Post on 23-Dec-2015
Where are other Where are other language families language families
distributed?distributed?Classification of languagesClassification of languages
Distribution of language Distribution of language familiesfamilies
Classification of LanguagesClassification of Languages
Sino-TibetanSino-Tibetan
Spoken by 26% of world- China and Spoken by 26% of world- China and SE AsiaSE Asia
3 branches- Sinitic, Tibeto-Burman, 3 branches- Sinitic, Tibeto-Burman, Austro-ThaiAustro-Thai
Sinitic includes Mandarin, spoken by Sinitic includes Mandarin, spoken by ¾ Chinese¾ Chinese
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 Altaic stretches from Turkey across
Asia to W. ChinaAsia to 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 Cyrillic alphabet, in 1928 Kemal Ataturk adopted Roman letters to Ataturk adopted Roman letters to modernize Turkey and align it w/ modernize Turkey and align it w/ EuropeEurope
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 diversity
Global 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 English has created a desire to protect local languagesprotect local 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 some people still alive, but not passing language on to next passing language on to next generationgeneration
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 American tourism in part pushing Irish revivalIrish revival
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 If it becomes a native language then it is a creole languagea creole 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