Distant Linguistic Relationships

Abstract

Abstract Chapter 6, Distant Linguistic Relationships, is about hypotheses of remote linguistic relationships involving the Indigenous languages of the Americas. Several recent cases where new remote family connections have been demonstrated (or at least shown to be probable) or where previously proposed but uncertain hypotheses have since come to be confirmed are pointed out. Most of the chapter is dedicated to proposals—most of them controversial—that would join together language families (including language isolates) not known to be related to one another in larger phylogenetic groupings. The evidence is assessed in this chapter that has been put forth as possible support for the more notable recently hypothesized distant genetic relationships in the Americas; the evidence given in recent attempts to defend some previous unconfirmed classificatory schemes is also evaluated. Among the hypotheses evaluated are the Hokan, Penutian, “Amerind,” Dene-Yeniseian, and others.