Macro-Pama–Nyungan languages
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Macro-Pama-Nyungan is an umbrella term used to refer to a proposed Indigenous Australian language family. It was coined by the Australian linguist Nicholas Evans in his 1996 book Archaeology and linguistics: Aboriginal Australia in global perspective, co-authored by Patrick McConvell.[1] The term arose from Evans' theory suggesting that two of the largest Indigenous Australian language families share a common origin, and should therefore be classified as a singular language family under "Macro-Pama-Nyungan".[2]
Macro-Pama–Nyungan | |
---|---|
(controversial) | |
Geographic distribution | northern Australia |
Linguistic classification | Proposed language family |
Subdivisions | |
Glottolog | None |
Pama–Nyungan (yellow), Garawa and Tangkic (green), and Macro-Gunwinyguan (orange) |
The two main families that Evans refers to are the Macro-Gunwinyguan family from Northern Australia,[3] and the most widespread Pama–Nyungan family that spans across mainland and Southern Australia.[4] The different theories regarding Australian linguistic prehistory and Australian language family evolution are widely debated, therefore Macro-Pama-Nyungan is an inconclusive language family classification that is often dissented by linguists in the Aboriginal Australian language community.[5]
The legitimacy of the Macro-Pama-Nyungan classification and supporting theories remain open to question since language reconstruction of Indigenous Australian language families is in its early stages.[5]