Language Families 

Indo-European = largest language family

  • 46% of the world’s population
  • Spread across globe through colonialism/migration   * most widely diffused language family

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Remember this family includes language branches associated with Europe (Germanic, Slavis, Romance, etc.) but also branches in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Iran!

Distribution of Langauge Families

  • Classification of languages   * \     * Sino-Tibetan = 2nd largest language family

    * 21% of the world’s population       * Madarin= most speakers single native language in the world

  • Africa   * extensive diversity     * 1,000 distinct languages     * \       * thousands of dialects   * Niger - Congo family     * 95% of sub-Saharan     * Originated in west/central Africa (Cameroon/ Nigeria)     * Spreadthrough“Bantuexpansion”beginningc.1000BCESpread through “Bantu expansion” beginning c. 1000 BCE       * EX) Zulus   * extensive diversity   * Niger-Congo family   * Khoisan     * Hunter/gatherers (San)     * “Bushmen” = derogatory     * Pastoralists (Khoi)       * “Hottentots” = derogatory     * “Clicking” languages       * Oldest form of human communication?
  • Afro-Asiatic (Semitic)   * Arabic= most widely spoken Semitc language     * ironic since

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