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List of language families

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This article is a list of language families. This list only includes primary language families that are accepted by the current academic consensus in the field of linguistics; for language families that are not accepted by the current academic consensus in the field of linguistics, see the article "List of proposed language families".

List of language families

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Spoken language families

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Traditional geographical classification (not implying genetic relationship)
Legend
  Andamanese languages
  Australian languages and Tasmanian languages
  Caucasian languages
  Khoisan languages
  Nuba Mountains languages
  Paleo-Siberian languages
  Papuan languages
Family Languages[1] Current speakers[2] Location
Afroasiatic 381 499,294,669 Africa, Eurasia
Aroid 5 438,100 Africa
Atlantic–Congo 1,410 500,000,000 Africa
Berta 6 380,000 Africa
Central Sudanic 63 9,145,280 Africa
Daju 7 261,000 Africa
Dizoid 3 88,840 Africa
Dogon 20 630,820 Africa
Eastern Jebel 4 104,600 Africa
Fur 2 786,900 Africa
Gumuz 3 253,680 Africa
Heiban 10 276,690 Africa
Ijaw 9 3,221,650 Africa
Kadu 6 120,600 Africa
Katla-Tima 3 25,000 Africa
Khoe-Kwadi 14 337,337 Africa
Koman 5 94,000 Africa
Kresh-Aja 3 48,200 Africa
Kru 38 3,800,000 Africa
Kuliak 3 14,070 Africa
Kunama 2 181,000 Africa
Kxʼa 5 104,000 Africa
Maban 10 1,115,260 Africa
Mande 75 27,003,000 Africa
Nilotic 55 33,306,780 Africa
Nubian 13 842,050 Africa
Nyima 2 162,000 Africa
Rashad 2 126,000 Africa
Saharan 10 10,940,500 Africa
Songhay 10 3,228,000 Africa
Surmic 11 544,680 Africa
Talodi 8 112,250 Africa
Taman 4 128,800 Africa
Ta-Ne-Omotic 23 7,383,320 Africa
Temein 2 14,400 Africa
Tuu 9 2,500 Africa
Zande 6 1,898,500 Africa
Indo-European 586 3,237,999,904 Global
Uralic 49 20,716,457 Eurasia
Tyrsenian 3 or 4 extinct Eurasia
Turkic 35 179,945,933 Eurasia
Hurro-Urartian 2 extinct Eurasia
Northwest Caucasian 4 1,655,000 Eurasia
Northeast Caucasian 29[3] 4,155,258 Eurasia
Kartvelian 4 4,850,000 Eurasia
Dravidian 84 252,807,610 Eurasia
Great Andamanese 10 3 Eurasia
Ongan 2 296 Eurasia
Yeniseian 6 153 Eurasia
Yukaghir 4 516 Eurasia
Sino-Tibetan 514 1,385,995,195 Eurasia
Mijiic 2 29,500 Eurasia
Hmong–Mien 43 9,332,070 Eurasia
Kra–Dai 95 81,549,828 Eurasia
Austroasiatic 158 116,323,040 Eurasia
Austronesian 1,274 325,862,510 Africa, Eurasia, Oceania
Tungusic 15 55,800 Eurasia
Mongolic 16 7,269,480 Eurasia
Koreanic 2 77,269,890 Eurasia
Nivkh 2 200 Eurasia
Japonic 13 129,240,180 Eurasia
Ainu 3 extinct Eurasia
Chukotko-Kamchatkan 7 6,875 Eurasia
Trans–New Guinea 376 3,678,184 New Guinea
Torricelli 57 114,565 New Guinea
Sepik 49 263,404 New Guinea
Lower Sepik 6 13,070 New Guinea
Timor–Alor–Pantar 23 380,120 Lesser Sunda Islands
Lakes Plain 20 8,455 New Guinea
Yam 19 7,677 New Guinea
Anim 17 32,898 New Guinea
Border 15 17,080 New Guinea
North Halmahera 15 279,035 Halmahera
Angan 13 103,739 New Guinea
Geelvink Bay 10 8,005 New Guinea
Sko 10 5,665 New Guinea
South Bougainville 9 68,700 New Guinea
Baining 6 13,800 New Guinea
Strickland 8 6,175 New Guinea
Goilalan 6 47,330 New Guinea
Kiwaia 6 38,030 New Guinea
Left May 6 2,005 New Guinea
South Bird's Head 6 8,200 New Guinea
Eleman 5 45,240 New Guinea
Foja Range 26 23,845 New Guinea
Pauwasi 5 3,880 New Guinea
West Bird's Head 5 20,090 New Guinea
Yuat 5 7,700 New Guinea
Eastern Trans-Fly 4 6,760 New Guinea
North Bougainville 4 10,020 New Guinea
Demta–Sentani 4 36,680 New Guinea
Gogodala–Suki 4 30,160 New Guinea
Kikorian 6 13,510 New Guinea
Walio 4 856 New Guinea
East Bird's Head 3 34,800 New Guinea
Mairasi 3 4,385 New Guinea
Amto–Musan 2 720 New Guinea
Baibai-Fas 2 2,840 New Guinea
Bulaka River 3 520 New Guinea
Hatam-Mansim 2 16,000 New Guinea
Inanwatan–Duriankere 2 1,130 New Guinea
Kaure-Kosare 2 700 New Guinea
Konda-Yahadian 2 1,000 New Guinea
Senu River 3 1,510 New Guinea
Lepki-Murkim-Kembra 3 840 New Guinea
Namla-Tofanma 2 280 New Guinea
Pahoturi 2 4,050 New Guinea
Madang–Upper Yuat 112 >10,000 New Guinea
Senagi 2 2,960 New Guinea
Taulil-Butam 2 2,000 New Guinea
Ramu 29 64,730 New Guinea
Teberan–Pawaian 4 37,100 New Guinea
Yawa-Saweru 2 10,300 New Guinea
Central Solomon 4 14,800 New Guinea
Chimbu-Wahgi 15 613,400 New Guinea
Engan 9 606,930 New Guinea
Pama–Nyungan 250 23,539 Australia
Gunwinyguan 5 1,314 Australia
Western Daly 3 21 Australia
Nyulnyulan 3 94 Australia
Worrorran 3 108 Australia
Mirndi 3 261 Australia
Iwaidjan 4 491 Australia
Mangarrayi-Maran 4 10 Australia
Maningrida 4 1,434 Australia
Tangkic 4 73 Australia
Jarrakan 3 130 Australia
Bunuban 2 100 Australia
Eastern Daly 2 extinct Australia
Garrwan 2 130 Australia
Limilngan-Wulna 2 23 Australia
Marrku-Wurrugu 2 extinct Australia
Northeastern Tasmanian 2 extinct Australia
Northern Daly 2 8 Australia
Southeastern Tasmanian 2 extinct Australia
Western Tasmanian 2 extinct Australia
Northern Tasmanian 2 extinct Australia
Eskaleut 10 108,705 North America, Eurasia
Na-Dene 46 208,552 North America
Tsimshianic 4 2,910 North America
Wakashan 6 710 North America
Salishan 25 1,969 North America
Chimakuan 2 extinct North America
Chinookan 4 extinct North America
Kalapuyan 3 extinct North America
Coosan 2 extinct North America
Plateau 4 125 North America
Shastan 4 extinct North America
Comecrudan 3 extinct North America
Yuki–Wappo 2 extinct North America
Pomoan 7 47 North America
Wintuan 2 extinct North America
Palaihnihan 2 extinct North America
Maiduan 4 extinct North America
Utian 13 18 North America
Chumashan 6 extinct North America
Uto-Aztecan 58 1,910,442 North America
Yuman–Cochimí 12 3,710 North America
Siouan 14 33,399 North America
Algic 47 214,768 North America
Tanoan–Kiowa 6 6,000 North America
Caddoan 5 20 North America
Totonacan 12 282,250 North America
Oto-Manguean 176 1,678,214 North America
Mixe–Zoque 17 153,612 North America
Tequistlatecan 3 5,494 North America
Muskogean 6 15,640 North America
Mayan 31 6,522,182 North America
Xincan 5 extinct North America
Jicaquean 2 500 North America
Lencan 2 extinct North America
Misumalpan 5 709,000 North America
Iroquoian 9 14,543 North America
Arawakan 77 699,709 North America, South America
Chibchan 27 306,267 North America, South America
Chocoan 9 114,600 North America, South America
Andoque–Urequena 2 370 South America
Cariban 42 67,376 North America, South America
Barbacoan 6 24,800 South America
Chicham 4 89,630 South America
Quechuan 45 7,768,820 South America
Aymaran 4 2,808,740 South America
Uru–Chipaya 2 1,200 South America
Huarpean 3 extinct South America
Araucanian 2 262,000 South America
Chonan 6 extinct South America
Alacalufan 3 10 South America
Guajiboan 5 39,290 South America
Nukak–Kakwa 2 610 South America
Otomákoan 2 extinct South America
Piaroa–Saliban 3 18,630 South America
Nadahup 4 2,894 South America
Yanomaman 4 31,670 South America
Tucanoan 23 30,308 South America
Boran 2 1,500 South America
Witotoan 7 17,478 South America
Peba–Yaguan 3 5,700 South America
Zaparoan 3 90 South America
Hibito–Cholon 2 extinct South America
Cahuapanan 2 10,370 South America
Ticuna–Yuri 2 48,580 South America
Panoan 38 48,679 South America
Arawan 6 5,870 South America
Harákmbut–Katukinan 4 3,310 South America
Tupian 70 5,026,502 South America
Chapacuran 4 2,019 South America
Nambikwaran 6 1,068 South America
Bororoan 3 1,392 South America
Kariri 4 extinct South America
Zamucoan 2 5,900 South America
Tacanan 7 2,860 South America
Mascoian 6 20,728 South America
Matacoan 7 60,280 South America
Guaicuruan 4 49,350 South America
Macro-Jê 29 51,093 South America
Charruan 3 extinct South America
Purian 2 extinct South America
Puquina 4 extinct South America
Cañari–Puruhá 2 extinct South America
Jirajaran 3 extinct South America
Lule-Vilela 2 extinct South America
Timotean 2 extinct South America
Tiniguan 3 1 South America

Sign language families

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See also: List of sign languages and Sign Language § Classification

The family relationships of sign languages are not well established due to lagging linguistic research, and many are isolates (cf. Wittmann 1991).[4]

Family Name Location Number of
French Sign Europe, the Americas, Francophone Africa, parts of Asia Over 50
British Sign United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa 4–10
Arab Sign Much of the Arab World 6–10
Japanese Sign Japan, Korea, Taiwan 3
German Sign Germany, Poland, Israel 3
Swedish Sign Sweden, Finland, Portugal 3
Chinese Sign China (including Hong Kong and Macau) 2

Maps of several language families

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  • The language families of Africa
    The language families of Africa
  • Map of the Austronesian languages
    Map of the Austronesian languages
  • Map of major Dravidian languages
    Map of major Dravidian languages
  • Distribution of the Indo-European language family branches across Eurasia
    Distribution of the Indo-European language family branches across Eurasia
  • Area of the Papuan languages
    Area of the Papuan languages
  • Map of the Australian languages
    Map of the Australian languages
  • Distribution of language families and isolates north of Mexico at first contact
    Distribution of language families and isolates north of Mexico at first contact
  • The major South American language families
    The major South American language families
  • Ethnolinguistic groups of mainland Southeast Asia
    Ethnolinguistic groups of mainland Southeast Asia
  • Caucasian languages
    Caucasian languages
  • Distribution of the Uralic, Altaic, and Yukaghir languages
    Distribution of the Uralic, Altaic, and Yukaghir languages

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Glottolog 5.0 -". glottolog.org. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  2. ^ "What are the largest language families?". Ethnologue. May 25, 2019.
  3. ^ "North Caucasian". Ethnologue. Archived from the original on July 2, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  4. ^ Wittmann, Henri (1991). "Classification linguistique des langues signées non vocalement" (PDF). Revue québécoise de linguistique théorique et appliquée (in French). 10 (1): 215–288.
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Bibliography

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  • Boas, Franz. (1911). Handbook of American Indian languages (Vol. 1). Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 40. Washington: Government Print Office (Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology).
  • Boas, Franz. (1922). Handbook of American Indian languages (Vol. 2). Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 40. Washington: Government Print Office (Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology).
  • Boas, Franz. (1933). Handbook of American Indian languages (Vol. 3). Native American legal materials collection, title 1227. Glückstadt: J.J. Augustin.
  • Campbell, Lyle. (1997). American Indian languages: The historical linguistics of Native America. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-509427-1.
  • Campbell, Lyle; & Mithun, Marianne (Eds.). (1979). The languages of native America: Historical and comparative assessment. Austin: University of Texas Press.
  • Goddard, Ives (Ed.). (1996). Languages. Handbook of North American Indians (W. C. Sturtevant, General Ed.) (Vol. 17). Washington, D. C.: Smithsonian Institution. ISBN 0-16-048774-9.
  • Goddard, Ives. (1999). Native languages and language families of North America (rev. and enlarged ed. with additions and corrections). [Map]. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press (Smithsonian Institution). (Updated version of the map in Goddard 1996). ISBN 0-8032-9271-6.
  • Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (Ed.). (2005). Ethnologue: Languages of the world (15th ed.). Dallas, TX: SIL International. ISBN 1-55671-159-X. (Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com).
  • Greenberg, Joseph H. (1966). The Languages of Africa (2nd ed.). Bloomington: Indiana University.
  • Mithun, Marianne. (1999). The languages of Native North America. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-23228-7 (hbk); ISBN 0-521-29875-X.
  • Ross, Malcolm. (2005). Pronouns as a preliminary diagnostic for grouping Papuan languages. In: Andrew Pawley, Robert Attenborough, Robin Hide and Jack Golson, eds, Papuan pasts: cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples
  • Ruhlen, Merritt. (1987). A guide to the world's languages. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
  • Sturtevant, William C. (Ed.). (1978–present). Handbook of North American Indians (Vol. 1–20). Washington, D. C.: Smithsonian Institution. (Vols. 1–3, 16, 18–20 not yet published).
  • Voegelin, C. F.; & Voegelin, F. M. (1977). Classification and index of the world's languages. New York: Elsevier.
  • Wittmann, Henri (1991). "Classification linguistique des langues signées non vocalement." Revue québécoise de linguistique théorique et appliquée 10:1.215-88.
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