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Otomanguean historical linguistics: Exploring the subgroups
Author(s) -
Campbell Eric W.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
language and linguistics compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.619
H-Index - 44
ISSN - 1749-818X
DOI - 10.1111/lnc3.12244
Subject(s) - linguistics , historical linguistics , mesoamerica , history of linguistics , ethnolinguistics , history , language family , applied linguistics , sociology , philosophy , archaeology
Abstract This is the second of two articles that survey and assess progress and prospects in the historical linguistics of the Otomanguean language family, which is the most widely distributed and most diverse linguistic lineage of Mesoamerica. While considerable progress has been made in understanding the linguistic and cultural history of Otomanguean, in some ways, it remains the Mesoamerican language family about which we know the least. It consists of eight major subgroups: Mè'phàà‐Subtiaba, Chorotegan, Oto‐Pamean, Chinantec, Mixtecan, Amuzgo, Zapotecan, and Popolocan. While the first article of this series addressed the historical linguistics of the higher levels of the Otomanguean family, this article focuses on the eight major subgroups, especially progress in their reconstruction, internal subgrouping, and areas in need of further research.