Yuki-Wappo languages

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Yuki-Wappo (also Yukian, Wappo-Yuki) is a small extinct language family of western California consisting of only two languages.

The Yuki-Wappo languages may be descended from the earliest language family to reach prehistoric California. (Other indigenous languages may have descended from the speech of subsequent migrants into the region).

Yuki is associated with the Mendocino Complex around Clear Lake (3000 B.C.), while Wappo of Napa Valley is associated with the St. Helena Aspect of the Augustine Pattern. Proto-Yuki-Wappo peoples may be of the Post Pattern (9000 B.C.).

Contents 1 Family division 2 Genetic relations 3 See also 4 Bibliography

[edit] Family division

The family consists of

1. Yuki (a.k.a. Core Yukian)

2. Wappo

Some evidence suggests the two languages separated around 2000-1000 B.C. Wappo speakers may have separated from Yuki due to migrations of Pomoan peoples. The Wappo migration to Alexander Valley in the 19th century was due to a war with the Southern Pomo.

The relationship between Yuki and Wappo is contested by Jesse Sawyer who believes that the similarities are due to linguistic borrowing and shared areal features, thus concluding that Yuki-Wappo (Yukian) is not a valid, demonstrated language family. However, William Elemdorf has presented some persuasive evidence in favor of the relationship. Campbell (1997) considers Elemdorf's evidence to be conclusive. Mithun (1999) reports that the relationship is open to question.

[edit] Genetic relations

Yuki-Wappo has been linked to a number of hypothetical relationships:

• under Penutian including a connection to Yokutsan and also to a California Penutian sub-group
• under Hokan (including under Edward Sapir's Hokan-Siouan)
• connected to Siouan
• in Morris Swadesh's Hokogian family with Hokan, Muskogean, and other Gulf languages, grouped together with Coahuiltecan and Chitimacha (and not with Hokan, pace Sapir)

To date, none of these proposals have been successfully demonstrated.

[edit] See also

• Wappo language
• Yuki language
• Wappo
• Yuki

[edit] Bibliography

• Campbell, Lyle. (1997). American Indian languages: The historical linguistics of Native America. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-509427-1.
• Goddard, Ives (Ed.). (1996). Languages. Handbook of North American Indians (W. C. Sturtevant, General Ed.) (Vol. 17). Washington, D. C.: Smithsonian Institution. ISBN 0-16-048774-9.
• Mithun, Marianne. (1999). The languages of Native North America. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-23228-7 (hbk); ISBN 0-521-29875-X.
• Sturtevant, William C. (Ed.). (1978-present). Handbook of North American Indians (Vol. 1-20). Washington, D. C.: Smithsonian Institution. (Vols. 1-3, 16, 18-20 not yet published).