CLASSIFICATION OF LANGUAGES

Languages are said to be related. This means that they have a common ancestor. Latin, for example is the parent language for the "Romance" languages.

There have been many attempts to classify the various languages spoken in aboriginal America. The broadest is by Greenberg who claims there are three major groups in the Americas: Amerind, Nadene and Eskimo

Although Nadene and Eskimo have been separated by virtually all linguists many feel the evidence for calling all the other languages "Amerind" is not really very strong.

Edward Sapir, one of the most famous linguists held that there were families, along with several languages he could not put in any specific family

     I. Eskimo

     II. Ritwan Wakashan

     III. Algonkin

     IV. Macro-Siouan
           Hokan
           Siouan
           Iroquoian
           Caddoan

     V. Aztecan-Tanoan

     VI. Penutian

     VII. Nadene

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