Where are other Where are other language families language families

distributed?distributed?Classification of languagesClassification of languagesDistribution of language Distribution of language

familiesfamilies

Classification of LanguagesClassification of Languages

Sino-TibetanSino-Tibetan Spoken by 26% of world- China and SE Spoken by 26% of world- China and SE

AsiaAsia 3 branches- Sinitic, Tibeto-Burman, 3 branches- Sinitic, Tibeto-Burman,

Austro-ThaiAustro-Thai Sinitic includes Mandarin, spoken by ¾ Sinitic includes Mandarin, spoken by ¾

ChineseChinese Others Sinitic languages spoken in S. Others Sinitic languages spoken in S.

ChinaChina Small # of languages promotes unitySmall # of languages promotes unity

Sino-TibetanSino-Tibetan Based on 420 one syllable words.Based on 420 one syllable words. Listener gets meaning based on Listener gets meaning based on

context and tone of voicecontext and tone of voice Ex: Ex: shi shi can mean lion, corpse, house, can mean lion, corpse, house,

poetry, ten, swear, or diepoetry, ten, swear, or die Kan jian Kan jian literally means “look see”, literally means “look see”,

which tells you what which tells you what jianjian means in means in this casethis case

Sino-TibetanSino-Tibetan 1 Writing system for all Sinitic 1 Writing system for all Sinitic

languages- contains thousands of languages- contains thousands of characterscharacters

Some are sounds, but most are Some are sounds, but most are ideograms- ideas or concepts, not ideograms- ideas or concepts, not specific soundsspecific sounds

Difficult to learn to write- 16% pop Difficult to learn to write- 16% pop can’t writecan’t write

Tibeto-BurmanTibeto-Burman Main language Burmese, used in Myanmar Main language Burmese, used in Myanmar

(Burma)(Burma)

Austro-ThaiAustro-Thai Main language Thai, used in Thailand, Laos, Main language Thai, used in Thailand, Laos,

parts of Vietnamparts of Vietnam

Austro-Austro-AsiaticAsiatic

Main language Main language Vietnamese, used in Vietnamese, used in Vietnam, CambodiaVietnam, Cambodia

Vietnamese Vietnamese alphabet developed alphabet developed by Catholic by Catholic missionaries using missionaries using Roman alphabet Roman alphabet 1717thth century century

Japanese/Japanese/KoreanKorean

Considered 2 Considered 2 families, though families, though Korean may be Korean may be related either to related either to Japanese or AltaicJapanese or Altaic

Japanese uses Japanese uses Chinese charactersChinese characters

Korean uses Korean uses Hangul, where Hangul, where characters characters represent sounds represent sounds like the alphabetlike the alphabet

Afro-Asiatic FamilyAfro-Asiatic Family 44thth largest family in world- N. Africa/SW Asia largest family in world- N. Africa/SW Asia Includes Arabic, Hebrew- important because holy Includes Arabic, Hebrew- important because holy

books of 3 western religions written in this familybooks of 3 western religions written in this family Arabic spoken 200 million, many more have some Arabic spoken 200 million, many more have some

knowledge ‘cause of the Koranknowledge ‘cause of the Koran

AltaicAltaic Once thought to be linked as one familyOnce thought to be linked as one family Altaic stretches from Turkey across Asia Altaic stretches from Turkey across Asia

to W. Chinato W. China Traditionally written in Arabic scriptTraditionally written in Arabic script USSR forced the “stans” to use the USSR forced the “stans” to use the

Cyrillic alphabet, in 1928 Kemal Ataturk Cyrillic alphabet, in 1928 Kemal Ataturk adopted Roman letters to modernize adopted Roman letters to modernize Turkey and align it w/ EuropeTurkey and align it w/ Europe

Altaic/MongolianAltaic/Mongolian

UralicUralic Originated in Originated in

Ural Mts.Ural Mts. Spoken in Spoken in

Finland, Finland, Estonia, Estonia, HungaryHungary

African Language African Language FamiliesFamilies

Over 1000 spoken in Sub-Saharan Over 1000 spoken in Sub-Saharan AfricaAfrica

Arabic dominates in the NorthArabic dominates in the North Other Afro-Asiatic includes Hausa, Other Afro-Asiatic includes Hausa,

Amharic, Oromo, SomaliAmharic, Oromo, Somali Over 95% in sub-Saharan Africa speak Over 95% in sub-Saharan Africa speak

from Niger-Congo family, which from Niger-Congo family, which includes 6 branchesincludes 6 branches

5% speak Khoisan or Nilo-Saharan5% speak Khoisan or Nilo-Saharan

Niger-Congo FamilyNiger-Congo Family Youraba, Igbo, Shona are major Youraba, Igbo, Shona are major

languageslanguages Swahili is native to only 800,000, but Swahili is native to only 800,000, but

spoken by 30 million- lingua franca spoken by 30 million- lingua franca w/ strong Arabic influencew/ strong Arabic influence

Swahili has an extensive literary Swahili has an extensive literary traditiontradition

Nilo-SaharanNilo-Saharan Relatively few speakers but very Relatively few speakers but very

diverse- many branches, groupsdiverse- many branches, groups Major language is SonghaiMajor language is Songhai

KhoisanKhoisan That’s the one with the clicking That’s the one with the clicking

soundssounds Main language HottentotMain language Hottentot See “The Gods Must Be Crazy”See “The Gods Must Be Crazy” Spoken SW AfricaSpoken SW Africa

Austronesian/Indo-Austronesian/Indo-EuropeanEuropean

Malagasy is most closely related to Malagasy is most closely related to Ma’anyan, spoken 1,900 miles away Ma’anyan, spoken 1,900 miles away on Borneoon Borneo

Afrikaans is closely related to Dutch, Afrikaans is closely related to Dutch, a Germanic languagea Germanic language

NigeriaNigeria Has 493 distinct languagesHas 493 distinct languages 15% Hausa, Youraba, Igbo, 55% the 15% Hausa, Youraba, Igbo, 55% the

other 490other 490 Great source of regional/internal Great source of regional/internal

conflictconflict Moved capital to reduce tensionMoved capital to reduce tension English a neutral languageEnglish a neutral language

Why do people Why do people preserve local preserve local

languages?languages?Preserving language diversityPreserving language diversityGlobal dominance of EnglishGlobal dominance of English

GlobalizationGlobalization Globalization has made English the Globalization has made English the

first global lingua francafirst global lingua franca On the other hand, dominance of On the other hand, dominance of

English has created a desire to protect English has created a desire to protect local languageslocal languages

Languages are becoming extinct at Languages are becoming extinct at the most rapid rate in historythe most rapid rate in history

516 languages are nearly extinct- 516 languages are nearly extinct- some people still alive, but not passing some people still alive, but not passing language on to next generationlanguage on to next generation

Nearly extinctNearly extinct 46 Africa, 170 Americas, 78 Asia, 12 46 Africa, 170 Americas, 78 Asia, 12

Europe, 210 in PacificEurope, 210 in Pacific Gothic died in 1500, as did the entire E Gothic died in 1500, as did the entire E

Germanic language branch. Why?Germanic language branch. Why? Cultural integration- switched to Latin Cultural integration- switched to Latin

when they became Christianwhen they became Christian Same in Peru- people are switching to Same in Peru- people are switching to

Spanish- economic opportunity, pop Spanish- economic opportunity, pop culture, etcculture, etc

HebrewHebrew By the 4By the 4thth century BC Hebrew was century BC Hebrew was

used only for religious services- dead used only for religious services- dead languagelanguage

Revived from religious texts after Revived from religious texts after 1948- creation of Israel1948- creation of Israel

Eliezer Ben-Yehuda revived HebrewEliezer Ben-Yehuda revived Hebrew

Celtic languagesCeltic languages Only spoken today in N. Scotland, Only spoken today in N. Scotland,

Wales, W. Ireland, and Brittany- once Wales, W. Ireland, and Brittany- once dominated all of W. Europedominated all of W. Europe

2 groups- Brythonic and Gaelic2 groups- Brythonic and Gaelic Irish Gaelic spoken by 350,000 peopleIrish Gaelic spoken by 350,000 people 1300s- Irish forbidden to speak their 1300s- Irish forbidden to speak their

own language in front of their English own language in front of their English masters- tally stickmasters- tally stick

Cornish died in 1777 with Dolly Cornish died in 1777 with Dolly Pentreath- last words- “I will not speak Pentreath- last words- “I will not speak English… you ugly, black toad!”English… you ugly, black toad!”

Celtic languagesCeltic languages Parents encouraged English to Parents encouraged English to

compete for jobscompete for jobs In Wales, Ireland Celtic is being In Wales, Ireland Celtic is being

revived- mandatory in schoolsrevived- mandatory in schools Cornish revived in 1920s 100 people Cornish revived in 1920s 100 people

fluent, controversy surrounding fluent, controversy surrounding spellingspelling

American tourism in part pushing Irish American tourism in part pushing Irish revivalrevival

Multilingual StatesMultilingual States Belgium and Switzerland- Belguim Belgium and Switzerland- Belguim

divided between French speaking divided between French speaking Walloons and dutch speaking FlemishWalloons and dutch speaking Flemish

Economic and political differences, Economic and political differences, along w/ culture create internal conflictalong w/ culture create internal conflict

Switzerland has 4 official languages, Switzerland has 4 official languages, German, French, Italian, and RomanshGerman, French, Italian, and Romansh

Coexist peacefully because of Coexist peacefully because of decentralized gov’tdecentralized gov’t

Isolated languagesIsolated languages Isolated languages are unrelated to Isolated languages are unrelated to

any other any other Basque is spoken in SW France and Basque is spoken in SW France and

NE Spain by 600,000 people. NE Spain by 600,000 people. Isolation in mts. Has preserved it.Isolation in mts. Has preserved it.

Icelandic- has changed little in 1000 Icelandic- has changed little in 1000 yrs. Because of isolation, but related yrs. Because of isolation, but related to Scandinavian languages- N. to Scandinavian languages- N. Germanic groupGermanic group

Pidgin language/Lingua Pidgin language/Lingua FrancaFranca

Simplified form of lingua franca- has no Simplified form of lingua franca- has no native speakers- second language for native speakers- second language for everyoneeveryone

If it becomes a native language then it is a If it becomes a native language then it is a creole languagecreole language

Modern lingua francas include Russian, Modern lingua francas include Russian, Spanish, English, Indonesian, Hindustani, Spanish, English, Indonesian, Hindustani, SwahiliSwahili

English as 2English as 2ndnd language for 90% European language for 90% European students, 500 million people worldwidestudents, 500 million people worldwide

Language ConvergenceLanguage Convergence Franglais- eng/Fr, Franglais- eng/Fr, Spanglish- eng/SpSpanglish- eng/Sp Denglish- eng/DeDenglish- eng/De