Utian languages
Encyclopedia
Utian is a family of indigenous languages
spoken in the central and north portion of California
, United States
. The Miwok
and Ohlone
peoples both spoke languages in the Utian linguistic group. It has recently been argued that the Utian languages and Yokuts languages
are sub-families of the Yok-Utian language family (Callaghan 1997, 2001; Golla 2007:76-77). Utian and Yokutsan have traditionally been considered part of the Penutian
language stock or phylum (Goddard 1996:313-319; Mithun 1999; Shipley 1978:82-85).
All Utian languages are severely endangered
.
Indigenous languages of the Americas
Indigenous languages of the Americas are spoken by indigenous peoples from Alaska and Greenland to the southern tip of South America, encompassing the land masses which constitute the Americas. These indigenous languages consist of dozens of distinct language families as well as many language...
spoken in the central and north portion of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Miwok
Miwok
Miwok can refer to any one of four linguistically related groups of Native Americans, native to Northern California, who spoke one of the Miwokan languages in the Utian family...
and Ohlone
Ohlone
The Ohlone people, also known as the Costanoan, are a Native American people of the central California coast. When Spanish explorers and missionaries arrived in the late 18th century, the Ohlone inhabited the area along the coast from San Francisco Bay through Monterey Bay to the lower Salinas Valley...
peoples both spoke languages in the Utian linguistic group. It has recently been argued that the Utian languages and Yokuts languages
Yawelmani language
Valley Yokuts is a dialect cluster of the Yokutsan language family of California.There are attempts to start language programs for Chukchansi, which is still spoken natively...
are sub-families of the Yok-Utian language family (Callaghan 1997, 2001; Golla 2007:76-77). Utian and Yokutsan have traditionally been considered part of the Penutian
Penutian languages
Penutian is a proposed grouping of language families that includes many Native American languages of western North America, predominantly spoken at one time in Washington, Oregon, and California. The existence of a Penutian stock or phylum has been the subject of debate among specialists. Even the...
language stock or phylum (Goddard 1996:313-319; Mithun 1999; Shipley 1978:82-85).
All Utian languages are severely endangered
Endangered language
An endangered language is a language that is at risk of falling out of use. If it loses all its native speakers, it becomes a dead language. If eventually no one speaks the language at all it becomes an "extinct language"....
.