Chapter 5.1 Classifying Languages
There are over 6,000 world languages
Organizing the World's Languages
A language family is related through a common ancestral language that existed long before recorded history. A language branch is related through a common ancestral language that existed several thousand years ago. A language group shares a common origin in the relatively recent past.
What a Language Is
A language is a system of communication through speech. An official language is one that is used by the government for conduction business and publishing documents. A literary tradition is a system of written communication.