List Of Language Families
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The following is a list of language families. It also includes
language isolate Language isolates are languages that cannot be classified into larger language families. Korean and Basque are two of the most common examples. Other language isolates include Ainu in Asia, Sandawe in Africa, and Haida in North America. The num ...
s, unclassified languages and other types.


Major language families


By number of languages

''
Ethnologue ''Ethnologue: Languages of the World'' (stylized as ''Ethnoloɠue'') is an annual reference publication in print and online that provides statistics and other information on the living languages of the world. It is the world's most comprehensiv ...
'' 24 (2021) lists the following families that contain at least 1% of the 7,139 known languages in the world: # Niger–Congo (1,542 languages) (21.7%) #
Austronesian Austronesian may refer to: *The Austronesian languages *The historical Austronesian peoples The Austronesian peoples, sometimes referred to as Austronesian-speaking peoples, are a large group of peoples in Taiwan, Maritime Southeast Asia, M ...
(1,257 languages) (17.7%) # Trans–New Guinea (482 languages) (6.8%) #
Sino-Tibetan Sino-Tibetan, also cited as Trans-Himalayan in a few sources, is a family of more than 400 languages, second only to Indo-European in number of native speakers. The vast majority of these are the 1.3 billion native speakers of Chinese languages. ...
(455 languages) (6.4%) # Indo-European (448 languages) (6.3%) # Australian 'dubious''(381 languages) (5.4%) #
Afro-Asiatic The Afroasiatic languages (or Afro-Asiatic), also known as Hamito-Semitic, or Semito-Hamitic, and sometimes also as Afrasian, Erythraean or Lisramic, are a language family of about 300 languages that are spoken predominantly in the geographic su ...
(377 languages) (5.3%) #
Nilo-Saharan The Nilo-Saharan languages are a proposed family of African languages spoken by some 50–60 million people, mainly in the upper parts of the Chari and Nile rivers, including historic Nubia, north of where the two tributaries of the Nile meet. T ...
'dubious''(206 languages) (2.9%) # Oto-Manguean (178 languages) (2.5%) # Austroasiatic (167 languages) (2.3%) # Tai–Kadai (91 languages) (1.3%) # Dravidian (86 languages) (1.2%) # Tupian (76 languages) (1.1%) ''
Glottolog ''Glottolog'' is a bibliographic database of the world's lesser-known languages, developed and maintained first at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany (between 2015 and 2020 at the Max Planck Institute for ...
'' 4.6 (2022) lists the following as the largest families, of 8,565 languages: # Atlantic–Congo (1,406 languages) #
Austronesian Austronesian may refer to: *The Austronesian languages *The historical Austronesian peoples The Austronesian peoples, sometimes referred to as Austronesian-speaking peoples, are a large group of peoples in Taiwan, Maritime Southeast Asia, M ...
(1,271 languages) # Indo-European (583 languages) #
Sino-Tibetan Sino-Tibetan, also cited as Trans-Himalayan in a few sources, is a family of more than 400 languages, second only to Indo-European in number of native speakers. The vast majority of these are the 1.3 billion native speakers of Chinese languages. ...
(501 languages) #
Afro-Asiatic The Afroasiatic languages (or Afro-Asiatic), also known as Hamito-Semitic, or Semito-Hamitic, and sometimes also as Afrasian, Erythraean or Lisramic, are a language family of about 300 languages that are spoken predominantly in the geographic su ...
(379 languages) # Nuclear Trans–New Guinea (317 languages) # Pama–Nyungan (250 languages) # Oto-Manguean (181 languages) # Austroasiatic (158 languages) # Tai–Kadai (95 languages) # Dravidian (82 languages) #
Arawakan Arawakan (''Arahuacan, Maipuran Arawakan, "mainstream" Arawakan, Arawakan proper''), also known as Maipurean (also ''Maipuran, Maipureano, Maipúre''), is a language family that developed among ancient indigenous peoples in South America. Branch ...
(77 languages) #
Mande Mande may refer to: * Mandé peoples of western Africa * Mande languages * Manding, a term covering a subgroup of Mande peoples, and sometimes used for one of them, Mandinka * Garo people of northeastern India and northern Bangladesh * Mande River ...
(75 languages) # Tupian (71 languages) Language counts can vary significantly depending on what is considered a dialect; for example Lyle Campbell counts only 27 Otomanguean languages, although he, ''Ethnologue'' and ''Glottolog'' also disagree as to which languages belong in the family.


Language families by region

Campbell identifies a total of 406 independent language families, including
language isolates Language isolates are languages that cannot be classified into larger language families. Korean and Basque are two of the most common examples. Other language isolates include Ainu in Asia, Sandawe in Africa, and Haida in North America. The numbe ...
. Extinct languages are marked by daggers (†).


Africa

Africa (42) *
Afro-Asiatic The Afroasiatic languages (or Afro-Asiatic), also known as Hamito-Semitic, or Semito-Hamitic, and sometimes also as Afrasian, Erythraean or Lisramic, are a language family of about 300 languages that are spoken predominantly in the geographic su ...
*'' Bangi Me'' (isolate) * Berta *
Central Sudanic Central Sudanic is a family of about sixty languages that have been included in the proposed Nilo-Saharan language family. Central Sudanic languages are spoken in the Central African Republic, Chad, South Sudan, Uganda, Congo (DRC), Nigeria and ...
* Daju * Dizoid * Dogon * Eastern Jebel *
Furan Furan is a heterocyclic organic compound, consisting of a five-membered aromatic ring with four carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. Chemical compounds containing such rings are also referred to as furans. Furan is a colorless, flammable, highly ...
* Gimojan (Gonga–Gimojan) *'' Hadza'' (isolate) * Heiban *
Ijoid Ijoid is a proposed but undemonstrated group of languages linking the Ijaw languages (Ịjọ) with the endangered Defaka language. The similarities, however, may be due to Ijaw influence on Defaka. The Ijoid languages, or perhaps just Ijaw, are ...
*'' Jalaa''† (isolate) *
Kadu KADU (90.1 FM broadcasting, FM) is a radio station licensed to Hibbing, Minnesota, United States. The station is owned by Heartland Christian Broadcasters, Inc. Translators In addition to the main station, KADU is relayed by an additional trans ...
(Kadugli–Krongo) *
Khoe Maharishi International University (MIU), formerly Maharishi University of Management, is a private university in Fairfield, Iowa. It was founded in 1973 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and features a "consciousness-based education" system that include ...
* Kresh–Aja * Kxʼa (Ju–ǂHoan) * Koman * Kuliak * Kunama *'' Laal'' (isolate) * Maban *
Mande Mande may refer to: * Mandé peoples of western Africa * Mande languages * Manding, a term covering a subgroup of Mande peoples, and sometimes used for one of them, Mandinka * Garo people of northeastern India and northern Bangladesh * Mande River ...
*
Mao Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC), ...
*'' Nara'' (isolate?) * Narrow Talodi * Niger–Congo * Nilotic *
Nubian Nubian may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Nubia, a region along the Nile river in Southern Egypt and northern Sudan. *Nubian people *Nubian languages *Anglo-Nubian goat, a breed of goat * Nubian ibex * , several ships of the Britis ...
(+ '' Meroitic'') * Nyimang *
Rashad Rashad is a given name which may refer to: Surname: *Ahmad Rashad (born 1949), American football player and sportcaster *Ali Akbar Rashad (born 1955), Iranian philosopher and Islamic scholar *Isaiah Rashad (born 1991), American rapper *Phylicia Ras ...
* Saharan *'' Sandawe'' (isolate?) * Songhay *
South Omotic The Aroid or Ari-Banna (formerly South Omotic or Somotic) languages possibly belong to the Afro-Asiatic family and are spoken in Ethiopia. Languages There are five Aroid languages: * ''Aari-Gayil languages'' ** Aari ** Gayil * ''Hamer-Karo ...
(Aroid?) * Surmic * Ta-Ne-Omotic * Tama (Taman) * Tegem (Lafofa) (isolate?, unclassified?, family?, Niger–Congo?) * Temein * Tuu


Americas

The Americas have a total of 175 language families, including language isolates, according to Campbell (2019).
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
(54) *'' Adai''† (isolate nclassified? * Algic *'' Alsea''† (isolate) *''
Atakapa The Atakapa Sturtevant, 659 or Atacapa were an indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, who spoke the Atakapa language and historically lived along the Gulf of Mexico in what is now Texas and Louisiana. They included several distinct band ...
''† (isolate, small family?) *'' Beothuk''† (isolate) *
Caddoan The Caddoan languages are a family of languages native to the Great Plains spoken by tribal groups of the central United States, from present-day North Dakota south to Oklahoma. All Caddoan languages are critically endangered, as the number of sp ...
*''
Cayuse Cayuse may refer to: *Cayuse people, a people native to Oregon, United States *Cayuse language, an extinct language of the Cayuse people *Cayuse, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the United States *Cayuse horse, an archaic term for a feral or ...
''† (isolate) *
Chimakuan The Chimakuan languages are a group of extinct languages that were spoken in northwestern Washington state, United States, on the Olympic Peninsula. They were spoken by Chimakum, Quileute and Hoh tribes. They are part of the Mosan sprachbund, a ...
† *'' Chimariko''† (isolate) * Chinookan† *'' Chitimacha''† (isolate) *
Chumashan Chumashan was a family of languages that were spoken on the southern California coast by Native American Chumash people, from the Coastal plains and valleys of San Luis Obispo to Malibu, neighboring inland and Transverse Ranges valleys and ca ...
† *''
Coahuilteco Coahuilteco was one of the Pakawan languages that was spoken in southern Texas (United States) and northeastern Coahuila (Mexico). It is now extinct. Classification Coahuilteco was grouped in an eponymous Coahuiltecan family by John Wesley Po ...
''† (isolate) * Cochimí–Yuman * Comecrudan† *
Coosan Coosan () is a townland and suburb just north of Athlone, County Westmeath in Ireland. The suburb is surrounded on three sides by Lough Ree and on one side by Athlone. Coosan attracts tourists over the summer months due to its location on the ...
† *''
Cotoname Cotoname was a Pakawan language spoken by Native Americans indigenous to the lower Rio Grande Valley of northeastern Mexico and extreme southern Texas (United States). Today it is extinct. Vocabulary The following vocabulary list of Cotoname ...
''† (isolate) * Eskimo–Aleut *''
Esselen The Esselen are a Native American people belonging to a linguistic group in the hypothetical Hokan language family, who are indigenous to the Santa Lucia Mountains of a region south of the Big Sur River in Big Sur, Monterey County, Californi ...
''† (isolate) *''
Haida Haida may refer to: Places * Haida, an old name for Nový Bor * Haida Gwaii, meaning "Islands of the People", formerly called the Queen Charlotte Islands * Haida Islands, a different archipelago near Bella Bella, British Columbia Ships * , a 1 ...
'' (isolate, small family?) * Iroquoian *
Kalapuyan Kalapuyan (also Kalapuya) is a small extinct language family that was spoken in the Willamette Valley of Western Oregon, United States. It consists of three languages. The Kalapuya language is currently in a state of revival. Kalapuyan descenda ...
† *'' Karankawa''† (isolate) *'' Karuk (Karok)'' (isolate) * Keresan *
Kiowa–Tanoan Tanoan , also Kiowa–Tanoan or Tanoan–Kiowa, is a family of languages spoken by indigenous peoples in present-day New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Most of the languages – Tiwa (Taos, Picuris, Southern Tiwa), Tewa, and Towa – a ...
*'' Kootenai (Kutenai)'' (isolate) * Maiduan * Muskogean * Na–Dene (strict sense, Athapaskan–Eyak—Tlingit) *'' Natchez''† (isolate) *
Palaihnihan Palaihnihan (also Palaihnih) is a language family of northeastern California. It consists of two closely related languages, both now extinct: # Atsugewi ''(†)'' # Achumawi ''(†)'' (ís siwa wó disi, also known as Achomawi, Pit River Indian ...
* Plateau (Plateau Penutian) *
Pomoan The Pomoan, or Pomo , languages are a small family of seven languages indigenous to northern California spoken by the Pomo people, whose ancestors lived in the valley of the Russian River and the Clear Lake basin. Four languages are extinct, an ...
*
Salinan The Salinan are a Native American tribe whose ancestral territory is in the southern Salinas Valley and the Santa Lucia Range in the Central Coast of California. Today, the Salinan governments are now working toward federal tribal recognition f ...
† * Salishan * Shastan† * Siouan–Catawban *'' Siuslaw''† (isolate) *'' Takelma''† (isolate) *'' Timucuan''† *'' Tonkawa''† (isolate) *
Tsimshianic The Tsimshianic languages are a family of languages spoken in northwestern British Columbia and in Southeast Alaska on Annette Island and Ketchikan. All Tsimshianic languages are endangered, some with only around 400 speakers. Only around 2,170 ...
*'' Tunica''† (isolate) * Utian (Miwok–Costanoan) * Uto–Aztecan *
Wakashan Wakashan is a family of languages spoken in British Columbia around and on Vancouver Island, and in the northwestern corner of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington (state), Washington state, on the south side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. As is ...
*'' Washo'' (isolate) *
Wintuan The Wintun are members of several related Native American peoples of Northern California, including the Wintu (northern), Nomlaki (central), and Patwin (southern).Pritzker, 152Yana Yana may refer to: Locations *Yana, Burma, a village in Hkamti Township in Hkamti District in the Sagaing Region of northwestern Burma *Yana, India, a village in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, India * Yana, Nigeria, an administrative ca ...
''† (isolate) *
Yokutsan Yokuts, formerly known as Mariposa, is an endangered language spoken in the interior of Northern and Central California in and around the San Joaquin Valley by the Yokuts people. The speakers of Yokuts were severely affected by disease, mission ...
*'' Yuchi'' (isolate) * Yukian† *'' Zuni'' (isolate) Mexico and Mesoamerica (14) *'' Cuitlatec''† (isolate) * Guaicurian† *'' Huave'' (isolate) * Jicaquean (Tol) * Lencan† * Mayan * Misumalpan * Mixe–Zoquean * Otomanguean *''
Seri Seri or SERI may refer to: People *Jean Michaël Seri, an Ivorian professional footballer Places *Seri Yek-e Zarruk, Iran *Seri, Bheri, Nepal *Seri, Karnali, Nepal *Seri, Mahakali, Nepal *Seri, Raebareli, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India Oth ...
'' (isolate) *'' Tarascan (Purépecha)'' (isolate) *
Tequistlatecan Tequistlatec, also called Chontal, are three close but distinct languages spoken or once spoken by the Chontal people of Oaxaca State, Mexico. Chontal was spoken by 6,000 or so people in 2020. Languages * Huamelultec (Lowland Oaxaca Chontal), ...
*
Totonacan The Totonacan languages (also known as Totonac–Tepehua languages) are a Language families, family of closely related languages spoken by approximately 290,000 Totonac (approx. 280,000) and Tepehua people, Tepehua (approx. 10,000) people in the ...
* Xinkan† South America (107) *'' Aikanã'' (isolate) *'' Andaquí''† (isolate) *'' Andoque'' (isolate) *'' Arara do Rio Branco† (Arara do Beiradão, Mato Grosso Arara)'' (isolate) *
Arawakan Arawakan (''Arahuacan, Maipuran Arawakan, "mainstream" Arawakan, Arawakan proper''), also known as Maipurean (also ''Maipuran, Maipureano, Maipúre''), is a language family that developed among ancient indigenous peoples in South America. Branch ...
* Arawan *''
Atacameño The Atacama people, also called Atacameño, are indigenous people from the Atacama Desert and altiplano region in the north of Chile and Argentina and southern Bolivia, mainly Antofagasta Region. According to the Argentinean Census in 2010, 13,93 ...
(Cunza, Kunza)''† (isolate) *'' Awaké (Arutani)''† (isolate) *
Aymaran Aymaran (also Jaqi or Aru) is one of the two dominant language families in the central Andes alongside Quechua languages, Quechuan. The family consists of Aymara language, Aymara, widely spoken in Bolivia, and the endangered Jaqaru language, Jaqa ...
*
Barbacoan Barbacoan (also Barbakóan, Barbacoano, Barbacoana) is a language family spoken in Colombia and Ecuador. Genealogical relations The Barbacoan languages may be related to the Páez language. Barbacoan is often connected with the Paezan languages ...
*'' Betoi–Jirara''† (isolate) * Boran * Bororoan * Cahuapanan *'' Camsá'' (isolate) * Cañar–Puruhá (Ecuador) (uncertain family of 2 languages) *''
Candoshi Candoshi-Shapra (also known as Candoshi, Candoxi, Kandoshi, and Murato) is an indigenous American language isolate, spoken by several thousand people in western South America along the Chapuli, Huitoyacu, Pastaza, and Morona river valleys. Ther ...
(Canndoshi–Sharpa)'' (isolate) *''
Canichana Canichana, or Canesi, Joaquiniano, is a possible language isolate of Bolivia (department of Beni). In 1991 there were 500 Canichana people, but only 20 spoke the Canichana language; by 2000 the ethnic population was 583, but the language had no L ...
''† (isolate) *
Cariban The Cariban languages are a Language family, family of languages indigenous to northeastern South America. They are widespread across northernmost South America, from the mouth of the Amazon River to the Colombian Andes, and they are also spoken ...
*'' Cayuvava† (Cayubaba)'' (isolate) * Chapacuran * Charruan† * Chibchan * Chipaya–Uru *''
Chiquitano The Chiquitano or Chiquitos are an indigenous people of Bolivia, with a small number also living in Brazil. The Chiquitano primarily live in the Chiquitania tropical savanna of Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia, with a small number also living in Be ...
'' (isolate) *
Chocoan The Choco languages (also Chocoan, Chocó, Chokó) are a small family of Native American languages spread across Colombia and Panama. Family division Choco consists of six known branches, all but two of which are extinct. *The Emberá langu ...
* Cholonan† * Chonan *'' Chono''† (isolate) *'' Cofán (A'ingaé)'' (isolate) *'' Culli (Culle)''† (isolate) *'' Esmeralda (Atacame)''† (isolate) *'' Fulnio (Yaté)'' (isolate) *'' Guachí''† (isolate) *
Guaicuruan Guaicuruan (Guaykuruan, Waikurúan, Guaycuruano, Guaikurú, Guaicuru, Guaycuruana) is a language family spoken in northern Argentina, western Paraguay, and Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul). The speakers of the languages are often collectively called ...
*
Guajiboan Guajiboan (also Guahiban, Wahívoan, Guahiboan) is a language family spoken in the Orinoco River region in eastern Colombia and southwestern Venezuela, a savanna region known as the Llanos. Family division Guajiboan consists of 5 languages: ...
*''
Guamo Guamo is a town and municipality in the Tolima department of Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as we ...
''† (isolate) *'' Guató''† (isolate) * Harákmbut–Katukinan * Huarpean† *'' Irantxe (Münkü)'' (isolate) *''
Itonama Itonama is a moribund language isolate spoken by the Itonama people in the Amazonian lowlands of north-eastern Bolivia. Greenberg’s (1987) classification of Itonama as Paezan, a sub-branch of Macro-Chibchan, remains unsupported and Itonama co ...
'' (isolate) * Jabutían * Jêan (Jê family) *'' Jeikó''† (isolate) acro–Jêan?* Jirajaran† * Jivaroan *'' Jotí (Yuwana)'' (isolate) * Kakua–Nukak * Kamakanan† *'' Kapixaná (Kanoé)'' (isolate) *
Karajá The Karajá, also known as Iny, are an indigenous tribe located in Brazil.Karaja Indians.
''Hands Aro ...
* Karirían† * Kaweskaran * Krenákan (Botocudan) *'' Kwaza (Koayá)'' (isolate) *'' Leco''† (isolate) * Lule–Vilelan† *'' Máko† (Maku)'' (isolate) *
Mapudungun Mapuche (, Mapuche & Spanish: , or Mapudungun; from ' 'land' and ' 'speak, speech') is an Araucanian language related to Huilliche spoken in south-central Chile and west-central Argentina by the Mapuche people (from ''mapu'' 'land' and ''che ...
*
Mascoyan The Mascoian also known as Enlhet–Enenlhet, Lengua–Mascoy, or Chaco languages are a small, closely related language family of Paraguay. Languages The languages are:Unruh, Ernesto; Kalisch, Hannes. 2003. "Enlhet-Enenlhet. Una familia lingüí ...
(Enlhet–Enenlhet) *
Matacoan Matacoan (also ''Mataguayan, Matákoan, Mataguayo, Mataco–Mataguayo, Matacoano, Matacoana'') is a language family of northern Argentina, western Paraguay, and southeastern Bolivia. Family division Matacoan consists of four clusters of languag ...
*'' Matanawí''† (isolate) * Maxakalían *''
Mochica The Moche civilization (; alternatively, the Mochica culture or the Early, Pre- or Proto-Chimú) flourished in northern Peru with its capital near present-day Moche, Trujillo, Peru from about 100 to 700 AD during the Regional Development Epoch. ...
(Yunga)''† (isolate) *'' Mosetén–Chimané'' (isolate) *''
Movima Movima is a language that is spoken by about 1,400 (nearly half) of the Movima, a group of Native Americans that resides in the Llanos de Moxos region of the Bolivian Amazon, in northeastern Bolivia. It is considered a language isolate, as it h ...
'' (isolate) *'' Munichi''† (isolate) * Muran (Pirahã) (isolate, small family?) * Nadehup ("Makúan") * Nambiquaran *'' Ofayé (Opayé)'' (isolate) *'' Omurano''† (isolate) * Otomacoan† *'' Paez'' (isolate?) * Pano–Takanan *''
Payaguá The Payaguá people, also called Evueví and Evebe, were an ethnic group of the Guaycuru peoples in the Northern Chaco of Paraguay. The Payaguá were a river tribe, living, hunting, fishing, and raiding on the Paraguay River. The name ''Pay ...
''† (isolate) *''
Puinave Puinave, Waipunavi (Guaipunabi) or Wanse ( pui, Wãnsöhöt) is an indigenous language of Colombia and Venezuela. It is generally considered to be an unclassified language. Varieties Varieties listed by Mason (1950): *Puinave (Epined) **Weste ...
'' (isolate) *''
Puquina Puquina (or Pukina) is a small, putative language family, often portrayed as a language isolate, which consists of the extinct Puquina language and Kallawaya, although it is assumed that the latter is just a remnant of the former mixed with Qu ...
''† (isolate) *'' Purí–Coroado''† (isolate) *
Quechuan Quechua (, ; ), usually called ("people's language") in Quechuan languages, is an indigenous language family spoken by the Quechua peoples, primarily living in the Peruvian Andes. Derived from a common ancestral language, it is the most widely ...
*'' Rikbaktsá (Canoeiro)'' (isolate) * Sáliban *'' Sapé (Kaliana)''† (isolate) * Sechura–Catacaoan† *'' Taruma† (Ta ruamá)'' (isolate) *'' Taushiro'' (isolate) *'' Tequiraca''† (isolate) * Tikuna–Yurí * Timotean† * Tiniguan† *'' Trumai'' (isolate) * Tukanoan * Tupían *''
Urarina The Urarina are an indigenous people of the Peruvian Amazon Basin ( Loreto) who inhabit the valleys of the Chambira, Urituyacu, and Corrientes Rivers. According to both archaeological and historical sources, they have resided in the Chambira Basi ...
'' (isolate) *'' Waorani'' (isolate) *'' Warao'' (isolate) * Witotoan * Xukurúan† *'' Yagan (Yámana)''† (isolate) * Yaguan *
Yanomaman Yanomaman, also as Yanomam, Yanomáman, Yamomámi, and Yanomamana (also Shamatari, Shirianan), is a family of languages spoken by about 20,000 Yanomami people in southern Venezuela and northwestern Brazil (Roraima, Amazonas). Subdivision Ferr ...
*'' Yaruro (Pumé)'' (isolate) *'' Yuracaré'' (isolate) *'' Yurumangui''† (isolate) *
Zamucoan Zamucoan (also Samúkoan) is a small language family of Paraguay (northeast Chaco Department, Chaco) and Bolivia (Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia), Santa Cruz Department). The family has hardly been studied by linguists (as of Adelaar & Muysken 2 ...
*
Zaparoan Zaparoan (also Sáparoan, Záparo, Zaparoano, Zaparoana) is an endangered language family of Peru and Ecuador with fewer than 100 speakers. Zaparoan speakers seem to have been very numerous before the arrival of the Europeans. However, their grou ...
Nikulin (2020) considers the Macro-Jê family to consist of Bororoan,
Chiquitano The Chiquitano or Chiquitos are an indigenous people of Bolivia, with a small number also living in Brazil. The Chiquitano primarily live in the Chiquitania tropical savanna of Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia, with a small number also living in Be ...
, Jabutían, Jêan, Jeikó, Kamakanan,
Karajá The Karajá, also known as Iny, are an indigenous tribe located in Brazil.Karaja Indians.
''Hands Aro ...
, Krenákan, Maxakalían, Ofayé, Purí–Coroado, and Rikbaktsá. If Nikulin's Macro-Jê is accepted as valid, this would bring the total number of independent language families and isolates in South America down to 96.


Eurasia

Eurasia (34) *''
Ainu Ainu or Aynu may refer to: *Ainu people, an East Asian ethnic group of Japan and the Russian Far East *Ainu languages, a family of languages **Ainu language of Hokkaido **Kuril Ainu language, extinct language of the Kuril Islands **Sakhalin Ainu la ...
'' (isolate) * Austroasiatic *
Austronesian Austronesian may refer to: *The Austronesian languages *The historical Austronesian peoples The Austronesian peoples, sometimes referred to as Austronesian-speaking peoples, are a large group of peoples in Taiwan, Maritime Southeast Asia, M ...
*'' Basque'' (isolate) *'' Burushaski'' (isolate) *
Chukotko-Kamchatkan The Chukotko-Kamchatkan or Chukchi–Kamchatkan languages are a language family of extreme northeastern Siberia. Its speakers traditionally were indigenous hunter-gatherers and reindeer-herders. Chukotko-Kamchatkan is endangered. The Kamchatkan ...
* Dravidian *'' Elamite''† (isolate) *
Great Andamanese The Great Andamanese are an indigenous people of the Great Andaman archipelago in the Andaman Islands. Historically, the Great Andamanese lived throughout the archipelago, and were divided into ten major tribes. Their distinct but closely relate ...
*'' Hattic''† (isolate) * Hruso (Hruso–Aka) * Hurrian–(Hurro-Urartian)† * Indo-European *
Japonic Japonic or Japanese–Ryukyuan, sometimes also Japanic, is a language family comprising Japanese, spoken in the main islands of Japan, and the Ryukyuan languages, spoken in the Ryukyu Islands. The family is universally accepted by linguists, and ...
*
Kartvelian Kartvelian may refer to: * Anything coming from or related to Georgia (country) * Kartvelian languages * Kartvelian alphabet, see Georgian alphabet * Kartvelian studies * Georgians {{disambig Language and nationality disambiguation pages ...
*'' Kassite''† (isolate) *
Koreanic Koreanic is a small language family consisting of the Korean language, Korean and Jeju language, Jeju languages. The latter is often described as a dialect of Korean, but is distinct enough to be considered a separate language. Alexander Vovin s ...
*'' Kusunda'' (isolate) * Miao–Yao (Hmong–Mien) * Mongolian * Nakh–Dagestanian (Northeast Caucasian) *'' Nihali'' (isolate) *''
Nivkh Nivkh or Amuric or Gilyak may refer to: * Nivkh people The Nivkh, or Gilyak (also Nivkhs or Nivkhi, or Gilyaks; ethnonym: Нивхгу, ''Nʼivxgu'' (Amur) or Ниғвңгун, ''Nʼiɣvŋgun'' (E. Sakhalin) "the people"), are an indigenous et ...
'' (isolate, possibly a small family) *
Northwest Caucasian The Northwest Caucasian languages, also called West Caucasian, Abkhazo-Adyghean, Abkhazo-Circassian, Circassic, or sometimes ''Pontic languages'' (from the historical region of Pontus, in contrast to ''Caspian languages'' for the Northeast Cauc ...
* Onge–Jarawa *
Sino–Tibetan Sino-Tibetan, also cited as Trans-Himalayan in a few sources, is a family of more than 400 languages, second only to Indo-European in number of native speakers. The vast majority of these are the 1.3 billion native speakers of Chinese languages. ...
*''
Sumerian Sumerian or Sumerians may refer to: *Sumer, an ancient civilization **Sumerian language **Sumerian art **Sumerian architecture **Sumerian literature **Cuneiform script, used in Sumerian writing *Sumerian Records, an American record label based in ...
''† (isolate) * Tai–Kadai * Tungusic *
Turkic Turkic may refer to: * anything related to the country of Turkey * Turkic languages, a language family of at least thirty-five documented languages ** Turkic alphabets (disambiguation) ** Turkish language, the most widely spoken Turkic language * ...
* Tyrsenian (Etruscan–Lemnian)† *
Uralic The Uralic languages (; sometimes called Uralian languages ) form a language family of 38 languages spoken by approximately 25million people, predominantly in Northern Eurasia. The Uralic languages with the most native speakers are Hungarian (w ...
* Yeniseian * Yukaghir


Papuan

All of the following language families and isolates are frequently geographically classified as Papuan languages. This brings the total number of Papuan families and isolates to 125 according to Campbell (2019). Palmer et al. (2018), however, recognizes 80 Papuan language families and isolates. Papuan (125) *'' Abinomn'' (isolate) *'' Abun'' (isolate) *''
Afra Saint Afra (died 304) was martyred during the Diocletian persecution. Along with Saint Ulrich, she is a patron saint of Augsburg. Her feast day is August 7. Afra was dedicated to the service of the goddess, Venus, by her mother, Hilaria. Throu ...
(Usku)'' (isolate) * Amto–Musan *'' Anêm'' (isolate) * Angan * Anim *'' Ap Ma (Botin, Kambot, Kambrambo)'' (isolate) * Arafundi *''
Asaba Asaba is the capital city of Delta State, Nigeria. It is located at the western bank of the Niger River, in the Oshimili South Local Government Area. Asaba had a population of 149,603 as at the 2006 census, and a metropolitan population of o ...
'' (isolate) * Awin–Pa * Baibai–Fas *
Baining Baining may refer to: *Baining people *Baining languages * Baining Mountains *Inland Baining Rural LLG *Lassul Baining Rural LLG Lassul Baining Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) of East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea. Wards *01 ...
*'' Baiyamo'' (isolate) *'' Banaro'' (isolate) * Bayono–Awbono *'' Bilua'' (isolate) *'' Bogaya'' (isolate) * Border * Bosavi * Bulaka River *'' Burmeso'' (isolate) *'' Busa (Odiai)'' (isolate) * Dagan *''
Damal Damal, formerly Petereke, is a town in Ardahan Province of Turkey, on the road from Kars to Posof. It is the seat of Damal District.
(Uhunduni, Amung)'' (isolate) *'' Dem'' (isolate) *'' Dibiyaso'' (isolate) * Doso–Turumsa *'' Duna'' (isolate) * East Bird's Head * East Kutubu * East Strickland * Eastern Trans-Fly * Eleman *'' Elseng (Morwap)'' (isolate) *''
Fasu Fasu, also known as Namo Me, is one of the Kutubuan languages of New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwe ...
'' (isolate) * Geelvink Bay * Goilalan *'' Guriaso'' (isolate) * Hatam–Mansim *
Inanwatan Inanwatan is a small coastal town in Southwest Papua, Indonesia. The town is located on the southern coast of the Bird's Head Peninsula The Bird's Head Peninsula ( Indonesian: ''Kepala Burung'', nl, Vogelkop) or Doberai Peninsula (''Semenanju ...
*'' Kaki Ae'' (isolate) *'' Kamula'' (isolate) *'' Kapauri'' (isolate) (Kapori) *'' Karami'' * Kaure–Narau (possibly an isolate) * Kayagar *'' Kehu'' (isolate) *'' Kibiri-Porome'' (isolate) *'' Kimki'' (isolate) * Kiwaian * Koiarian *'' Kol'' (isolate) * Kolopom * Konda–Yahadian *'' Kosare'' (isolate) *'' Kuot'' (isolate) * Kwalean * Kwerbic * Kwomtari *
Lakes Plain The Mamberamo Lakes Plains (Dutch Meervlakte, Malay ''dataran danau-danau'') are a large, flat low-lying area of the Mamberamo River basin in the Indonesian province Papua on the island of New Guinea. The plain is defined by the meandering tribu ...
*'' Lavukaleve'' (isolate) * Left May (Arai) * Lepki–Murkim * Lower Sepik–Ramu * Mailuan *
Mairasi Mairasi ( Faranyao and Kaniran) is a Papuan language of the Bomberai Peninsula of West Papua, Indonesia. The Northeastern dialect may be a distinct language. Distribution Locations: *Kaimana Regency **Interior villages: Umbran, Jamna Fata, Ma ...
* Manubaran *'' Marori (Moraori)'' *'' Masep'' (isolate) *'' Mawes'' (isolate) *''
Maybrat Maybrat may refer to the following topics from Southwest Papua, Indonesia: * Maybrat language * Maybrat people * Maybrat Regency Maybrat Regency is a regency of Southwest Papua Province of Indonesia. It has an area of , and had a population of 33, ...
'' (isolate) * Mombum (family, 2 languages) * Monumbo (family, 2 languages) *''
Mor Mor or MOR may refer to: Names and titles * Mór (given name), a list of people named Mór or Mor * Mor (surname), a list of people named Mor or Mór * Mor (honorific), or Mar, in Syriac Radio and television * Middle of the road (music) genre * ...
'' (isolate) * Morehead–Wasur *'' Mpur'' (isolate) * Namla–Tofanma *
Nimboran Nimboran (Nambrong) is a Papuan language of Nimboran District, Jayapura Regency, Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of ...
*
North Bougainville North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''no ...
*
North Halmahera North Halmahera Regency ( id, Kabupaten Halmahera Utara) is a regency (on Halmahera Island) of North Maluku Province, Indonesia. It was declared a Regency on 31 May 2003. The capital town of the regency lies at the port of Tobelo. The Regency, whi ...
* Ndu * Pahoturi * Pauwasi *'' Pawaia'' *'' Pele-Ata'' * Piawi *'' Powle-Ma ("Molof")'' (isolate) *'' Purari ("Namau")'' (isolate) *''
Pyu Pyu, also spelled Phyu or Phyuu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. is a town in Taungoo District, Bago Region in Myanmar. It is the administrative seat of Phyu Township Pyu Township is a township in Taungoo District in the ...
'' (isolate) *'' Sause'' (isolate) *'' Savosavo'' (isolate) * Senagi * Sentani * Sepik * Sko (Skou) * Somahai *
South Bird's Head The South Bird's Head or South Doberai languages are three families of Papuan languages. They form part of the Trans–New Guinea languages in the classifications of Malcolm Ross (2005) and Timothy Usher (2020), though Pawley and Hammarström (2 ...
* South Bougainville * Suki–Gogodala *'' Sulka'' (isolate) *'' Tabo (Waia)'' (isolate) *'' Taiap'' (isolate) *'' Tambora''† (isolate) *'' Tanahmerah'' (isolate) * Taulil–Butam * Teberan * Timor–Alor–Pantar * Tor–Orya * Torricelli *'' Touo'' (isolate) *
Trans New Guinea Trans- is a Latin prefix meaning "across", "beyond", or "on the other side of". Used alone, trans may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Trans (festival), a former festival in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom * ''Trans'' (film ...
* Turama–Kikori * Ulmapo ("Mongol–Langam") * Walio * West Bird's Head *
West Bomberai The West Bomberai languages are a family of Papuan languages spoken on the Bomberai Peninsula of western New Guinea and in East Timor and neighboring islands of Indonesia. Languages Two of the languages of the mainland, Baham and Iha, are clo ...
*'' Wiru'' (isolate) *'' Yale (Yalë, Nagatman)'' (isolate) * Yareban * Yawa *'' Yele (Yélî Dnye)'' (isolate) *'' Yerakai'' (isolate) *'' Yetfa-Biksi'' (isolate) * Yuat


Australia

Campbell (2019) recognizes 30 independent Australian language families and isolates.
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
(30) *'' Bachamal''† (isolate, possibly Northern Daly family) * Bunaban * Eastern Daly† *''
Gaagudju The Gaagudju, also known as the Kakadu, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Northern Territory. There are four clans, being the Bunitj or Bunidj, the Djindibi, and two Mirarr clans. Three languages are spoken among the Mirarr or Mirrar cl ...
''† (isolate) * Garrwan * Giimbiyu† *
Gunwinyguan The Macro-Gunwinyguan languages, also called Arnhem or Gunwinyguan, are a family of Australian Aboriginal languages spoken across eastern Arnhem Land in northern Australia. Their relationship has been demonstrated through shared morphology i ...
* Iwaidjan * Jarrakan *''
Kungarakany The Kungarakany people, also spelt Koongurrukuñ, Kungarrakany, Kungarakan and other variants, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Northern Territory. They were called the "Paperbark People" by European settlers. Country Norman Tindale e ...
''† (isolate) *
Limilngan The Limilngan, also known by the exonym Minitja and (based on a language dialect) Buneidja, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Northern Territory. Earlier ethnologists such as Norman Tindale referred to the group as Puneitja or variants o ...
† *''
Mangarrayi The Mangarayi, also written Mangarai, were an indigenous Australian people of the Northern Territory. Language Mangarayi is thought to be one of the Gunwingguan languages. Francesca Merlan published a grammar of the language in 1982, one that i ...
''† (isolate) * Maningrida * Maran * Marrku–Wurrugu * Mirndi (Mindi) *
Northeastern Tasmanian Northeastern Tasmanian is an aboriginal language family of Tasmania in the reconstruction of Claire Bowern.Claire Bowern, September 2012, "The riddle of Tasmanian languages", ''Proc. R. Soc. B'', 279, 4590–4595, Languages Bayesian phyloge ...
† * Northern Daly *
Nyulnyulan The Nyulnyulan languages are a small family of closely related Australian Aboriginal languages spoken in northern Western Australia. Most languages in this family are extinct, with only three extant languages, all of which are almost extinct. I ...
* Oyster Bay† * Pama–Nyungan * Southeastern Tasmanian† * Southern Daly * Tangkic *'' Tiwi'' (isolate) *'' Umbugarla/Ngurmbur''† (isolate or small family?) *''
Wagiman The Wagiman, also spelt Wagoman, Wagaman, Wogeman, and other variants, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Northern Territory. Language The Wagiman language Wagiman, also spelt Wageman, Wakiman, Wogeman, and other variants, is a near ...
(Wageman)''† (isolate) *'' Wardaman''† (isolate or small family) * Western Daly * Worrorran According to
Claire Bowern Claire Louise Bowern () is a linguist who works with Australian Indigenous languages. She is currently a professor of linguistics at Yale University, and has a secondary appointment in the department of anthropology at Yale. Career Bowern re ...
's ''Australian Languages'' (2011), Australian languages divide into approximately 30 primary sub-groups and 5 isolates. Meanwhile, ''
Glottolog ''Glottolog'' is a bibliographic database of the world's lesser-known languages, developed and maintained first at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany (between 2015 and 2020 at the Max Planck Institute for ...
'' 4.1 (2019) recognizes 23 independent families and 9 isolates in Australia, comprising a total of 32 independent language groups.


Language families (non-sign)

In the following, each bullet item is a known or suspected language family. Phyla with historically wide geographical distributions but comparatively few current-day speakers include Eskimo–Aleut,
Na-Dené Na-Dene (; also Nadene, Na-Dené, Athabaskan–Eyak–Tlingit, Tlina–Dene) is a family of Native American languages that includes at least the Athabaskan languages, Eyak, and Tlingit languages. Haida was formerly included, but is now considered ...
, Algic,
Quechuan Quechua (, ; ), usually called ("people's language") in Quechuan languages, is an indigenous language family spoken by the Quechua peoples, primarily living in the Peruvian Andes. Derived from a common ancestral language, it is the most widely ...
and
Nilo-Saharan The Nilo-Saharan languages are a proposed family of African languages spoken by some 50–60 million people, mainly in the upper parts of the Chari and Nile rivers, including historic Nubia, north of where the two tributaries of the Nile meet. T ...
. The geographic headings over them are meant solely as a tool for grouping families into collections, more comprehensible than an unstructured list of a few hundred independent families. Geographic relationship is convenient for that purpose, but these headings are ''not'' a suggestion of any "super-families" phylogenetically relating the families named. The number of individual languages in a family and the number of their speakers are only rough estimates: see dialect or language and
linguistic demography Linguistic demography is the Statistics, statistical study of languages among all populations. Estimating the number of speakers of a given language is not straightforward, and various estimates may diverge considerably. This is first of all due to ...
for further explanation.


Language isolates

Language isolates Language isolates are languages that cannot be classified into larger language families. Korean and Basque are two of the most common examples. Other language isolates include Ainu in Asia, Sandawe in Africa, and Haida in North America. The numbe ...
are languages which are not part of any known family, and they can be alternatively described as being their own families' sole representants.


Africa

*
Bangime Bangime (; , or, in full, ) is a language isolate spoken by 3,500 ethnic Dogon in seven villages in southern Mali, who call themselves the ("hidden people"). Bangande is the name of the ethnicity of this community and their population grows at ...
''(Mali)'' (ethnically Dogon) * Siamou ''(Burkina Faso)'' * Jalaa ''(Nigeria)'' xtinct* Mimi of Gaudefroy ''(Chad)'' xtinct* Kujargé ''(Chad, Sudan)'' * Laal ''(Chad)'' * Lafofa ''(Sudan)'' * Meroitic ''(Egypt, Sudan)'' xtinct(Glottolog classifies it as an isolate) * Nara ''(Eritrea)'' * Gule ''(Sudan)'' xtinct* Berta ''(Sudan, Ethiopia)'' * Kunama ''(Eritrea, Ethiopia)'' * Shabo ''(Ethiopia)'' *
Ongota Ongota (also known as Birale, Birayle) is a moribund language of southwest Ethiopia. UNESCO reported in 2012 that out of a total ethnic population of 115, only 12 elderly native speakers remained, the rest of their small village on the west bank ...
''(Ethiopia)'' * Hadza ''(Tanzania)'' * Sandawe ''(Tanzania)'' (may be related to
Khoe Maharishi International University (MIU), formerly Maharishi University of Management, is a private university in Fairfield, Iowa. It was founded in 1973 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and features a "consciousness-based education" system that include ...
)


Eurasia

* Basque ''(Spain, France)'' (widely considered a descendant of or related to extinct Aquitanian) * Iberian ''(Spain)'' xtinct(Glottolog classifies it as an isolate) *
Etruscan __NOTOC__ Etruscan may refer to: Ancient civilization *The Etruscan language, an extinct language in ancient Italy *Something derived from or related to the Etruscan civilization **Etruscan architecture **Etruscan art **Etruscan cities **Etruscan ...
''(Italy)'' xtinct(probably Tyrsenian) * Hattic ''(Turkey)'' xtinct(sometimes linked to
Northwest Caucasian The Northwest Caucasian languages, also called West Caucasian, Abkhazo-Adyghean, Abkhazo-Circassian, Circassic, or sometimes ''Pontic languages'' (from the historical region of Pontus, in contrast to ''Caspian languages'' for the Northeast Cauc ...
) *
Sumerian Sumerian or Sumerians may refer to: *Sumer, an ancient civilization **Sumerian language **Sumerian art **Sumerian architecture **Sumerian literature **Cuneiform script, used in Sumerian writing *Sumerian Records, an American record label based in ...
''(Iraq)'' xtinct* Elamite ''(Iran)'' xtinct(sometimes linked to Dravidian) * Burushaski ''(Pakistan, India)'' (sometimes linked to Yeniseian) * Nihali ''(India)'' (sometimes linked to Kusunda or Munda) * Kusunda ''(Nepal)'' * Hruso ''(India)'' * Shompen ''(India)'' * Kenaboi ''(Malaysia)'' xtinct(perhaps Austroasiatic) (Glottolog classifies it as an isolate) * Korean ''(North Korea, South Korea, China: Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture)'' (sometimes linked to Paleosiberian, alternatively
Jeju Jeju may refer to: * Jeju Island (Jejudo), an island near South Korea * Jeju Province (formerly transliterated Cheju), a province of South Korea comprising Jejudo **Jeju City, the biggest city on Jejudo **Jeju dog, a dog native to Jejudo ** Jeju l ...
is sometimes classified as a separate language, creating a
Koreanic Koreanic is a small language family consisting of the Korean language, Korean and Jeju language, Jeju languages. The latter is often described as a dialect of Korean, but is distinct enough to be considered a separate language. Alexander Vovin s ...
family) *
Nivkh Nivkh or Amuric or Gilyak may refer to: * Nivkh people The Nivkh, or Gilyak (also Nivkhs or Nivkhi, or Gilyaks; ethnonym: Нивхгу, ''Nʼivxgu'' (Amur) or Ниғвңгун, ''Nʼiɣvŋgun'' (E. Sakhalin) "the people"), are an indigenous et ...
or Gilyak ''(Russia)'' (sometimes linked to Chukotko–Kamchatkan) *
Ainu language Ainu (, ), or more precisely Hokkaido Ainu, is a language spoken by a few elderly members of the Ainu people on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. It is a member of the Ainu language family, itself considered a language family isolate ...
or languages ''(Japan, Russia)'' (like Arabic or Japanese, the diversity within Ainu is large enough that some consider it to be perhaps up to a dozen languages, while others consider it a single language with high dialectal diversity)


Oceania

* Abinomn ''(New Guinea)'' * Abun ''(New Guinea)'' * Anêm ''(New Guinea)'' * Asabano ''(New Guinea)'' * Bilua ''(New Guinea)'' * Bogaya ''(New Guinea)'' * Burmeso ''(New Guinea)'' *
Damal Damal, formerly Petereke, is a town in Ardahan Province of Turkey, on the road from Kars to Posof. It is the seat of Damal District.
''(New Guinea)'' * Dem ''(New Guinea)'' * Dibiyaso ''(New Guinea)'' * Duna ''(New Guinea)'' * Elseng'' ''(New Guinea)'' *
Fasu Fasu, also known as Namo Me, is one of the Kutubuan languages of New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwe ...
''(New Guinea)'' * Guriaso ''(New Guinea)'' * Kaki Ae ''(New Guinea)'' *
Kapori Kapori (Kapauri) is a Papuan language of Pagai village in Airu District, Jayapura Regency Jayapura Regency is one of the regencies (''kabupaten'') in Papua Province of Indonesia. It is situated to the west of but does not include the city o ...
''(New Guinea)'' * Karami ''(New Guinea)'' xtinct(Glottolog classifies it as an isolate) * Kehu ''(New Guinea)'' *
Kibiri Porome, also known as Kibiri, is a Papuan language of southern Papua New Guinea. Classification Porome was classified as a language isolate by Stephen Wurm. Although Malcolm Ross linked it to the Kiwaian languages, there is no evidence for a c ...
''(New Guinea)'' * Kimki ''(New Guinea)'' * Kol ''(New Guinea)'' * Kuot (Panaras) ''(New Guinea)'' * Lavukaleve ''(New Guinea)'' * Marori ''(New Guinea)'' * Massep ''(New Guinea)'' * Mawes'' ''(New Guinea)'' * Maybrat-Karon ''(New Guinea)'' * Molof ''(New Guinea)'' * Mor (Bomberai Peninsula) ''(New Guinea)'' * Mpur'' ''(New Guinea)'' * Odiai ''(New Guinea)'' * Papi ''(New Guinea)'' * Pawaia ''(New Guinea)'' * Pele-Ata ''(New Guinea)'' * Purari ''(New Guinea)'' *
Pyu Pyu, also spelled Phyu or Phyuu, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. is a town in Taungoo District, Bago Region in Myanmar. It is the administrative seat of Phyu Township Pyu Township is a township in Taungoo District in the ...
''(New Guinea)'' oribund* Sause ''(New Guinea)'' * Savosavo ''(New Guinea)'' * Sulka ''(New Guinea)'' * Tabo ''(New Guinea)'' * Taiap ''(New Guinea)'' * Tambora ''(New Guinea)'' xtinct(Glottolog classifies it as an isolate) * Tanahmerah ''(New Guinea)'' * Touo ''(New Guinea)'' *
Usku Usku, or Afra, is a nearly extinct and poorly documented Papuan language spoken by 20 or more people, mostly adults, in Usku village, Senggi District, Keerom Regency, Papua, Indonesia. Wurm (1975) placed it as an independent branch of Tran ...
''(New Guinea)'' oribund* Wiru ''(New Guinea)'' * Yalë ''(New Guinea)'' * Yele ''(New Guinea)'' * Yerakai ''(New Guinea)'' * Yetfa ''(New Guinea)'' *
Gaagudju The Gaagudju, also known as the Kakadu, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Northern Territory. There are four clans, being the Bunitj or Bunidj, the Djindibi, and two Mirarr clans. Three languages are spoken among the Mirarr or Mirrar cl ...
''(Australia)'' xtinct*
Kungarakany The Kungarakany people, also spelt Koongurrukuñ, Kungarrakany, Kungarakan and other variants, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Northern Territory. They were called the "Paperbark People" by European settlers. Country Norman Tindale e ...
''(Australia)'' xtinct*
Laragia The Laragiya language, also spelt Larrakia (deriving from Larrakia people), and also known as Gulumirrgin, is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by just six people near the city of Darwin in northern Australia as of 1983. Only 14 people c ...
''(Australia)'' * Minkin xtinct; perhaps a member of Yiwaidjan or Tankic''(Australia)'' * Oyster Bay-Big River-Little Swanport ''(Australia)'' * Tiwi (Melville and Bathurst Islands) ''(Australia)'' * Umbugarla ''(Australia)'' xtinct*
Wadjiginy The Wadjiginy, also referred to historically as the ''Wogait'', are an indigenous Australian people of the Northern Territory, specifically from just north of modern-day Darwin. The Wadjiginy are a saltwater people who describe themselves as 'be ...
''(Australia)'' * Wageman ''(Australia)''


North America

* Adai ''(US: Louisiana)'' xtinct* Alsea-Yaquina ''(US: Oregon)'' xtinct*
Atakapa The Atakapa Sturtevant, 659 or Atacapa were an indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, who spoke the Atakapa language and historically lived along the Gulf of Mexico in what is now Texas and Louisiana. They included several distinct band ...
''(US: Louisiana, Texas)'' xtinct(part of the hypothetical
Gulf languages The Gulf languages are a proposed family of native North American languages composed of the Muskogean languages, along with four language isolates: Natchez, Tunica, Atakapa, and (possibly) Chitimacha. History of proposal Gulf was proposed as a ...
) * Beothuk ''(Canada: Newfoundland)'' xtinct*
Cayuse Cayuse may refer to: *Cayuse people, a people native to Oregon, United States *Cayuse language, an extinct language of the Cayuse people *Cayuse, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the United States *Cayuse horse, an archaic term for a feral or ...
''(US: Oregon)'' xtinct* Chimariko ''(US: California)'' xtinct(part of the hypothetical Hokan languages) * Chitimacha ''(US: Louisiana)'' xtinct(''possibly'' part of the hypothetical Gulf languages) *
Coahuilteco Coahuilteco was one of the Pakawan languages that was spoken in southern Texas (United States) and northeastern Coahuila (Mexico). It is now extinct. Classification Coahuilteco was grouped in an eponymous Coahuiltecan family by John Wesley Po ...
''(US: Texas; Mexico: Coahuila )'' xtinct* Comecrudan ''(Mexico: Rio Grande)'' xtinct*
Cotoname Cotoname was a Pakawan language spoken by Native Americans indigenous to the lower Rio Grande Valley of northeastern Mexico and extreme southern Texas (United States). Today it is extinct. Vocabulary The following vocabulary list of Cotoname ...
''(US: Texas; Mexico: Tamaulipas)'' xtinct* Cuitlatec ''(Mexico: Guerrero)'' xtinct*
Esselen The Esselen are a Native American people belonging to a linguistic group in the hypothetical Hokan language family, who are indigenous to the Santa Lucia Mountains of a region south of the Big Sur River in Big Sur, Monterey County, Californi ...
''(US: California)'' xtinct* Guaicurian ''(Mexico: Baja California)'' xtinct* Karankawa ''(US: Texas)'' xtinct*
Karok The Karuk people are an indigenous people of California, and the Karuk Tribe is one of the largest tribes in California. Karuks are also enrolled in two other federally recognized tribes, the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Ran ...
''(US: California)'' * Klamath-Modoc ''(US: Oregon, California)'' xtinct* Kutenai ''(Canada: British Columbia; US: Idaho, Montana)'' * Maratino ''(Mexico: Tamaulipas)'' xtinct* Molale ''(US: Oregon, Washington)'' xtinct* Natchez ''(US: Mississippi, Louisiana)'' (linked to Muskogean in the hypothetical Gulf languages) *
Salinan The Salinan are a Native American tribe whose ancestral territory is in the southern Salinas Valley and the Santa Lucia Range in the Central Coast of California. Today, the Salinan governments are now working toward federal tribal recognition f ...
''(US: California)'' xtinct(part of the hypothetical Hokan languages) *
Seri Seri or SERI may refer to: People *Jean Michaël Seri, an Ivorian professional footballer Places *Seri Yek-e Zarruk, Iran *Seri, Bheri, Nepal *Seri, Karnali, Nepal *Seri, Mahakali, Nepal *Seri, Raebareli, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India Oth ...
''(Mexico: Sonora)'' (part of the hypothetical Hokan languages) * Siuslaw ''(US: Oregon)'' xtinct* Takelma ''(US: Oregon)'' xtinct(part of the hypothetical Penutian languages) * Timucua ''(US: Florida, Georgia)'' xtinct* Tonkawa ''(US: Texas)'' xtinct* Tunica ''(US: Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas)'' (part of the hypothetical Gulf languages) * Washo ''(US: California, Nevada)'' (part of the hypothetical Hokan languages) *
Yana Yana may refer to: Locations *Yana, Burma, a village in Hkamti Township in Hkamti District in the Sagaing Region of northwestern Burma *Yana, India, a village in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, India * Yana, Nigeria, an administrative ca ...
''(US: California)'' xtinct(part of the hypothetical Hokan languages) * Yuchi ''(US: Georgia, Oklahoma)'' * Zuni (also known as Shiwi) ''(US: New Mexico)''


South America

* Aewa ''(Peru)'' xtinct* Aikanã ''(Brazil: Rondônia)'' * Andaqui ''(Colombia)'' xtinct* Andoque ''(Colombia, Peru)'' * Arutani ''(Brazil, Venezuela)'' * Atacame ''(Ecuador)'' xtinct* Betoi-Jirara ''(Colombia)'' xtinct* Camsá ''(Colombia)'' * Candoshi-Shapra ''(Peru)'' *
Canichana Canichana, or Canesi, Joaquiniano, is a possible language isolate of Bolivia (department of Beni). In 1991 there were 500 Canichana people, but only 20 spoke the Canichana language; by 2000 the ethnic population was 583, but the language had no L ...
''(Bolivia)'' xtinct* Cayuvava ''(Bolivia)'' * Chono ''(Chile)'' xtinct* Cofán ''(Colombia, Ecuador)'' * Culli ''(Peru)'' xtinct* Fulniô ''(Brazil: Pernambuco)'' * Guachi ''(Argentina)'' xtinct*
Guamo Guamo is a town and municipality in the Tolima department of Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as we ...
''(Venezuela)'' xtinct* Guató ''(Brazil, Bolivia)'' * Hoti ''(Venezuela)'' * Irantxe ''(Brazil: Mato Grosso)'' *
Itonama Itonama is a moribund language isolate spoken by the Itonama people in the Amazonian lowlands of north-eastern Bolivia. Greenberg’s (1987) classification of Itonama as Paezan, a sub-branch of Macro-Chibchan, remains unsupported and Itonama co ...
''(Bolivia)'' * Jirajaran ''(Venezuela)'' xtinct* Kanoê ''(Brazil)'' *
Kariri Kiriri people are indigenous peoples of Brazil, indigenous people of Eastern Brazil. Their name is also spelled Cariri or Kariri and is a Tupi language, Tupi word meaning "silent" or "tactiturn." History The French Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, ...
''(Brazil)'' *
Kunza Kunza is an extinct language isolate once spoken in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile and southern Peru by the Atacama people, Atacama people, who have since shifted to Spanish people, Spanish. The last speaker was documented in 1949. Other n ...
''(Chile, Argentina)''
n the process of revitalization N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...
* Kwaza ''(Brazil: Rondônia) nclassified* Leco ''(Bolivia)'' * Lule ''(Argentina)'' xtinct* Máku ''(Brazil)'' xtinct* Matanawi ''(Brazil)'' xtinct* Mato Grosso Arára ''(Brazil)'' xtinct*
Mochica The Moche civilization (; alternatively, the Mochica culture or the Early, Pre- or Proto-Chimú) flourished in northern Peru with its capital near present-day Moche, Trujillo, Peru from about 100 to 700 AD during the Regional Development Epoch. ...
''(Peru)'' * Mosetén-Chimané ''(Bolivia)'' *
Movima Movima is a language that is spoken by about 1,400 (nearly half) of the Movima, a group of Native Americans that resides in the Llanos de Moxos region of the Bolivian Amazon, in northeastern Bolivia. It is considered a language isolate, as it h ...
''(Bolivia)'' * Muniche ''(Peru)'' xtinct* Mure ''(Bolivia)'' xtinct* Omurano ''(Peru)'' * Oti ''(Brazil: São Paulo)'' xtinct* Páez ''(Colombia)'' (see also Paezan) * Pankararú ''(Brazil)'' xtinct* Payagua ''(Argentina, Paraguay)'' xtinct* Pirahã ''(Brazil)'' * Puelche ''(Argentina, Chile)'' *
Puinave Puinave, Waipunavi (Guaipunabi) or Wanse ( pui, Wãnsöhöt) is an indigenous language of Colombia and Venezuela. It is generally considered to be an unclassified language. Varieties Varieties listed by Mason (1950): *Puinave (Epined) **Weste ...
''(Colombia, Venezuela)'' * Pumé ''(Venezuela)'' *
Puquina Puquina (or Pukina) is a small, putative language family, often portrayed as a language isolate, which consists of the extinct Puquina language and Kallawaya, although it is assumed that the latter is just a remnant of the former mixed with Qu ...
''(Peru, Bolivia)'' xtinct* Ramanos ''(Bolivia)'' xtinct* Sapé ''(Venezuela)'' xtinct*
Sechura Sechura is a city in northwestern Peru, south of Piura. It is the capital of Sechura Province in the Piura Region. The city lends its name to the Sechura Desert The Sechura Desert is a coastal desert located south of the Piura Region of Peru ...
''(Peru)'' xtinct*
Tallán Tallán (or ''Tacllán'', after the use of the taclla, a farming tool) was a conglomerate of ethnic groups with a common origin that settled in the plains of north-western Peru, an ethnos with a matriarchal system. (Due to their possible kinship, ...
''(Peru)'' xtinct* Taruma ''(Guyana, Brazil)'' * Taushiro ''(Peru)'' * Timote-Cuica ''(Venezuela)'' * Tinigua ''(Colombia)'' * Trumai ''(Brazil)'' * Tuxá ''(Brazil)'' xtinct*
Urarina The Urarina are an indigenous people of the Peruvian Amazon Basin ( Loreto) who inhabit the valleys of the Chambira, Urituyacu, and Corrientes Rivers. According to both archaeological and historical sources, they have resided in the Chambira Basi ...
''(Peru)'' * Vilela ''(Argentina)'' * Waorani (also known as Sabela, Waodani) ''(Ecuador, Peru)'' * Warao ''(Guyana, Surinam, Venezuela)'' * Xukuru ''(Brazil)'' xtinct*
Yaghan Yaghan, Yagán or Yahgan may refer to: * Yahgan people, an ethnic group of Argentina and Chile * Yahgan language Yahgan or Yagán (also spelled Yaghan, Jagan, Iakan, and also known as Yámana, Háusi Kúta, or Yágankuta), is an extinct language ...
''(Chile)'' xtinct* Yuracaré ''(Bolivia)'' * Yurumanguí ''(Colombia)'' xtinct


Unclassified languages

Languages are considered unclassified either because, for one reason or another, little effort has been made to compare them with other languages, or more commonly because they are too poorly documented to permit reliable classification: most such languages are extinct and, most likely, will never be known well enough to classify.


Africa

* Dama (Sierra Leone) xtinct* Mangree xtinct* Okwa xtinct* Mpur ''(Ghana)'' xtinct* Wawu xtinct* Numidian xtinct* Komta xtinct* Rimba * Gail * Dima-Bottego xtinct*Mangio * Degere xtinct*
Taita Cushitic Taita Cushitic is an extinct pair of South Cushitic languages, spoken by Cushitic peoples inhabiting the Taita Hills of Kenya, before they were assimilated into the Bantu population after the Bantu Migration into East Africa. Evidence for the l ...
xtinct* Oropom (extinct; possibly spurious) * Hamba xtinct* Omaio ''(Tanzania)'' * Serengeti-Dorobo ''(Tanzania)'' xtinct* Vazimba (possible substrate language), see Beosi ''(Madagascar)'' xtinct


Eurasia

* Tartessian ''(Europa: Spain, Portugal)'' (extinct) * Quinqui ''(Europa: Spain)'' * Pictish ''(Europa: Scotland)'' (extinct) * Traveller Scottish ''(Europa: Scotland)'' * Polari ''(Europa: United Kingdom, Ireland)'' (extinct) * Ancient Ligurian ''(Europa: Italy)'' (extinct) * Paleo-Corsican ''(Europa: Corsica)'' (extinct) *
Paleo-Sardinian Paleo-Sardinian, also known as Proto-Sardinian or Nuragic, is an extinct language, or perhaps set of languages, spoken on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia by the ancient Sardinian population during the Nuragic era. Starting from the Roman ...
''(Europa: Sardinia)'' (extinct) *
Camunic The Camunic language is an extinct language that was spoken in the 1st millennium BC in the Valcamonica and the Valtellina in Northern Italy, both in the Central Alps. The language is sparsely attested to an extent that makes any classification ...
''(Europa: Italy)'' (extinct, perhaps Tyrsenian) * Raetic ''(Europa: Italy)'' (extinct, probably Tyrsenian) * North Picene ''(Europa: Italy)'' (extinct) *
Elymian The Elymians ( grc-gre, Ἔλυμοι, ''Élymoi''; Latin: ''Elymi'') were an ancient tribal people who inhabited the western part of Sicily during the Bronze Age and Classical antiquity. Origins According to Hellanicus of Lesbos, the Elymians ...
''(Europa: Sicily)'' (extinct, possibly Indo-European) *
Sicanian The Sicani (Ancient Greek Σῐκᾱνοί ''Sikānoí'') or Sicanians were one of three ancient peoples of Sicily present at the time of Phoenician and Greek colonization. The Sicani dwelt east of the Elymians and west of the Sicels, having, ...
''(Europa: Sicily)'' (extinct) * Sicel ''(Europa: Sicily)'' (extinct, probably Indo-European) * Liburnian ''(Europa: Balkans)'' (extinct, perhaps Indo-European) * Illyrian ''(Europa: Balkans)'' (extinct) * Paeonian ''(Europa: Balkans)'' (extinct, perhaps Indo-European) *
Kainuu Sami Kainuu ( sv, Kajanaland) is one of the 19 regions of Finland (''maakunta'' / ''landskap''). Kainuu borders the regions of North Ostrobothnia, North Savo and North Karelia. In the east, it also borders Russia (Republic of Karelia). Culturall ...
''(Europa: Finland)'' (Glottolog classifies it as unclassifiable) * Cimmerian ''(Europa, Asia)'' (extinct) (probably Indo-European) * Hunnic ''(Europa, Asia)'' (extinct) * Pelasgian ''(Europa: Greece)'' (extinct) *
Eteocretan Eteocretan ( from grc-gre, Ἐτεόκρητες, Eteókrētes, lit. "true Cretans", itself composed from ἐτεός ''eteós'' "true" and Κρής ''Krḗs'' "Cretan") is the pre-Greek language attested in a few alphabetic inscriptions of anc ...
''(Europa: Crete)'' (extinct, probably descended from Minoan) *
Minoan The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age Aegean civilization on the island of Crete and other Aegean Islands, whose earliest beginnings were from 3500BC, with the complex urban civilization beginning around 2000BC, and then declining from 1450B ...
''(Europa: Crete)'' (extinct) *
Lemnian The Lemnian language was spoken on the island of Lemnos, Greece, in the second half of the 6th century BC. It is mainly attested by an inscription found on a funerary stele, termed the Lemnos stele, discovered in 1885 near Kaminia. Fragments of ...
''(Europa: Greece)'' (extinct, probably Tyrsenian) * Trojan ''(Europa, Asia: Turkey)'' (extinct) * Mysian ''(Europa, Asia)'' (extinct) * Isaurian ''(Europa, Asia)'' (extinct) (perhaps Indo-European and related to Luwian) * Ancient Cappadocian ''(Europa, Asia)'' (extinct) * Kaskian ''(Europa, Asia)'' (extinct) (perhaps related to Hattic) * Eteocypriot ''(Europa: Cyprus)'' (extinct) *
Philistine The Philistines ( he, פְּלִשְׁתִּים, Pəlīštīm; Koine Greek (LXX): Φυλιστιείμ, romanized: ''Phulistieím'') were an ancient people who lived on the south coast of Canaan from the 12th century BC until 604 BC, when ...
''(Asia)'' (extinct) (might be Indo-European) *
Undeciphered -k language of ancient Yemen Himyaritic is an unattested or sparsely attested Semitic language that was spoken in ancient Yemen, by the Himyarite tribal confederacy. It was a Semitic language but either did not belong to the Old South Arabian (''Sayhadic'') languages accor ...
''(Asia)'' (extinct) (probably Semitic, and identified with
Himyaritic Himyaritic is an unattested or sparsely attested Semitic language that was spoken in ancient Yemen, by the Himyarite tribal confederacy. It was a Semitic language but either did not belong to the Old South Arabian (''Sayhadic'') languages accordi ...
) * Gutian ''(Asia)'' (extinct) * Kassite ''(Asia)'' (extinct) (perhaps related to or part of
Hurro-Urartian The Hurro-Urartian languages are an extinct language family of the Ancient Near East, comprising only two known languages: Hurrian and Urartian. Origins It is often assumed that the Hurro-Urartian languages (or a pre-split Proto-Hurro-Urartian l ...
) *
Proto-Euphratean Proto-Euphratean is a hypothetical unclassified language or languages which was considered by some Assyriologists (for example, Samuel Noah Kramer) to be the substratum language of the people who introduced farming into Southern Iraq in the Early ...
''(Asia)'' (extinct) * Bactro-Margianan ''(Asia)'' (extinct) *
Bazigar Bazigar (from fa, بازیگر bazi + gar), or Goaars, are an ethnic group of north-western India. They are primarily found in Punjab and in Pakistan's Punjab, but there are also communities in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chandigarh, Himachal ...
''(Asia)'' * Xianbei ''(Asia)'' (extinct) *
Ruanruan Ruanruan (; also called Rouran) is an unclassified extinct language of Mongolia and northern China, spoken in the Rouran Khaganate from the 4th to the 6th centuries AD, considered a likely early precursor to Mongolic. Peter A. Boodberg claime ...
''(Asia)'' (extinct) *
Xiongnu The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, the supreme leader after 209 ...
''(Asia)'' (extinct, with Glottolog code, unclassifiable) * Ná-Meo ''(Asia)'' *
Koguryo Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most ...
''(Asia)'' (extinct) * Baekje ''(Asia)'' (extinct) * Silla ''(Asia)'' (extinct)


Oceania

* Katabaga ''(Philippines)'' * Ambermo ''(New Guinea)'' * Ndrangith ''(Australia)'' (Queensland) (extinct) * Ngaygungu ''(Australia)'' (extinct, perhaps Pama-Nyungan) *
Wakabunga The Wakabunga are an indigenous Australian people of the state of Queensland. Language Norman Tindale referred to material by two early correspondents, Urquhart and O'Reilley, in a publication by E. M. Curr for details about the Wakabunga and ...
''(Australia)'' (extinct) * Marau Wawa ''(Solomon Islands)'' *
Tetepare Tetepare Island is the largest uninhabited island in the South Pacific, located at . It is a part of Western Province of the Solomon Islands. It covers approximately . Tetepare supports pristine lowland rainforest and a rich inshore marine area ...
''(Solomon Islands)''


North America

*
Monqui The Monqui were indigenous peoples of Mexico (American Indians), who lived in the vicinity of Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico, at the time of Spanish contact. Monqui territory included about of coast along the Gulf of California and extended ...
''(Mexico: Baja California Sur)'' (extinct) * Pericú ''(Mexico: Baja California Sur)'' (extinct) * Amotomanco ''(Mexico)'' (extinct) * Concho ''(Mexico)'' (extinct) * Guachichil ''(Mexico)'' (extinct) * Tanpachoa ''(Mexico)'' (extinct) * Alagüilac ''(Guatemala)'' (extinct) * Naolan ''(Mexico: Tamaulipas)'' (extinct) * Quinigua ''(Mexico: Nuevo León)'' (extinct) * Solano ''(Mexico: Coahuila; US: Texas)'' (extinct) *
Akokisa The Akokisa were the indigenous tribe that lived on Galveston Bay and the lower Trinity and San Jacinto rivers in Texas, primarily in the present-day Greater Houston area.Campbell, Thomas N. "Akokisa Indians.''The Handbook of Texas Online.''(re ...
''(US: Texas)'' (extinct) * Aranama ''(US: Texas)'' (extinct) * Bidai ''(US: Texas)'' (extinct) *
Eyeish The Eyeish were a Native American tribe from present-day eastern Texas. History The Eyeish were part of the Caddo Confederacy,Sturtevant, 616 although their relationship to other Caddo tribes was ambiguous, and they were often hostile to the Hasi ...
''(US: Texas)'' (extinct) *
Payaya The Payaya people were Indigenous people whose territory encompassed the area of present-day San Antonio, Texas. The Payaya were a Coahuiltecan band and are the earliest recorded inhabitants of San Pedro Springs Park, the geographical area that ...
''(US: Texas)'' (extinct) *
Appalousa The Appalousa (also Opelousa) were an indigenous American people who occupied the area around present-day Opelousas, Louisiana, west of the lower Mississippi River, before European contact in the eighteenth century. At various times in their histo ...
''(US: Louisiana)'' (extinct) *
Avoyel The Avoyel or Avoyelles were a small Native American tribe who at the time of European contact inhabited land near the mouth of the Red River at its confluence with the Atchafalaya River near present-day Marksville, Louisiana. Also called variou ...
''(US: Louisiana)'' (extinct) * Quinipissa ''(US: Louisiana)'' (extinct) * Pascagoula ''(US: Mississippi)'' (extinct) * Neutral-Atiouandaronk ''(Canada: Ontario)'' (extinct) * Wenro ''(US, Canada)'' (extinct) * Erie ''(Canada: Ontario; US: Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York)'' (extinct) *
Pamunkey The Pamunkey Indian Tribe is one of 11 Virginia Indian tribal governments recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the state's first federally recognized tribe, receiving its status in January 2016. Six other Virginia tribal governments, t ...
''(US: Virginia)'' (extinct) * Meherrin ''(US: Virginia, North Carolina)'' (extinct) * Coree ''(US: North Carolina)'' (extinct) * Congaree ''(US: South Carolina)'' (extinct) (perhaps
Arawakan Arawakan (''Arahuacan, Maipuran Arawakan, "mainstream" Arawakan, Arawakan proper''), also known as Maipurean (also ''Maipuran, Maipureano, Maipúre''), is a language family that developed among ancient indigenous peoples in South America. Branch ...
) * Cusabo ''(US: South Carolina)'' (extinct) (possibly
Arawakan Arawakan (''Arahuacan, Maipuran Arawakan, "mainstream" Arawakan, Arawakan proper''), also known as Maipurean (also ''Maipuran, Maipureano, Maipúre''), is a language family that developed among ancient indigenous peoples in South America. Branch ...
) *
Pedee The Pee Dee people, also Pedee and Peedee, are American Indians of the Southeast United States. Historically, their population has been concentrated in the Piedmont of present-day South Carolina. In the 17th and 18th centuries, English colonists ...
''(US: South Carolina)'' (extinct) * Guale ''(US: Georgia)'' (extinct) *
Calusa The Calusa ( ) were a Native American people of Florida's southwest coast. Calusa society developed from that of archaic peoples of the Everglades region. Previous indigenous cultures had lived in the area for thousands of years. At the time of ...
''(US: Florida)'' (extinct) * Tequesta ''(US: Florida)'' (extinct) *
Quepos Quepos () is a districts of Costa Rica, district of the canton of Quepos (canton), Quepos, in the province of Puntarenas Province, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Toponymy The town is named for the native Quepo Indians who inhabited the place in the colo ...
''(Costa Rica)'' (extinct) *
Guanahatabey The Guanahatabey (also spelled Guanajatabey) were an indigenous people of western Cuba at the time of European contact. Archaeological and historical studies suggest the Guanahatabey were archaic hunter-gatherers with a distinct language and cu ...
(extinct, Greater Antilles) * Macorix (extinct, Greater Antilles) * Ciguayo (extinct, Greater Antilles) * Cueva ''(Panama)'' (extinct) * Haitian Vodoun Culture ''(Haiti)'' (Liturgical)


South America

*
Carabayo The Carabayo (who perhaps call themselves Yacumo) are an uncontacted people of Colombia living in at least three long houses, known as ''malokas'', along the Rio Puré (now the Río Puré National Park) in the southeastern corner of the country. ...
''(Colombia)'' * Colima ''(Colombia)'' (extinct) * Envuelto ''(Colombia)'' (extinct) * Guanaca ''(Colombia)'' (extinct) * Hoxa ''(Colombia)'' (extinct) * Idabaez ''(Colombia)'' (extinct) * Malibu ''(Colombia)'' (extinct) *
Mocana Mocana (founded 2002) is a San Jose-based company that focuses on and embedded system security for industrial control systems and the Internet of Things (IoT). One of its main products, the IoT Security Platform, is a high-performance, ultra-op ...
''(Colombia)'' (extinct) * Muellamues ''(Colombia)'' (extinct) * Muzo ''(Colombia)'' (extinct) *
Panche The following purported languages of South America are listed as unclassified in Campbell (2012), Loukotka (1968), ''Ethnologue'', and ''Glottolog''. Nearly all are extinct. It is likely that many of them were not actually distinct languages, only ...
''(Colombia)'' (extinct) *
Pijao The Pijao (also Piajao, Pixao, Pinao) are an indigenous people from Colombia. Ethnography The Pijao or Pijaos formed a loose federation of Amerindians and were living in the present-day department of Tolima, Colombia. In pre-Columbian time ...
''(Colombia)'' (extinct) *
Quillacinga The following purported languages of South America are listed as unclassified in Campbell (2012), Loukotka (1968), ''Ethnologue'', and ''Glottolog''. Nearly all are extinct. It is likely that many of them were not actually distinct languages, only ...
''(Colombia)'' (extinct) *
Quimbaya The Quimbaya (/kɪmbaɪa/) were a small indigenous group in present-day Colombia noted for their gold work characterized by technical accuracy and detailed designs. The majority of the gold work is made in ''tumbaga'' alloy, with 30% copper, ...
''(Colombia)'' (extinct) * Sinúfana ''(Colombia)'' (extinct, perhaps Chocoan) * Yanacona ''(Colombia)'' (extinct) * Arakajú ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Baenan ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Bagua ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Cabixi-Natterer ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Catuquinaru-Bach ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Gamela ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Huamoé ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Jenipapo-Kanindé ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Kaimbé ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Kambiwá ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Kantarure ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Kapinawá ''(Brazil)'' (extinct?) * Karirí-Xocó ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Natú ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) *
Panzaleo Panzaleo (''Pansaleo, Quito, Latacunga'') is a poorly attested and unclassified indigenous American language that was spoken in the region of Quito until the 17th century. Attestation Much of the information on Panzaleo comes from toponyms of ...
''(Brazil)'' (extinct) *
Pitaguary The Potiguara (also Potyguara or Pitiguara) are an indigenous people of Brazil. The Potiguara people live in Paraíba, in the municipalities of Marcação, Baía da Traição and Rio Tinto. Their population numbers sixteen thousand individuals ...
''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Tapajó ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Tarairiú ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Tembey ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Unainuman ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Urucucús ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Uru-Pa-In ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Waitaká ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Xocó ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) * Caranqui ''(Ecuador)'' (extinct, perhaps Barbacoan) * Imbabura ''(Ecuador)'' (extinct) * Kara ''(Ecuador)'' (extinct) * Malacato ''(Ecuador)'' (extinct) * Palta ''(Ecuador)'' (extinct) *
Panzaleo Panzaleo (''Pansaleo, Quito, Latacunga'') is a poorly attested and unclassified indigenous American language that was spoken in the region of Quito until the 17th century. Attestation Much of the information on Panzaleo comes from toponyms of ...
''(Ecuador)'' (extinct) * Pasto ''(Ecuador)'' (extinct) * Puruguay ''(Ecuador)'' (extinct) *
Puruhá The Puruhá are an indigenous people of Ecuador. Their traditional area in the highlands of the Andes Mountains includes much of Chimborazo Province and parts of Bolívar Province. History In the early period they grew subsistence crops, rais ...
''(Ecuador)'' (extinct) * Rabona ''(Ecuador)'' (extinct) * Xiroa ''(Ecuador)'' (extinct) * Bagua ''(Peru)'' (extinct) * Chacha ''(Peru)'' (extinct) * Chirino ''(Peru)'' (extinct) * Copallén ''(Peru)'' (extinct) *
Patagón The "Patagón" tank is a light tank developed in Argentina during the early 2000s, that was expected to enter service with the Argentine Army. It is based on a SK-105 Kürassier chassis with a refurbished AMX-13 turret. The project was cancelled i ...
''(Peru)'' (extinct) * Quingnam ''(Peru)'' (extinct) * Sácata ''(Peru)'' (extinct) * Tabancale ''(Peru)'' (extinct) * Yanacona ''(Peru)'' (extinct) * Chholo ''(Bolivia)'' (extinct) *
Gorgotoqui Gorgotoqui is a currently undocumented extinct language of the Chiquitania region of the eastern Bolivian lowlands. It may have been a Bororoan languages, Bororoan language. Spellings Alternate spellings include ''Borogotoqui, Brotoqui, Corocoqui ...
''(Bolivia)'' (extinct) * Majena ''(Bolivia)'' (extinct) * Pacahuaras-Castillo ''(Bolivia)'' (extinct) * Sansimoniano ''(Bolivia)'' (extinct) * Chango ''(Peru, Chile)'' (extinct) *
Chicha ''Chicha'' is a fermented (alcoholic) or non-fermented beverage of Latin America, emerging from the Andes and Amazonia regions. In both the pre- and post-Spanish conquest periods, corn beer (''chicha de jora'') made from a variety of maize land ...
''(Bolivia, Argentina)'' (extinct) * Querandi ''(Uruguay)'' (extinct) *
Omaguaca The Qulla (Quechuan for ''south'', Hispanicized and mixed spellings: ''Colla, Kolla'') are an indigenous people of western Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina living in west of Jujuy and west of Salta Province. The 2004 Complementary Indigenous Survey r ...
''(Argentina)'' (extinct) * Ocloya ''(Argentina)'' (extinct) * Tastil ''(Argentina)'' (extinct) * Tilianes ''(Argentina)'' (extinct) * Toara ''(Argentina)'' (extinct) * Fiscara ''(Argentina)'' (extinct) * Humahuaca ''(Argentina)'' (extinct) * Guachipas ''(Argentina)'' (extinct) * Kakán ''(Argentina/Chile)'' (in the process of revitalization) *
Tonokoté Lule is an indigenous language of northern Argentina. Lule may be extinct today. Campbell (1997) writes that in 1981 there was an unconfirmed report that Lule is still spoken by 5 families in Resistencia in east-central Chaco Province. It i ...
''(Argentina)'' (extinct) * Fayjatases ''(Chile)'' (extinct) * Chiquillan ''(Chile)'' (extinct) *
Sanavirón This is a list of indigenous languages of the Americas, Indigenous languages that are or were spoken in the present territory of Argentina. Although the official language of Argentina is Spanish language, Spanish, several Indigenous peoples of th ...
''(Argentina)'' (extinct) *
Comechingón Comechingón (plural Comechingones) is the common name for a group of people indigenous to the Argentina, Argentine Provinces of Argentina, provinces of Córdoba Province (Argentina), Córdoba and San Luis Province, San Luis. They were thoroughly ...
''(Argentina)'' (extinct) * Querandí ''(Argentina)'' (extinct) * Poyas ''(Argentina/Chile)'' (extinct) * Guaicaro ''(Argentina/Chile)'' (extinct)


Unattested languages

Unattested languages may be names of purported languages for which no direct evidence exists, languages for which all evidence has been lost, or hypothetical proto-languages proposed in linguistic reconstruction.


Africa

* Mawa ''(Nigeria)'' (extinct) * Kwisi ''(Angola)'' (extinct) * Weyto ''(Ethiopia)'' (extinct) * Rer Bare ''(Ethiopia)'' (extinct) * Arusha ''(Tanzania)''


Eurasia

* Harappan ''(India)'' (extinct, perhaps related to either Dravidian languages or Indo-Aryan languages) *
Sentinelese The Sentinelese, also known as the Sentineli and the North Sentinel Islanders, are an indigenous people who inhabit North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal in the northeastern Indian Ocean. Designated a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group ...
''(India)'' (possibly Ongan languages, Ongan)


Oceania

*Moksela language, Moksela ''(Indonesia)'' (extinct) *Hukumina language, Palumata ''(Indonesia)'' (extinct) *Giyug language, Giyug ''(Australia)'' (extinct) *Sörsörian language, Sörsörian ''(Vanuatu)'' (extinct)


North America

*Jumano language, Jumano ''(Mexico)'' (extinct) *Lumbee language, Lumbee ''(United States)'' (extinct) * Guale ''(United States)'' (extinct) *Yamasee ''(United States)'' (extinct)


South America

*Apoto ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) *Flecheiros ''(Brazil)'' *Miarrã ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) *Tremembé language, Tremembé ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) *Pankararé ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) *Truká language, Truká ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) *Wasu language, Wasu ''(Brazil)'' (extinct) *Wakoná language, Wakoná ''(Brazil)'' (extinct)


Extinct families and unclassified languages

This section lists extinct languages and families which have no known living relatives; while a minority of these is well known but is still classified as genetically independent (like the ancient Sumerian language), the lack of Attested language, attestation makes many of these hard to put into larger groups.


Other language classifications

The classification of languages into families, assumes that all of them develop from a single parent proto-language and evolve over time into different daughter language(s). While the vast majority of tongues fit this description fairly well, there are exceptions. A mixed language often refers to a particular combination of existing ones, which may stem from different families: a pidgin is a simple language used for communication between groups; this may involve simplification and/or mixing of multiple languages. When a pidgin develops into a more stable language which children learn from birth, it is usually called a "creole". Whether for ease of use or created for use in fiction, languages can also be constructed from the ground up, rather than develop from existing ones; these are known as constructed languages.


Sign languages

The family relationships of sign languages are not well established due to a lagging in linguistic research, and many are :Sign language isolates, isolates (cf. Henri Wittmann, Wittmann 1991). Beyond these language families, there exist many isolates, including: * Al-Sayyid Bedouin Sign Language * Hawaiʻi Sign Language * Inuit Sign Language * Mauritian Sign Language * Nicaraguan Sign Language * Peruvian Sign Language


Proposed language families


See also

* * * Ethnologue#Language families * * Index of language articles * * * Glottolog#Language families * Language isolate#List of language isolates by continent * Lists of languages


References


External links


GlottologEthnologueMultiTree Project

Comparative Swadesh list tables of various language families
(from Wiktionary)