Language Families
Indo-European = largest language family
46% of the world’s population
Spread across globe through colonialism/migration
most widely diffused language family
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)
Spread 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
Language Families
Indo-European = largest language family
46% of the world’s population
Spread across globe through colonialism/migration
most widely diffused language family
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)
Spread 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