Language Families Use this powerpoint to supplement the information on the graphic organizer and to color code the global distribution of language families map.

Distribution of Language Families Indo-European = largest language family 46% of the world’s population Spread across globe through colonialism/migration most widely diffused language family See following maps!!!! Remember this family includes language branches associated with Europe (Germanic, Slavic, Romance etc.) but also branches in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Iran!

Indo-European

Indo-European (Indo-Iranian Branch)

Indo-European Distribution

Indo-European Distribution

Indo-European Distribution

Indo-European Distribution

Indo-European Distribution

Indo-European Distribution

Distribution of Language Families Classification of languages Sino-Tibetan = 2nd largest language family 21% of the world’s population Mandarin most speakers of a single native language in the world written “Chinese” can be understood by speakers of many “Chinese” languages/dialects, why? Ideograms written characters which represent ideas or concepts not specific pronunciations. huge amount of characters, hard to learn hence high illiteracy rate in China

Sino-Tibetan Family

Distribution of Other Language Families Africa extensive diversity 1,000 distinct languages + thousands of dialects Niger-Congo family 95% of sub-Saharan Originated in west/central Africa (Cameroon/Nigeria) Spread thru “Bantu migration” beginning c. 1000 BCE Example = “Zulus”

Distribution of Other Language Families Africa extensive diversity Niger-Congo family Khoisan Hunter/gatherers (San) “Bushmen” = derogatory Pastoralists (Khoi) “Hottentots” = derogatory “Clicking” languages Oldest form of human communication?

Languages of North Africa and Middle East Afro-Asiatic (“Semitic”) Arabic = most widely spoken Semitic language ironic since Arabs are often accused of “anti-semitism” spread thru diffusion of Islam Other Arabic influence mainly through Quran and trade Swahili “people of the coast” = Bantu + Arabic influence Urdu = Hindi + Arabic/Persian Hebrew, Berber Hebrew = once extinct, sacred language revived with est. of the state of Israel Berber = language of indigenous N. Africans before “Arabization”.

Languages of Central Asia and the Middle East Altaic or (Turkic) language family Turkish = most widely spoken language in family Ottoman migration brings Turkic from Central Asia to “Turkey” Central Asia (Kazaks = “Kazakhstan”, Uzbekistan etc., Mongolian) Formerly suppressed under Russian Empire/USSR (Russification)

Distribution of Other Language Families Uralic Significant Non-Indo-European family in Europe Estonian, Hungarian (Magyar), and Finnish languages Basques? Unknown or nonexistent relation to other languages “Language isolate” = language cutoff from related languages by in-migration or unrelated to other languages. Basque speakers were cutoff and isolated by the waves of Indo-European speakers (Celts, Germanic tribes, etc.) migrating into Europe

Other Language Families Austronesian (Malay-Polynesian) SE Asia, Philippines, Indonesia, Madagascar Diffuses to Madagascar, involved the crossing of the Indian Ocean in outrigger canoes (AWESOME!) Dravidian: South Indian languages dated from before Aryan invasion (Indus Valley Civ.) Dravidian Tamils vs. Indo-Euro Singhalese = Sri Lanka civil war Japanese and Korean Both influenced by China Korean possibly linked to Altaic (controversial) Austro-Asiatic (Mon-Khmer) Vietnam and Cambodia and other non-contiguous areas in South and Southeast Asia Uses Latin alphabet (brought by missionaries in the 17th century) Nilo-Saharan = very small numbers Caucasian Caucasus mountainous region = most lang. family diversity, why? 4 language families, many religions Tai-Kadai = SE Asia (Thai and Lao) Other = 7,000 languages total, 50- 90% extinct by 2100

Other Language Families

Caucasus = region with most language family diversity

“Other” = mostly isolated

Voila! The Complete Map