Indo-european language family
Indo-European Language Family
The Indo-European Language Family (pronunciation: /ˌɪndoʊ.iːˈroʊpiən ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ ˈfæməli/) is a large, widespread family of languages, the first of which was spoken by the Indo-Europeans. The languages in this family are spoken by about 46% of the world's population, and it includes several subfamilies and individual languages.
Etymology
The term "Indo-European" is essentially geographical since it refers to the easternmost extension of the family from the Indian subcontinent to its westernmost reach in Europe. The use of this term is first attested in 1813 in the work of Sir Thomas Young, an English polymath.
Subfamilies and Languages
The Indo-European language family consists of several subfamilies, including:
- Indo-Iranian languages
- Celtic languages
- Germanic languages
- Romance languages
- Slavic languages
- Baltic languages
- Albanian language
- Greek language
- Armenian language
Each of these subfamilies consists of a number of individual languages. For example, the Germanic subfamily includes languages such as English, German, and Dutch, while the Romance subfamily includes languages such as French, Italian, and Spanish.
Related Terms
- Proto-Indo-European language: The reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European languages.
- Indo-European studies: The scientific study of the Indo-European languages and the peoples who speak them.
- Indo-European migrations: The hypothesized migrations of the early Indo-Europeans which spread their languages across much of Eurasia.
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