Language in the AmericasThis book is concerned primarily with the evidence for the validity of a genetic unit, Amerind, embracing the vast majority of New World languages. The only languages excluded are those belonging to the Na-Dene and Eskimo- Aleut families. It examines the now widely held view that Haida, the most distant language genetically, is not to be included in Na-Dene. It confined itself to Sapir's data, although the evidence could have been buttressed considerably by the use of more recent materials. What survives is a body of evidence superior to that which could be adduced under similar restrictions for the affinity of Albanian, Celtic, and Armenian, all three universally recognized as valid members of the Indo-European family of languages. A considerable number of historical hypotheses emerge from the present and the forthcoming volumes. Of these, the most fundamental bears on the question of the peopling of the Americas. If the results presented in this volume and in the companion volume on Eurasiatic are valid, the classification of the world's languages based on genetic criteria undergoes considerable simplification. |
Contents
Tables | 1 |
Unity and Bounds of Amerind | 38 |
Maps | 39 |
The Subgroups of Amerind | 63 |
Amerind Etymological Dictionary | 181 |
Grammatical Evidence for Amerind | 271 |
The NaDene Problem | 321 |
Conclusions and Overview | 331 |
Recoverable Vocabulary Based on the Joos Function | 342 |
Cognate Distributions and True Classifications | 365 |
Distribution of the Amerind Etymologies | 368 |
Summary of the Classification | 378 |
Language Families of the New World | 387 |
407 | |
436 | |
A A Generalization of Glottochronology to n Languages | 341 |
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Common terms and phrases
Achomawi Alakaluf Algic Algonquian Allentiac Almosan-Keresiouan Amerind Andean Araucanian Aruak Atakapa Aymara Barbacoa Bororo Botocudo Caddoan California Caraja Carib Cayapa Central Amerind Chapacura Chemakuan Chibcha Chibchan-Paezan Chimariko Chimu Chiquito Chitimacha Choco Cholona Chumash Comecrudo Cuitlatec Equatorial etymologies first-person singular Fulnio Guahibo Guaicuru Guaymi Gulf Hokan Iroquoian Itonama Jicaque Jirajara Kahuapana Kaingan Kaliana Kamakan Kariri Karok Keresan Kiowa Kiowa-Tanoan Krenje Kutenai languages Lengua Lule Macro-Carib Macro-Ge Macro-Panoan Macro-Tucanoan Maidu Maipuran Mashakali Mataco Mayan Mexican Misumalpan Miwok Mixe-Zoque Mosan Moseten Motilon Muskogean Nambikwara Natchez nouns Oregon Oto-Mangue Paez Patagon Penutian Piaroa Plateau plural Pomo prefix pronoun Proto-Central Algonquian Proto-Ge Proto-Siouan Puinave Quechua Quileute Salinan Salish Santa Sapir second-person Sierra Siouan Siouan-Yuchi subgroup Subtiaba suffix Tacanan Talamanca Tanoan Tarascan Tequistlatec third-person Ticuna Tsimshian Tucano Tunica Tupi Uitoto Uto-Aztecan verb Wakashan Wappo Warrau Washo Wintun Wiyot Xinca Yagua Yamana Yana Yokuts Yuchi Yuki Yukian Yuman Yuracare Yurok Zamuco Zaparo