List of language families


The following is a list of language families. It also includes language isolates, unclassified languages and other types.

Major language families

By number of languages

Ethnologue 22 lists the following families as containing at least 1% of the 7,111 known languages in the world:
  1. Niger–Congo
  2. Austronesian
  3. Trans–New Guinea
  4. Sino-Tibetan
  5. Indo-European
  6. Australian
  7. Afro-Asiatic
  8. Nilo-Saharan
  9. Oto-Manguean
  10. Austroasiatic
  11. Tai–Kadai
  12. Dravidian
  13. Tupian
Glottolog 4.0 lists the following as the largest families, of 8494 languages:
  1. Atlantic–Congo
  2. Austronesian
  3. Indo-European
  4. Sino-Tibetan
  5. Afro-Asiatic
  6. Nuclear Trans–New Guinea
  7. Pama–Nyungan
  8. Oto-Manguean
  9. Austroasiatic
  10. Tai–Kadai
  11. Dravidian
  12. Arawakan
  13. Mande
  14. Tupian
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 (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, Algic, Quechuan and Nilo-Saharan.
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 for further explanation.
Family nameLanguagesCurrent speakersLocationProposed parent family
Afroasiatic languages366499,294,669Africa, Asia
Khoe languages12337,337Africa
Kx'a languages4104,000Africa
Tuu languages22,500Africa
Niger–Congo languages1,524519,814,033Africa
Mande languages5027,003,000AfricaNiger–Congo
Ubangian languages272,500,000AfricaNiger–Congo
Nilo-Saharan languages19953,359,610Africa
Berta languages31,800,000AfricaNilo-Saharan
Kadu languages6120,600AfricaNilo-Saharan
Koman languages450,000AfricaNilo-Saharan
Kuliak languages37,500AfricaNilo-Saharan
Songhay languages113,228,000AfricaNilo-Saharan
Ainu languages32Asia
Japonic languages12129,240,180AsiaAltaic
Koreanic languages277,269,890AsiaAltaic
Mongolic languages137,269,480AsiaAltaic
Tungusic languages1155,800AsiaAltaic
Turkic languages35179,945,933Asia, EuropeAltaic
Northeast Caucasian languages294,155,258Asia, EuropeCaucasian, Alarodian
Northwest Caucasian languages41,655,000Asia, EuropeCaucasian
Yeniseian languages2211AsiaDené–Yeniseian family
Dravidian languages84252,807,610Asia
Indo-European languages4483,237,999,904Asia, Europe
Kartvelian languages54,850,000Asia, Europe
Chukotko-Kamchatkan languages56,875Asia
Yukaghir languages2740Asia
Nivkh languages2200Asia
Austroasiatic languages169116,323,040Asia
Austronesian languages1,223325,862,510Africa, Asia, OceaniaAustro-Tai
Kra–Dai languages9481,549,828AsiaAustro-Tai
Ongan languages2296Asia
Hmong–Mien languages389,332,070Asia
Sino-Tibetan languages4531,385,995,195Asia
Siangic languages23,500AsiaSino-Tibetan
Digaro languages246,000AsiaSino-Tibetan
Hurro-Urartian languages2extinctAsia
Kho-Bwa languages59,000AsiaSino-Tibetan
Uralic languages3720,716,457Asia, Europe
Tyrsenian languagesextinctEurope
Baining languages613,800New Guinea
Border languages1517,080New Guinea
Central Solomon languages414,810New Guinea
East Bird's Head – Sentani languages871,730New GuineaExtended West Papuan
Eastern Trans-Fly languages46,760New Guinea
Fas languages22,840New GuineaLeft May – Kwomtari, Kwomtari–Fas
East Geelvink Bay languages128,005New Guinea
Lakes Plain languages198,455New Guinea
Left May languages62,005New GuineaLeft May – Kwomtari
Kwomtari languages31,510New GuineaLeft May – Kwomtari, Kwomtari–Fas
Mairasi languages34,385New Guinea
Nimboran languages58,500New Guinea
North Bougainville languages410,020New Guinea
Piawi languages22,600New Guinea
Ramu – Lower Sepik languages3265,830New Guinea
Senagi languages22,960New Guinea
Sepik languages55162,704New Guinea
Skou languages85,665New Guinea
South Bougainville languages968,700New Guinea
Tor–Kwerba languages2416,195New Guinea
Torricelli languages57113,705New Guinea
Trans-Fly – Bulaka River languages2216,312New Guinea
Trans–New Guinea4763,540,024New Guinea
West New Britain languages36,550New Guinea
West Papuan languages23269,425New Guinea
Yuat languages67,700New Guinea
Bunuban languages2100Australia
Wagaydyic languages25Australia
Western Daly languages321Australia
Southern Daly languages21980Australia
Limilngan languages123Australia
Jarrakan languages3130Australia
Nyulnyulan languages394Australia
Worrorran languages3108Australia
Mirndi languages3261Australia
Arnhem Land languages 71811Australia
Gunwinyguan languages51314Australia
Paman languages481524Australia
Pama–Nyungan languages30023,539Australia
Tangikic languages3 or 473Australia
Algic languages41214,768North America
Caddoan languages546North America
Chimakuan languages110North America
Eskimo–Aleut languages10108,705North America
Hokan languages217,171North America
Iroquoian languages914,543North America
Keres languages210,670North America
Mayan languages316,522,182North America
Mixe–Zoque languages17153,612North AmericaTotozoquean
Muskogean languages615,640North America
Na-Dene languages44208,552North AmericaDené–Yeniseian
Oto-Manguean languages1761,678,214North America
Penutian 163,513North America
Salishan languages251,969North America
Siouan languages1433,399North America
Takic languages635North America
Tanoan languages66,000North America
Totonacan languages12282,250North AmericaTotozoquean
Uto-Aztecan languages581,910,442North America
Wakashan languages6710North America
Wintuan languages1extinctNorth AmericaPenutian
Yok-Utian languages4235North AmericaPenutian
Yuki-Wappo languages2extinctNorth America
Alacalufan languages112South America
Arawan languages85,870South America
Araucanian languages2262,000South America
Arawakan languages54699,709South America
Arutani–Sape languages 247South America
Aymaran languages32,808,740South America
Barbacoan languages324,800South America
Cahuapanan languages210,370South America
Carib languages2967,376South America
Catacaoan languagesextinctSouth America
Chapacuran languages42,019South America
Charruan languagesextinctSouth America
Chibchan languages20306,267South America
Chimuan languagesextinctSouth America
Choco languages7114,600South America
Chonan languagesextinctSouth America
Esmeralda–Yaruroan languages 16,000South America
Guaicuruan languages449,350South AmericaMataco–Guaicuru
Hibito–Cholon languages2extinctSouth America
Jicaquean languages1350South America
Jirajaran languages3extinctSouth America
Jivaroan languages489,630South America
Katembri–Taruma languages110South America
Katukinan languages210South America
Lencan languages2extinctSouth America
Lule–Vilela languages110South America
Macro-Jê languages ?51,093South America
Macro-Otomákoan languages41,961South America
Mascoian languages620,728South America
Matacoan languages760,280South America
Misumalpan languages4192,050South America
Mosetenan languages15,320South America
Mura languages1360South America
Nadahup languages42,894South America
Nambikwaran languages61,068South America
Otomákoan languages2extinctSouth AmericaMacro-Otomákoan
Pano–Tacanan languages 2742,014South America
Paezan languages360,000South America
Peba–Yaguan languages15,700South America
Puinavean languages13,000South America
Quechuan languages457,768,820South America
Piaroa–Saliban languages318,630South America
Tequiraca–Canichana languagesextinctSouth America
Timotean languagesextinctSouth America
Tiniguan languages21South America
Tucanoan languages2330,308South America
Tupian languages665,026,502South America
Uru–Chipaya languages21,200South America
Witotoan languages717,478South America
Xincan languagesextinctSouth America
Yanomaman languages431,670South America
Zamucoan languages25,900South America
Zaparoan languages390South America
International Auxiliary Languages492,000,000World ?

Language isolates

are languages which are not part of any known family and they can be alternatively described as being its sole representants.

Africa

Australia

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

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, the lack of attestation makes many of these hard to put into larger groups.
NameLanguagesYear of deathLocationWell-attested?Proposed parent family
Hurro-Urartian languages27th century BC?AsiaAlarodian languages
Tasmanian languages 5-161905Australia
Eastern Daly languages22006Australia
Tyrsenian languages33rd centuryEurope
Baenan11940sSouth America
Culle120th centurySouth America
Kunza11950s?South America
Gamela1?South America
Gorgotoqui117th centurySouth America
Huamoé1?South America
Malibu languages9?South America
Munichi11990sSouth America Arawakan
Natú119th century?South America
Pankararú120th centurySouth America
Panzaleo117th centurySouth America
Sechura119th century?South America
Tarairiú1?South America
Tuxá119th century?South America
Xocó1-3?South America
Xukuru1?South America Xukuruan
Yurumanguí119th century?South America
Adai119th centuryNorth America
Alagüilac118th century?North America
Aranama119th centuryNorth America
Atakapa120th centuryNorth America
Beothuk11829North America
Calusa118th century?North America
Cayuse11930sNorth America
Chumashan61960sNorth America
Cotoname119th century?North America
Maratino1?North America Uto-Aztecan
Naolan11950sNorth America
Quinigua1?North America
Solano118th centuryNorth America

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. 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 :Category:Sign language isolates|isolates.
Family NameLocationNumber of Languages
French SignEurope, the Americas, Francophone Africa, parts of AsiaOver 50
British SignUnited Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa4 - 10
Arab SignMuch of the Arab World6 - 10
Japanese SignJapan, Korea, Taiwan3
German SignGermany, Poland, Israel3
Swedish SignSweden, Finland, Portugal3

Beyond these language families, there exist many isolates, including:
The following is a list of proposed language families, which connect established families into larger genetic groups; support for these proposals varies; the Dené–Yeniseian languages for example, are a recent proposal which has been generally well received, whereas reconstructions of the Proto-World language are often viewed as fringe science; proposals which are themselves based on other proposals have the likelihood of their parts noted in parentheses.
Proposed nameDescriptionMainstream consensus
Proto-Worldreconstructed common ancestor of all living languagesWidely rejected.
Amerindall languages in the Americas which do not belong to the Eskimo–Aleut or Na–Dene familiesWidely rejected.
AlmosanAlgic, Kutenai and Mosan Widely rejected.
MosanSalishan, Wakashan, and Chimakuan languages of Pacific Northwest North America.Sprachbund.
Aztec–TanoanUto-Aztecan and Tanoan.Possible.
CoahuiltecanNative languages of modern Texas.Sprachbund.
GulfMuskogean with four extinct isolates on US gulf.Possible.
HokanA dozen languages on west coast of North AmericaSome likely, others rejected.
Macro-SiouanSiouan, Iroquoian, Caddoan, and Yuchi.Controversial.
Je–Tupi–CaribMacro-Jê, Tupian and Cariban of South America.Possible.
Macro-Jê11 language families of South AmericaSome likely, others controversial.
Macro-MayanMayan with Totonacan, Mixe–Zoque, and Huave.Widely rejected.
TotozoqueanTotonacan and Mixe–Zoque in Mesoamerica.Possible.
Macro-PanoanPano–Takanan and Moseten–Chonan Possible.
Mataco–GuaicuruMatacoan, Guaicuruan, Mascoian, and Charruan of South America?
PenutianSome languages in western North AmericaControversial.
QuechumaranQuechuan and AymaranControversial.
Yuki–WappoYuki and Wappo, both extinct.Likely.
BoreanAll families except in sub-Saharan Africa, New Guinea, Australia, and the Andaman Islands.Widely rejected.
AlarodianNortheast Caucasian with extinct Hurro-UrartianControversial.
Sino-AustronesianSino-Tibetan, Austronesian, and Kra–DaiControversial.
AustricAustroasiatic, Austronesian and sometimes others.Some controversial, others rejected.
Austro-TaiAustronesian and Kra–DaiControversial.
Miao–DaiHmong–Mien and Kra–Dai?
Austronesian–OnganOngan and AustronesianControversial.
Dene–CaucasianNa-Dené, North Caucasian, Sino-Tibetan, Yeniseian, and others.Widely rejected.
KarasukYeniseian and BurushaskiControversial.
Dene–YeniseianNa-Dené and YeniseianPossible.
NostraticAfroasiatic, Kartvelian, Dravidian and Eurasiatic Widely rejected.
EurasiaticIndo-European, Uralic and AltaicWidely rejected.
Indo-SemiticIndo-European languages and Semitic languages or Afroasiatic languagesWidely rejected.
Indo-UralicIndo-European and Uralic or Uralic–YukaghirControversial.
Ural–AltaicUralic and Altaic Obsolete; considered a linguistic convergence zone.
AltaicTurkic, Mongolic, Tungusic, Koreanic and Japonic Widely rejected; generally considered a Sprachbund.
Uralo-SiberianUralic, Yukaghir, Eskimo–Aleut and possibly Chukotko-KamchatkanControversial.
Uralic–YukaghirUralic and YukaghirControversial.
Nivkh–KamchukoticNivkh and Chukotko-Kamchatkan?
Elamo-DravidianElamite and DravidianWidely rejected.
Dravido-KoreanDravidian and KoreanicObsolete.
PonticNorthwest Caucasian and Indo-EuropeanControversial.
Ibero-CaucasianNorthwest Caucasian, Northeast Caucasian, and KartvelianControversial.
North CaucasianNorthwest Caucasian and Northeast CaucasianControversial.
Indo-PacificSeveral Pacific families.Widely rejected.
Macro-Pama–NyunganSeveral Australian language families.Controversial.
Kongo–SaharanNiger–Congo and Nilo-SaharanControversial.
Nilo-SaharanMany families of central Africa.Controversial.
KhoisanAfrican click-consonant languages that do not belong to any other macrophyla.Widely rejected.
Na-Dene Sapir's proposal.Controversial.
Macro-ChibchanLencan, Misumalpan and Chibchan merge into one language family. ?