Anthropology 1027A/B Chapter 9: Aboriginal Languages of Canada
1 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
The study of aboriginal languages has significantly contributed to the development of linguistics. Shedding light on the nature of human linguistic competence. Refuting the popular misconception that these are primitive languages. They are complex, have grammar, can express anything that is needed. Uncovering structural and semantic phenomena not found in other languages. Yielding clues to resolve problems in archeology and anthropology relating to the origin and migration of the indigenous peoples of the americas. Aboriginal languages are in a grave state of decline because of canadian policies. Greenberg wrote about it in the 1950s and 1960s. More conservative, various families and some isolates. One of the most valuable works in native american linguistics. An attempt at a comprehensive genetic classification of indigenous languages in north. He proposed an assumption held by many linguists: that all indigenous languages of. North america originated from a small number of mother languages.
