Language Family

Group of languages with a common ancestor.

language stock

A language family is a group of languages related through a common ancestor, known as a proto-language. Linguists reconstruct proto-languages by comparing related languages and identifying shared features.

Pronunciation

/ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ ˈfæməli/

Etymology

The term 'family' is used metaphorically in linguistics to describe the relationship between languages, drawing an analogy to biological families.

Explain Like I’m 5

A language family is like a big tree where different languages are branches that grew from a common ancestor, like English and German sharing roots in Proto-Germanic.

Fun Facts

The Proto-Indo-European language is believed to have been spoken around 5,000 years ago
Some language families, like Austronesian, cover a vast geographical area spanning from Madagascar to Easter Island
The study of language families helps us understand human migration and cultural history

FAQ

What is a language family? A group of languages believed to have descended from a common ancestor
How are they identified? Linguists study similarities in vocabulary, grammar, and sound systems
What is Proto-Indo-European? It's a reconstructed ancestor of the Indo-European language family

Synonyms — Similar or Related Terms

language stock

Hypernyms — Broader Categories

linguistics classification

Hyponyms — Specific Examples

Indo-European languages Sino-Tibetan languages Afro-Asiatic languages

Meronyms — Parts or Components

proto-language daughter language

Holonyms — Wholes or Groups

linguistics

Indexes

classification linguistic

Built by Tim Jones