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by Universe Of Life on March 15th, 2007

Universe Of Life

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How many different languages are there throughout the world? ... how many do you speak? ... would, or have you ever considered learning another? ... which one?

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  • by singwell-is off researching a lot on March 15th, 2007

    singwell-is off researching a lot

    There are 10 major language groups in the world:
    Altaic
    Aleut and Inuit
    Amerindian
    Indo-European
    Malayo-Polynesian Niger-Congo
    Sino-Tibetan
    Nilo-Saharan
    Austro-Asiatic
    Dravidian
    Afro-Asiatic

    plus unclassified languages,sign languages, Creole languages, pidgins, mixed languages, and trade languages and artifical languages (eg Esperanto)

    According to the numbers in Ethnologue[2], the largest language families in terms of number of languages are:

    Niger-Congo (1,514 languages)
    Austronesian (1,268 languages)
    Trans-New Guinea (564 languages) (validity disputed)
    Indo-European (449 languages)
    Sino-Tibetan (403 languages)
    Afro-Asiatic (375 languages)
    Nilo-Saharan (204 languages)
    Pama-Nyungan (178 languages) (validity disputed)
    Oto-Manguean (174 languages) (number disputed; Lyle Campbell includes only 27)
    Austro-Asiatic (169 languages)
    Sepik-Ramu (100 languages) (validity disputed)
    Tai-Kadai (76 languages)
    Tupi (76 languages)
    Dravidian (73 languages)
    Mayan (69 languages)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_language_families#Some_major_language_families

    Language isolates

    [edit] Central & South America
    Aikaná (Brazil: Rondônia)
    Andoque (Colombia, Peru)
    Aymara (Peru, Bolivia)
    Betoi (Colombia)
    Camsá (Colombia)
    Canichana (Bolivia)
    Cayubaba (Bolivia)
    Cofán (Colombia, Ecuador)
    Huaorani (a.k.a. Sabela, Waorani, Waodani) (Ecuador, Peru)
    Irantxe (Brazil: Mato Grosso)
    Itonama (Bolivia)
    Jotí (Venezuela)
    Koayá (Brazil: Rondônia)
    Mapudungun (Chile, Argentina)
    Movima (Bolivia)
    Munichi (Peru)
    Nambiquaran (Brazil: Mato Grosso)
    Omurano (Peru)
    Otí (Brazil: São Paulo) [extinct]
    Pankararú (Brazil: Pernambuco)
    Puelche (Argentina,Chile)
    Puinave (Colombia)
    Puquina (Bolivia) [extinct]
    Quechua (Peru)
    Taushiro (Peru)
    Tequiraca (Peru)
    Ticuna (Colombia, Peru, Brazil)
    Warao (Guyana, Surinam, Venezuela)
    Yámana (a.k.a Yagan) (Chile)
    Yuracare (Bolivia)
    Yuri (Colombia, Brazil)
    Yurumanguí (Colombia)

    [edit] North America
    Chimariko (US: California)
    Chitimacha (US: Lousiania)
    Coahuilteco (US: Texas, northeast Mexico)
    Cuitlatec (Mexico: Guerrero) [extinct]
    Esselen (US: California)
    Haida (Canada: British Columbia; US: Alaska)
    Huave (Mexico: Oaxaca)
    Karankawa (US: Texas) [extinct]
    Karok (a.k.a. Karuk) (US: California)
    Keres (US: New Mexico)
    Kootenai (Canada: British Columbia; US: Idaho, Montana)
    Natchez (US: Mississippi, Louisiana) (sometimes linked to Muskogean)
    P'urhépecha (a.k.a. Tarascan) (Mexico: Michoacán)
    Salinan (US: California)
    Seri (Mexico: Sonora)
    Siuslaw (US: Oregon)
    Takelma (US: Oregon)
    Timucua (US: Florida, Georgia)
    Tonkawa (US: Texas) [extinct]
    Tunica (US: Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas)
    Washo (US: California, Nevada)
    Yana (US: California)
    Yuchi (US: Georgia, Oklahoma)
    Zuni (a.k.a. Shiwi) (US: New Mexico)

    [edit] Australia
    Enindhilyagwa (AKA Andilyaugwa, Anindilyakwa)
    Laragiya
    Minkin [extinct; perhaps a member of Yiwaidjan or Tankic]
    Ngurmbur (perhaps a member of Macro-Pama-Nyungan)
    Tiwi (Melville and Bathurst Islands)

    [edit] New Guinea
    Abinomn (Baso, Foia) (north Irian)
    Anêm (New Britain)
    Ata (Pele-Ata, Wasi) (New Britain)
    Busa (Sandaun)
    Isirawa (north Irian)
    Kol (New Britain)
    Kuot (Panaras) (New Ireland)
    Massep
    Kwotari-Baibai (a.k.a. Pyu)
    Sulka (New Britain)
    Taiap (Gapun) (Sepik)
    Yalë (Nagatman) (Sandaun)
    Yawa (Geelvink Bay)
    Yélî Dnye (Yele) (Rennell Island)
    Yuri (Karkar) (Sandaun)

    [edit] Asia
    Ainu language 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)
    Nivkh or Gilyak (Russia) (sometimes linked to Chukchi-Kamchatkan)
    Korean (North & South Korea, China, USA) (sometimes linked to Altaic; its dialect Jeju is often considered a different language)
    Kusunda (Nepal) (sometimes linked to Nihali or Indo-Pacific)
    Kalto or Nihali (India) (sometimes linked to Munda, Kusunda or Ainu)
    Burushaski (Pakistan, India) (sometimes linked to Yeniseian)
    Elamite (Iran) [extinct] (sometimes linked to Dravidian)
    Sumerian (Iraq) [extinct]
    Hattic (Turkey) [extinct] (sometimes linked to Northwest Caucasian)

    [edit] Africa
    Hadza (Tanzania)
    Sandawe (Tanzania)
    Juu (Angola, Botswana, Namibia)
    ǂQhôã (Botswana) (may be related to Juu)
    (all sometimes included under Khoisan)


    [edit] Europe
    Basque (Spain, France) (related to extinct Aquitanian)
    Etruscan (Italy) [extinct; part of the poorly attested Tyrrhenian family]

    [edit] 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.


    [edit] Europe
    Iberian (Spain) [extinct]
    Tartessian (Spain, Portugal) [extinct]

    [edit] Africa
    Shabo
    Meroitic [extinct]

    [edit] Asia
    Quti [extinct]
    Kaskian [extinct]
    Cimmerian [extinct]

    [edit] Australia
    Tasmanian languages [extinct]

    [edit] South America
    Baenan (Brazil) [extinct]
    Culle (Peru) [extinct]
    Cunza (Chile, Bolivia, Argentina) [extinct]
    Gamela (Brazil: Maranhão) [extinct]
    Gorgotoqui (Bolivia) [extinct]
    Huamoé (Brazil: Pernambuco) [extinct]
    Kukurá (Brazil: Mato Grosso) [extinct]
    Natú (Brazil: Pernambuco) [extinct]
    Tarairiú (Brazil: Rio Grande do Norte)
    Tuxá (Brazil: Bahia, Pernambuco) [extinct]
    Xokó (Brazil: Alagoas, Pernambuco) [extinct]
    Xukurú (Brazil: Pernambuco, Paraíba) [extinct]
    Yurumanguí (Colombia) [extinct]

    [edit] North America
    Adai (US: Louisiana, Texas) [extinct]
    Alagüilac (Guatemala)
    Aranama-Tamique (US: Texas) [extinct]
    Atakapa (US: Louisiana, Texas) [extinct]
    Beothuk (Canada: Newfoundland) [extinct]
    Calusa (US: Florida) [extinct]
    Cayuse (US: Oregon, Washington) [extinct]
    Cotoname (northeast Mexico; US: Texas) [extinct]
    Maratino (northeastern Mexico) [extinct]
    Naolan (Mexico: Tamaulipas) [extinct]
    Quinigua (northeast Mexico) [extinct]
    Solano (northeast Mexico; US: Texas) [extinct

    plus there are 42 (at least) Sign languages
    plus over 60 creoles/trade languages...

    ================
    I speak 4 languages fluently:
    English, Indonesian, Italian and German
    I have studied Dutch as a reading language
    I have learnt Balinese, but have not obtained fluency in ,due to its complexity and tiers
    I can survive in French and Spanish, and read Portuguese to some extent.

    I have a limited knowledge of some Arabic and Sanskrit vocabulary (due to my Indonesian studies).

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  • by Glenn Blaylock on March 15th, 2007

    Glenn Blaylock

    I know a man once who was fluent in many different languages. However, if you ever asked him how many languages he knew, he would never give you a straight answer. Instead, he would launch into a lecture on the difference between a language and a dialect. The point of the lecture is that there is no clear distinction between a language and a dialect. For example, I speak a very different form of english than was used Shakespear's day. The English he spoke is very different from that which was used by Chaucer. Chaucer and Shakespear probably could have understood each other, but Choucer and I would have a very difficult time communicating. So, are these different languages or are they just different dialects of the English language? Ket me give you another example. There are a couple of places in China where the people use exactly the same written language, but they use very different spoken languages. Are these really different languages or are they just different dialects. Since there is no clear answer as to the difference between a dialect and a language, there is no clear answer as to just how many languages are actually used in the world.

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  • by R U Sirius on March 15th, 2007

    R U Sirius

    I speak English and Morse Code. I was in communications in the military and yes the services still use morse code.

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  • by EyePod on March 15th, 2007

    EyePod

    i speak espanol not spanish

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  • by 1Simmy on March 15th, 2007

    1Simmy

    I don't know how many languages there are around the world.

    I speak 4 languages.

    I would definitely consider learning another language. I'd like to learn French

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  • by -O-uknow on March 15th, 2007

    -O-uknow

    Spanish, because I hear it every friggin day!

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  • by Starmaster on March 15th, 2007

    Starmaster

    Take a look of this site. It lists hundreds and hundreds of languages, from the ones spoken by millions of people, to a few with less than three speakers left on this planet! There is one with only one speaker. Can he only talk to himself? That sounds sad...

    http://www.ethnologue.com/

    I speak English and Spanish. I learned to speak English when I was 22 years old. I am 49 now.

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  • by TheicidalManiac on February 27th, 2008

    TheicidalManiac

    There are approximately 5- to 7-thousand recognized languages, according to most linguists, but naming a language is like naming a species; there are no fine lines, and it can be simply a matter of arbitrary assignment to to decide what is a species, what is a subspecies, and what is simply individual or family variation. I speak only English fluently, but I am approaching fluency in Spanish, and am currently learning Farsi and German. I know the smallest bit of Arabic and I can read the Korean hangul, Hebrew alefbeth and Greek alphabeta, but knowing an alphabet is quite a different thing than being able to understand the language...needless to say I have a lot of translation tools on hand at all times. When I have mastered Farsi and German I will challenge myself with Mandarin.

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