Palaihnihan is a small, extinct language family of northeastern California comprising two closely related languages, Atsugewi and Achumawi, also called Pit River Indian. The family is often connected with the hypothetical Hokan stock, a link that remains disputed, and it may be related to the Shastan languages in a proposed wider grouping. Achumawi became extinct in 2013, leaving no living speakers of either language.
Facts
RegionNortheastern California 1 Speaker CountThe last fluent speaker of Atsugewi, Medie Webster, died in 1988; the last speaker of Achumawi died in 2013. Proto-Language StatusThe original reconstruction of proto-Palaihnihan relied heavily on poor quality data: the dictionary compiled by David Olmsted depended almost entirely on data from de Angulo, whose phonological records were inconsistent. William Bright identified further problems with the reconstruction methods, and the reconstruction is being refined with newer data. 1 In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Palaihnihan Languages
Wikimedia Foundationlead section, sentence 1
Palaihnihan (also Palaihnih) is a small extinct language family of northeastern California.
Proto-language section, sentence 1
The original reconstruction of proto-Palaihnihan suffered from poor quality data.
View the Source 2. Wikipedia: Atsugewi Language
Wikimedia Foundationlead section, sentence 2Quote, lead section, sentence 2
In 1962, there were four fluent speakers out of an ethnic group of 200, all elderly, and the last of them died in 1988.
Wikipedia: Achumawi Language
Wikimedia FoundationCurrent status sectionQuote, Current status section
Today, the Achumawi language is extinct. Out of an estimated 1500 Achumawi people remaining in northeastern California, perhaps ten spoke the language in 1991, with only eight in 2000. The last speaker died in 2013.
Wikidata: Palaihnihan
Wikidata Q1288332, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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