Native American languages are the indigenous languages of the Americas, spoken by Native Americans from Alaska and Greenland to the southern tip of South America. The Native American languages consist of dozens of distinct language families as well as many language isolates. Many proposals to group these into higher-level families have been made by some linguists, but several of these have not been generally accepted.

Contents

1 Background 2 Language families & isolates by region 2.1 South America 2.1.1 Families 2.1.2 Isolates or unclassified 2.2 Central America 2.2.1 Families 2.2.2 Isolates or unclassified 2.3 North America 2.3.1 Families 2.3.2 Isolates or unclassified 3 Links 4 Bibilography

Background

Archeological and DNA evidence suggests that the Americas were peopled by migrants from Siberia about 17,000-10,000 years ago. From Alaska, the descendants of those first migrants went on to people the rest of North and South America. The language or languages spoken by these early migrants, and the process by which the current diversity of Native American languages emerged, are a matter of speculation. Some evidence suggests that the ancestors of the Na-Dene and Eskimo-Aleut speakers arrived separately from Siberia some time after the earliest settlers.

Several Native American languages have developed their own writing systems, including the Mayan languages and Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. These and many other Native American languages later adapted the Roman alphabet or Canadian Syllabics . Aleut was first written by missionaries the Cyrillic Alphabet, and later in the Roman alphabet.

Subsequent to the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492, Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, and Dutch were brought to the Americas by European settlers and administrators, and constitute the official languages of the independent states of the Americas, although Bolivia, Paraguay and Peru have one or more Native American languages as an official language in addition to Spanish. Several indigenous creole languages developed in the Americas from European languages.

The attitudes of the most of the European colonizers and their successor states toward Native American languages ranged from benign neglect to active suppression.

However, the Spanish missionaries preached to the natives in local languages. They actually spread Quechua beyond its original geographic area. Native American languages vary greatly in the number of speakers, from Quechua, Aymara, Guarani, and Nahuatl with millions of active speakers to a number of languages with only a handful of elderly speakers. Many Native American languages are endangered, and many others are extinct, with no living native speakers.

Language families & isolates by region

South America

Families

1. Alacalufan languages (2)
2. Arauan languages (8)
3. Araucanian languages (2)
4. Arawakan languages (South America & Caribbean) (60)
5. Arutani-Sape languages (2)
6. Aymaran languages (incl. Aymara language) (3)
7. Barbacoan languages (7)
8. Cahuapanan languages (2)
9. Carib languages (29)
10. Chapacura-Wanham languages (3-4)
11. Chibchan languages (Central America & South America) (22)
12. Choco languages (10)
13. Chon languages (2)
14. Harakmbet languages (2)
15. Jivaroan languages (4)
16. Katukinan languages (3)
17. Lule-Vilela languages (1)
18. Macro-Ge languages (32)
19. Maku languages (6)
20. Mascoian languages (5)
21. Mataco-Guaicuru languages (11)
22. Mosetenan languages (1)
23. Mura languages (1)
24. Nambiquaran languages (5)
25. Paezan languages (1)
26. Panoan languages (30)
27. Peba-Yaguan languages (2)
28. Quechuan languages (including Quechua) (46)
29. Salivan languages (2)
30. Tacanan languages (6)
31. Tucanoan languages (25)
32. Tupi languages (70)
33. Uru-Chipaya languages (2)
34. Witotoan languages (6)
35. Yanomam languages (4)
36. Zamucoan languages (2)
37. Zaparoan languages (7)

Isolates or unclassified

1. Aikaná (Brazil: Rondônia)
2. Andoque language (Colombia, Peru)
3. Baenan (Brazil)
4. Betoi (Columbia)
5. Camsá language (Colombia)
6. Canichana (Bolivia)
7. Cayubaba language (Bolivia)
8. Cofán (Colombia, Ecuador)
9. Culle (Peru)
10. Gamela (Brazil: Maranhão)
11. Gorgotoqui (Bolivia)
12. Huamoé (Brazil: Pernambuco)
13. Irantxe (Brazil: Mato Grosso)
14. Itonama language (Bolivia)
15. Jotí (Venezuela)
16. Karirí (Brazil: Paraíba, Pernambuco, Ceará)
17. Koayá (Brazil: Rondônia)
18. Kukurá (Brazil: Mato Grosso)
19. Mapudungu (Chile, Argentina)
20. Movima (Bolivia)
21. Munichi (Peru)
22. Nambiquaran (Brazil: Mato Grosso)
23. Natú (Brazil: Pernambuco)
24. Omurano (Peru)
25. Otí (Brazil: São Paulo)
26. Pankararú language (Brazil: Pernambuco)
27. Puquina (Bolivia)
28. Sabela (Ecuador, Peru)
29. Tarairiú (Brazil: Rio Grande do Norte)
30. Taushiro (Peru)
31. Tequiraca (Peru)
32. Ticuna (a.k.a. Magta, Tikuna, Tucuna, Tukna, or Tukuna) (Colombia, Peru, Brazil)
33. Tuxá language (Brazil: Bahia, Pernambuco)
34. Warao language (Guyana, Surinam, Venezuela)
35. Xokó (Brazil: Alagoas, Pernambuco)
36. Xukurú (Brazil: Pernambuco, Paraíba)
37. Yámana (a.k.a Yagan or Yaghan) (Chile)
38. Yuracare language (Bolivia)
39. Yuri (Colombia, Brazil)
40. Yurumanguí (Colombia)

Central America

(Central America here includes countries from Mexico to Panama)

Families

1. Algic languages (North America & Central America) (29)
2. Chibchan languages (Central America & South America) (22)
3. Comecrudan languages (North America & Central America) (3)
4. Guacurian languages (a.k.a. Waikurian) (8)
5. Jicaquean languages
6. Lencan languages
7. Mayan languages (31)
8. Misumalpan languages
9. Mixe-Zoquean languages (19)
10. Na-Dené languages (North America & Central America) (40)
11. Oto-Manguean languages (North America & Central America) (27)
12. Tequistlatecan languages (3)
13. Totonacan languages (2)
14. Uto-Aztecan languages (North America & Central America) (31)
15. Xincan languages
16. Yuman-Cochimi languages (North America & Central America) (11)

Isolates or unclassified

1. Alagüilac (Guatemala)
2. Coahuilteco (US: Texas; northeast Mexico)
3. Cotoname (northeast Mexico; US: Texas)
4. Cuitlatec (Mexico: Guerrero)
5. Huave (Mexico: Oaxaca)
6. Maratino (northeastern Mexico)
7. Naolan (Mexico: Tamaulipas)
8. Quinigua (northeast Mexico)
9. Seri (Mexico: Sonora)
10. Solano (northeast Mexico; US: Texas)
11. Tarascan (a.k.a. Purépecha) (Mexico: Michoacán)

North America

(North America here includes Canada and the USA)

Families

1. Algic languages (incl. Algonquian languages) (29)
2. Alsean languages (2)
3. Caddoan languages (5)
4. Chimakuan languages (2)
5. Chinookan languages (3)
6. Chumashan languages (6)
7. Comecrudan languages (North America & Central America) (3)
8. Coosan languages (2)
9. Eskimo-Aleut languages (7)
10. Guacurian languages (a.k.a. Waikurian) (8)
11. Iroquoian languages (11)
12. Kalapuyan languages (3)
13. Kiowa-Tanoan languages (7)
14. Maiduan languages (4)
15. Mayan languages (North America & Central America) (31)
16. Muskogean languages (6)
17. Na-Dené languages (North America & Central America) (40)
18. Oto-Manguean languages (North America & Central America) (27)
19. Palaihnihan languages (2)
20. Plateau Penutian (a.k.a. Shahapwailutan) (4)
21. Pomoan languages (7)
22. Salishan languages (23)
23. Shastan languages (4)
24. Siouan languages (16)
25. Tequistlatecan languages (3)
26. Totonacan languages (2)
27. Tsimshianic languages (2)
28. Utian languages (12)
29. Uto-Aztecan languages (31)
30. Wakashan languages (6)
31. Wintuan languages (4)
32. Yokutsan languages (3)
33. Yukian languages (2)
34. Yuman-Cochimi languages (11)

Hokan and Penutian are two macro-families that are currently undemonstrated.

Isolates or unclassified

1. Adai (US: Louisiana, Texas)
2. Aranama-Tamique (US: Texas)
3. Atakapa (US: Louisiana, Texas)
4. Beothuk (Canada: Newfoundland)
5. Calusa (US: Florida)
6. Cayuse (US: Oregon, Washington)
7. Chimariko (US: California)
8. Chitimacha (US: Lousiania)
9. Coahuilteco (US: Texas; northeast Mexico)
10. Cotoname (northeast Mexico; US: Texas)
11. Esselen (US: California)
12. Haida (Canada: British Columbia; US: Alaska)
13. Karankawa (US: Texas)
14. Karok (a.k.a. Karuk) (US: California)
15. Keres (US: New Mexico)
16. Konomihu (US: California)
17. Kutenai language (Canada: British Columbia; US: Idaho, Montana)
18. Natchez (US: Mississippi, Louisiana)
19. Salinan (US: California)
20. Siuslaw (US: Oregon)
21. Solano (northeast Mexico; US: Texas)
22. Takelma (US: Oregon)
23. Timucua (US: Florida, Georgia)
24. Tonkawa (US: Texas)
25. Tunica (US: Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas)
26. Washo (US: California, Nevada)
27. Yana (US: California)
28. Yuchi (US: Georgia, Oklahoma)
29. Zuni (a.k.a. Shiwi) (US: New Mexico)

Links

• The Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas (SSILA)
• The Yinka Déné Language Institute (YDLI)
• The First Nations Languages of British Columbia (YDLI)
  • Index of Variant Language Names (in British Columbia) (YDLI)
• Southern Oregon Digital Archives First Nations Tribal Collection (beautiful collection of ethnographic, linguistic, & historical material)
• Handbook of the North American Indians
• Map of languages in the US - William C. Sturtevant. (1967). Early Indian tribes, culture areas, and linguistic stocks.:
  • Alaska & Hawai‘i
  • Western US
  • Eastern US
• Native Languages of the Americas

Previous classifications can be seen here: Native American languages/Previous classifications.

See also: Language families and languages, Classification of Native Americans, Native American.

Bibilography

• 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 0-1604-8774-9.
• 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 Institute). (Updated version of the map in Goddard 1996). ISBN 0-8032-9271-6.
• Grimes, Barbara F. (Ed.). (2000). Ethnologue: Languages of the world, (14th ed.). Dallas, TX: SIL International. ISBN 1-55671106-9. (Online edition: http://www.ethnologue.com/).
• Mithun, Marianne. (1999). The languages of Native North America. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-23228-7 (hbk); ISBN 0-521-29875-X.
• 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).