Linguistic Families of California

Twenty-one linguistic families are counted in California. The authors conducted a vocabulary study to examine and structure these families in more detail. About two hundred and twenty-five English words were selected and compared with the known native equivalents to determine all similarities. Soon some similarities between almost all twenty-one tribes became apparent, and as the comparative vocabulary was completed, the number of similarities had become considerable. One group contained the interrelationships of Karok, Shasta, Chimariko, Yana, and Porno; the other of Wintun, Maidu, Miwok, Costanoan and Yokuts. Seven larger families were set up: Penutian, Hokan, Algonkin, Athabascan, Uto-Aztekan, Yukian and Lutuamian. The main part of this work is concerned with the study of their material from the five tribes called Penutian. The introduction clarifies the connection between the Penutian results and the work done in the past. The historical nature of this review may suggest that the authors proceeded hesitantly and step by step (adapted from the Introduction, Re-edition. Originally published 1919). Contents: Map of families of native languages in California. Historical Introduction. The Penutian family (Cognate stems, changes other than sound shifts, sound equivalences, accent, suffixes, morphology, geographical organization, historical interrelations). Other families as Hokan and “Iskoman”, Washo, “Ritwan”, Athabascan, Shoshonean, Yukian.