Diversity of languages is colossal. There are about 7,000 ones. Each of them is the product of its own particular history, however they can be grouped together.
A few languages are spoken by millions of people (for instance, Chinese, English, Russian), but most are used by only a few thousand men and women.
Over 90% of the world’s languages are spoken by 4% of humankind.
Language Families, Number of Speakers and Main Geographical Areas
Family is a group of related languages that developed from their common ancestor. Sometimes the ancestor is unknown; in that case some features let linguists make a conclusion about kindred vocabulary and grammar.
It isn’t easy to count the exact number of speakers of a language. The tables below is for information only.
Indo-European
| Group | Examples | Number of speakers; areas |
|---|---|---|
| Indo-Iranian | Bengali, Nepali, Persian, Sanskrit | 540 million; India, Pakistan |
| Italic | French, Latin, Italian | 430 million; Spain, French, Italy, Portugal |
| Baltic | Lithuanian, Latvian | 7.5 million; Latvia, Lithuania |
| Greek | Doric, Attic | 15 million; Greece |
| Germanic | Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, German | 480 million; USA, UK, Canada, Australia |
| Celtic | Welsh, Irish Gaelic | 2 million; Ireland, Scotland, Wales |
| Albanian | Tosk Albanian, Gheg Albanian | 5 million; Albania |
| Armenian | Armenian | 5 million; Armenia,Turkey |
| Slavic | Russian, Belorussian, Ukrainian, Czech, Polish | 250 million; Czech Republic, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus |
Afro-Asiatic
| Group | Examples | Number of speakers; areas |
|---|---|---|
| Semitic | Arabic, Hebrew, Maltese | over 180 million; Malta, Israel, Ethiopia |
| Chadic | Masa, Zaar, Hausa | 45 million; Nigeria |
| Berber | Zenati, Zenaga | 11 million; Morocco, Algeria, Sahara |
| Cushitic | Somali, Komso, Oromo | over 13 million; Kenya, Somalia |
| Omotic | Mao, Gonga | over 2 million; Ethiopia |
Niger-Kordofanian
| Group | Examples | Number of speakers; areas |
|---|---|---|
| Mande | Kpelle, Barbara, Soninke | 12 million; Liberia, Mali, Senegal |
| Kordofanian | Katla, Rashad | 200, 000; Sudan |
| Niger-Congo | Umbundu, Luva, Fang | over 180 million; Cameroon, Congo, Angola, Ghana |
Amerindian
| Group | Examples | Number of speakers; areas |
|---|---|---|
| Caddoan | Pawnee, Wichita | USA |
| Mayan | Cholan, Pocom | 500, 000; Mexico, Guatemala |
| Algic | Cree, Arapaho | USA, Canada |
| Iroquoian | Huron, Mohawk | 45, 000; USA, Canada |
| Mixe-Zoque | Zoque, Mixe | Mexico |
| Andean-Equatorial | Cofan, Tariana | Mexico, South America |
| Siouan | Ofo, Tutelo | 90, 000; USA |
| Salishan | Twana, Nooksack | Canada, USA |
| Wakashan | Nootka | 1,500; Canada |
| Uto-Aztecan | Hopi, Tubar | 900 000; Mexico, USA |
| Hokan | Pomo, Washo, Yana | USA, Mexico |
| Chibchan | Kuna, Paya, Rama | Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica |
| Penutian | Coosan, Utian | USA |
| Muskogean | Muskogee, Choktaw | 10, 000; USA |
| Macro-Ge | Puri, Oti, Bororo | Brazil |
| Oto-Manguean | Zapotec, Mazaua | Mexico |
Uralic
| Group | Examples | Number of speakers; areas |
|---|---|---|
| Finno-Ugric | Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian | over 23 million; Finland, Estonia, Hungary |
| Samoyedic | Nenets, Selkup | Siberia (Russsia) |
Altaic
| Group | Examples | Number of speakers; areas |
|---|---|---|
| Mongolian | Buriat, Dagur, Kalmyk, Mongolian | over 6 million; Mongolia, Russia, China |
| Turkic | Turkish, Tatar, Kirghiz, Yakut, Uzbek | 70 million; Turkey, China< Russia |
| Tungus | Nanaj, Evenki, Orok | China, Russia |
Sino-Tibetian
| Group | Examples | Number of speakers; areas |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese | Chinese (Mandarin), Hakka, Yue, Min Zhong | 1 billion, China |
| Tibeto-Burman | Lolo, Bodo, Garo, Newari | India, Tibet, Nepal, China< Bouthan |
Caucasian
| Group | Examples | Number of speakers; areas |
|---|---|---|
| North Caucasian | Avar, Lezgian, Dido | over 2.3 million; Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan |
| South Caucasian | Georgian, Swan | 5 million; Georgia, Turkey |
Linguists divided the other languages into following families: Australian, Austranesian, Nilo-Saharian, Korean, Japanese, Khoisan, Basque, Chukotko-Kamchatkan, Eskimo-Aleut, Na Dene, Burushaki, Dravidian, Andamanese and Daic.
These group aren’t so big.