}


==Other language classifications==
==Other language classifications==
The classification of languages into families, assumes that all of them develop from a single parent proto-language and evolve over time into different daughter language(s). While the vast majority of tongues fit this description fairly well, there are exceptions.
The classification of languages into families, assumes that all of them develop from a single parent proto-language and evolve over time into different daughter language(s). While the vast majority of tongues fit this description fairly well, there are exceptions.
A [[mixed language]] often refers to a particular combination of existing ones, which may stem from different families: a [[pidgin]] is a simple language used for communication between groups; this may involve simplification and/or mixing of multiple languages. When a pidgin develops into a more stable language which children learn from birth, it is usually called a "creole".
A mixed language often refers to a particular combination of existing ones, which may stem from different families: a pidgin is a simple language used for communication between groups; this may involve simplification and/or mixing of multiple languages. When a pidgin develops into a more stable language which children learn from birth, it is usually called a "creole."
Whether for ease of use or created for use in fiction, languages can also be constructed from the ground up, rather than develop from existing ones; these are known as [[constructed languages]].
 
== Sign languages ==
{{See also|List of sign languages|Sign Language#Classification of sign languages}}
The family relationships of [[sign languages]] are not well established due to a lagging in linguistic research, and many are isolates.
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" cellspacing="2" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! scope="col" | Family Name
! scope="col" | Location
! scope="col" | Number of Languages
|-
| [[French Sign Language family|French Sign]] || Europe, the Americas, Francophone Africa, parts of Asia || Over 50
|-
|}


Beyond these language families, there exist many isolates, including:
* [[Inuit Sign Language]]


== Proposed families ==
==Sign languages==
The following is a list of proposed language families, which connect established families into larger genetic groups; support for these proposals varies, the [[Dené–Yeniseian languages]] for example, are a recent proposal which has been generally well received, whereas reconstructions of the [[Proto-World language]] are often viewed as [[fringe science]]; proposals which are themselves based on other proposals, have the likelihood of their parts noted in parentheses.
{{See also|List of sign languages}}
 
The family relationships of sign languages are not well established due to a lagging in linguistic research, and many are isolates.
{| class="wikitable sortable" cellspacing="2" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!Proposed name
!Description
!Mainstream consensus
|-
|[[Proto-World language|Proto-World]]
|reconstructed common ancestor of all living languages
|Widely rejected.
|-
|}


== See also ==
{{col div|colwidth=30em}}
*[[International auxiliary language]]
*[[List of constructed languages]]


{{Language families}}


[[Category:Language families| List]]
[[Category:Language families| List]]
[[Category:Lists of languages| Families]]
[[Category:Lists of languages| Families]]

Revision as of 11:59, 23 February 2018

This set of lists of language families also includes language isolates, unclassified languages and other types.

Language families

See also: List of languages by total amount of speakers

In the following, each bullet item is a known or suspected language family.

Family name Languages Current speakers Location Proposed parent family
Adzo-Neviran languages Ekuosia Ekuo-Lahiri languages
Amaian languages Vaniua, Parshita
Argeyazic languages Ekuosia
Asuranesian languages Asuranesia, Nagu
Atruozan languages South Baredina, Ystel
Baredan languages South Baredina
Bavkir languages Upper Boroso, Ekuosia
Cathani languages Parshita
Colian languages Soltenna
Daleic languages Ekuosia, Parshita
Darkinic languages Soltenna
Jö-Ku languages Parshita
Kame languages Parshita
Kõ languages Ekuosia
Lahiri languages Lahan Ekuo-Lahiri languages
Letsic languages Ekuosia
Maakpauean languages North Miraria
Methic languages Soltenna
Mherdic languages Boroso
Milevic languages Parshita Shaelic languages
Ngerupic languages Akulanen, Soltenna, Ekuosia
Õlukalic languages Parshita
Otjesi-Lonish languages Ekuosia
Palawe languages Ekuosia
Paroan languages Parshita
Q'eb languages Ekuosia Ekuo-Lahiri languages
Quatic languages Northwest Miraria
Rartakan languages Parshita
Rietic languages Soltenna
Saru-Asuran languages Lahan, Asuranesia
Shekkuan languages Shekku Shaelic languages
Sitr-Yenan languages Soltenna
Theweric languages Upper Boroso
Tiengic languages Parshita
Tlukeric languages Parshita Shaelic languages
Vaniuan languages Vaniua
Varkanic languages Draconic Sea Islands
Voontic languages Vaniua
Xhovian languages South Baredina
Ystellic languages Ystel

Language isolates

Language isolates are languages which are not part of any known family and they can be alternatively described as being its sole representative.

Baredina

Kavahiri language

Miraria

Doktakur language Way language

Unclassified languages

Languages are considered unclassified either because, for one reason or another, little effort has been made to compare them with other languages or more commonly, because they are too poorly documented to permit reliable classification: most such languages are extinct and, most likely, will never be known well enough to classify.


Extinct families and unclassified languages

This section lists extinct languages and families which have no known living relatives; while a minority of these is well known but still classified as genetically independent, the lack of attestation makes many of these hard to put into larger groups.


Other language classifications

The classification of languages into families, assumes that all of them develop from a single parent proto-language and evolve over time into different daughter language(s). While the vast majority of tongues fit this description fairly well, there are exceptions. A mixed language often refers to a particular combination of existing ones, which may stem from different families: a pidgin is a simple language used for communication between groups; this may involve simplification and/or mixing of multiple languages. When a pidgin develops into a more stable language which children learn from birth, it is usually called a "creole."


Sign languages

See also: List of sign languages

The family relationships of sign languages are not well established due to a lagging in linguistic research, and many are isolates.

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