Language classification explained

In linguistics, language classification is the grouping of related languages into the same category. There are two main kinds of language classification: genealogical and typological classification.^[1]

Genealogical (or genetic) classification

Languages are grouped by diachronic relatedness into language families.^[2] In other words, languages are grouped based on how they were developed and evolved throughout history, with languages which descended from a common ancestor being grouped into the same language family.

Typological classification

See main article: Linguistic typology. Languages are grouped by their structural and functional features.

See also

• Genetic relationship
• List of language families

References

Notes and References

1. Web site: Linguistics - Language classification . Encyclopedia Britannica . 19 September 2020 . en.
2. Web site: Language Typology: Analytic versus Synthetic Languages . ELLO (English Language and Linguistics Online) . 19 September 2020.