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Language classification

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In linguistics, language classification is the grouping of related languages into the same category. There are two main kinds of language classification: genealogical and typological classification.[1]

Genealogical (or genetic) classification[edit]

Languages are grouped by diachronic relatedness into language families.[2] In other words, languages are grouped based on how they were developed and evolved throughout history, with languages which descended from a common ancestor being grouped into the same language family.

Typological classification[edit]

Languages are grouped by their structural and functional features.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Linguistics - Language classification". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Language Typology: Analytic versus Synthetic Languages". ELLO (English Language and Linguistics Online). Retrieved 19 September 2020.