12 The Eskaleut language family
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Anna Berge
Abstract
The Eskaleut (EA) languages are spoken from the Russian Far East to Greenland. They are well-known as being among the most polysynthetic in the world, as well as being exclusively suffixing and highly agglutinative. In these and other respects, they resemble neighboring Chukotkan languages but greatly differ from neighboring American language groups like Na-Dene, supporting the idea of a late migration from Asia to America. Archaeological, genetic, and linguistic evidence, however, points to a more complex prehistory, with movement in all directions between Chukotka and Alaska. Each major language in the family has features that explicate this complex history. Many of these distinctive features can be shown to have resulted from intensive language contact: Unangam Tunuu and Central Alaskan Yup’ik with Dene (Athabaskan) languages; Siberian Yupik and Sirenikski with each other and with Chukchi; Alaskan Inupiaq with neighboring Yupik languages in both Asia and Alaska. Non-Alaskan Inuit, having only expanded very recently, shows mostly postcolonial contact effects, and Copper Island Aleut, with Unangax̂ lexicon and grammar and Russian inflections and particles, is the quintessential example of a mixed language.
Abstract
The Eskaleut (EA) languages are spoken from the Russian Far East to Greenland. They are well-known as being among the most polysynthetic in the world, as well as being exclusively suffixing and highly agglutinative. In these and other respects, they resemble neighboring Chukotkan languages but greatly differ from neighboring American language groups like Na-Dene, supporting the idea of a late migration from Asia to America. Archaeological, genetic, and linguistic evidence, however, points to a more complex prehistory, with movement in all directions between Chukotka and Alaska. Each major language in the family has features that explicate this complex history. Many of these distinctive features can be shown to have resulted from intensive language contact: Unangam Tunuu and Central Alaskan Yup’ik with Dene (Athabaskan) languages; Siberian Yupik and Sirenikski with each other and with Chukchi; Alaskan Inupiaq with neighboring Yupik languages in both Asia and Alaska. Non-Alaskan Inuit, having only expanded very recently, shows mostly postcolonial contact effects, and Copper Island Aleut, with Unangax̂ lexicon and grammar and Russian inflections and particles, is the quintessential example of a mixed language.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Table of contents V
- List of Contributors IX
- Introduction XI
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I Major language groups of Inner Eurasia
- 1 The Turkic language family 1
- 2 The Mongolic language family 75
- 3 The Tungusic language family 123
- 4 The Samoyed languages 167
- 5 Khanty dialects 253
- 6 Mansi dialects 281
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II Microfamilies of Siberia and Asia’s North Pacific Rim
- 7 The Yukaghir language family 307
- 8 The Yeniseian language family 365
- 9 The Amuric language family 481
- 10 The Ainuic language family 541
- 11 The Chukotko-Kamchatkan Languages 633
- 12 The Eskaleut language family 669
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Table of contents V
- List of Contributors IX
- Introduction XI
-
I Major language groups of Inner Eurasia
- 1 The Turkic language family 1
- 2 The Mongolic language family 75
- 3 The Tungusic language family 123
- 4 The Samoyed languages 167
- 5 Khanty dialects 253
- 6 Mansi dialects 281
-
II Microfamilies of Siberia and Asia’s North Pacific Rim
- 7 The Yukaghir language family 307
- 8 The Yeniseian language family 365
- 9 The Amuric language family 481
- 10 The Ainuic language family 541
- 11 The Chukotko-Kamchatkan Languages 633
- 12 The Eskaleut language family 669
