Ethnologue

Ethnologue: Languages of the World is a web and print publication of SIL International (formerly known as the Summer Institute of Linguistics), a Christian linguistic service organization, which studies lesser-known languages, to provide the speakers with Bibles in their native language and support their efforts in language development.[1]

The Ethnologue contains statistics for 7,358 languages in the 16th edition, released in 2009 (up from 6,912 in the 15th edition, released 2005 and 6,809 in the 14th edition, released 2000) and gives the number of speakers, location, dialects, linguistic affiliations, availability of the Bible and so forth. It is currently the most comprehensive existing language inventory, along with the Linguasphere Observatory Register. But, some information is dated.

In 1984, the Ethnologue released a three-letter coding system, called a SIL code, to identify each language that it describes. This set of codes significantly exceeded the scope of previous standards, e.g., ISO 639-1. The 14th edition, published in 2000, included 7148 language codes which generally did not match the ISO 639-2 codes. In 2002 the Ethnologue was asked to work with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to integrate its codes into a draft international standard. The Ethnologue now uses this standard, called ISO 639-3. The 15th edition, which was published in 2005, includes 7299 codes. A 16th edition was released in the middle of 2009.

What counts as a language depends on socio-linguistic evaluation: see Dialect. As the preface says, "Not all scholars share the same set of criteria for what constitutes a 'language' and what features define a 'dialect.'" Ethnologue follows the criteria used by ISO 639-3[2], which are based primarily on mutual intelligibility.

In addition to choosing a primary name for the language, Ethnologue also gives some of the names by which a language is called by its speakers, by the government, by foreigners and by neighbors, as well as how it has been named and referenced historically, regardless of which designation is considered official, politically correct or offensive or by whom.

William Bright, then editor of Language: Journal of the Linguistic Society of America, wrote of Ethnologue that it "is indispensable for any reference shelf on the languages of the world." (1986:698).[3]

Contents

Language families

Following are the 121 language families listed in the Ethnologue language family index of the 16th edition. The first column gives the Ethnologue name for the group, followed by the location by continent and Ethnologue's count of the number of languages in the family. In addition to language families, Ethnologue lists 1 artificial language, 82 creoles, 17 pidgins, 130 Deaf sign languages, 23 mixed languages, 50 language isolates, and 73 unclassified languages.

Family Continent Count
Afroasiatic Africa/Asia 374
Alacalufan South America 2
Algic North America 44
Altaic Europe/Asia 66
Amto–Musan Australasia 2
Andamanese Asia 13
Arafundi Australasia 3
Arai–Kwomtari Australasia 10
Arauan South America 5
Araucanian South America 2
Arawakan South America 59
Arutani–Sape South America 2
Australian Australasia 264
Austro-Asiatic Asia 169
Austronesian Asia/Australasia 1257
Aymaran South America 3
Barbacoan South America 7
Basque Europe 1
Bayono–Awbono Australasia 2
Border Australasia 15
Caddoan North America 5
Cahuapanan South America 2
Carib South America 31
Central Solomons Australasia 4
Chapacura-Wanham South America 5
Chibchan South America 21
Chimakuan North America 1
Choco South America 12
Chon South America 2
Chukotko-Kamchatkan Asia 5
Chumash North America 7
Coahuiltecan North America 1
Dravidian Asia 85
East Bird's Head – Sentani Australasia 8
East Geelvink Bay Australasia 11
East New Britain Australasia 7
Eastern Trans-Fly Australasia 4
Eskimo–Aleut North America 11
Guahiban South America 5
Gulf North America 4
Harakmbet South America 2
Hibito–Cholon South America 2
Hmong–Mien Asia 38
Hokan North America 23
Huavean North America 4
Indo-European Europe/Asia 439
Iroquoian North America 9
Japonic Asia 12
Jivaroan South America 4
Kartvelian Asia 5
Katukinan South America 3
Kaure Australasia 4
Keres North America 2
Khoisan Africa 27
Kiowa–Tanoan North America 6
Lakes Plain Australasia 20
Left May Australasia 2
Lower Mamberamo Australasia 2
Lule–Vilela South America 1
Macro-Ge South America 32
Mairasi Australasia 3
Maku South America 6
Mascoian South America 5
Mataco–Guaicuru South America 12
Mayan North America 69
Maybrat Australasia 2
Misumalpan North America 4
Mixe–Zoque North America 17
Mongol-Langam Australasia 3
Mura South America 1
Muskogean North America 6
Na-Dené North America 46
Nambiquaran South America 7
Niger–Congo Africa 1532
Nilo-Saharan Africa 205
Nimboran Australasia 5
North Bougainville Australasia 4
North Brazil South America 1
North Caucasian Europe/Asia 34
Oto-Manguean North America 177
Panoan South America 28
Pauwasi Australasia 5
Peba–Yaguan South America 2
Penutian North America 33
Piawi Australasia 2
Quechuan South America 46
Ramu – Lower Sepik Australasia 32
Salishan North America 26
Salivan South America 3
Senagi Australasia 2
Sepik Australasia 56
Sino-Tibetan Asia 449
Siouan North America 17
Sko Australasia 7
Somahai Australasia 2
South Bougainville Australasia 9
South-Central Papuan Australasia 22
Tacanan South America 6
Tai–Kadai Asia 92
Tarascan North America 2
Tequistlatecan North America 2
Tor–Kwerba Australasia 24
Torricelli Australasia 56
Totonacan North America 12
Trans–New Guinea Australasia 477
Tucanoan South America 25
Tupi South America 76
Uralic Europe/Asia 37
Uru–Chipaya South America 2
Uto-Aztecan North America 61
Wakashan North America 5
West Papuan Australasia 23
Witotoan South America 6
Yanomam South America 4
Yele – West New Britain Australasia 3
Yeniseian Asia 2
Yuat Australasia 6
Yukaghir Asia 2
Yuki–Wappo North America 2
Zamucoan South America 2
Zaparoan South America 7

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.sil.org/sil/
  2. ^ http://www.sil.org/iso639-3/scope.asp
  3. ^ Bright, William. 1986. "Book Notice on Ethnologue", Language 62:698.

External links