135
Yukian family 135
Geographic distribution 136
Yuman family 136
Geographic distribution 137
Principal tribes 138
Population 138
Zunian family 138
Geographic distribution 139
Population 139
Concluding remarks 139

ILLUSTRATION

Plate I. Map. Linguistic stocks of North America north of Mexico.
In pocket at end of volume

[Transcriber's Note:

The Map is available in the "images" directory accompanying the html
version of this file. There are two sizes in addition to the thumbnail:

mapsmall.jpg: 615x732 pixels (about 9x11 in / 23x28 cm, 168K)
maplarge.jpg: 1521x1818 pixels (about 22x27 in / 56x70 cm, 1MB) ]

* * * * *

INDIAN LINGUISTIC FAMILIES.

By J. W. POWELL.

* * * * *

NOMENCLATURE OF LINGUISTIC FAMILIES.

The languages spoken by the pre-Columbian tribes of North America were
many and diverse. Into the regions occupied by these tribes travelers,
traders, and missionaries have penetrated in advance of civilization,
and civilization itself has marched across the continent at a rapid
rate. Under these conditions the languages of the various tribes have
received much study. Many extensive works have been published,
embracing grammars and dictionaries; but a far greater number of minor
vocabularies have been collected and very many have been published. In
addition to these, the Bible, in whole or in part, and various religious
books and school books, have been translated into Indian tongues to be
used for purposes of instruction; and newspapers have been published in
the Indian languages. Altogether the literature of these languages and
that relating to them are of vast extent.

While the materials seem thus to be abundant, the student of Indian
languages finds the subject to be one requiring most thoughtful
consideration, difficulties arising from the following conditions:

(1) A great number