Kiowa-Tanoan languages

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June 30, 2026

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The Kiowa-Tanoan languages are a family of Indigenous North American languages spoken in New Mexico, Arizona, and Oklahoma. The Kiowa people, who speak one of these languages, are believed to have migrated from Montana to the southern Great Plains in the 18th century.123

The Aztec-Tanoan hypothesis, proposed in 1929, suggested a linguistic link between the Uto-Aztecan and Kiowa-Tanoan language families. However, the evidence, primarily based on word comparisons, was considered superficial and largely abandoned by the late 20th century.4

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Aztec-Tanoan hypothesis
The four Kiowa-Tanoan languages are spoken in New Mexico, Arizona, and Oklahoma and formerly were also spoken in Texas.
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The four Kiowa-Tanoan languages are spoken in New Mexico, Arizona, and Oklahoma and formerly were also spoken in Texas.
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Pueblo peoples
Precontact culture
… and comprise groups who speak Tanoan and Keresan languages. Tanoan languages such as Tewa are distantly related to Uto-Aztecan, but Keresan has no known affinities. The western Pueblo villages include the Hopi villages of northern Arizona and the A:Shiwi, Acoma, and
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… and comprise groups who speak Tanoan and Keresan languages. Tanoan languages such as Tewa are distantly related to Uto-Aztecan, but Keresan has no known affinities. The western Pueblo villages include the Hopi villages of northern Arizona and the A:Shiwi, Acoma, and
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Mesoamerican Indian languages
Proposals of distant genetic (genealogical) relationship
…which would join Uto-Aztecan and Kiowa-Tanoan (of the U.S. Southwest and Great Plains). Mexican Penutian, which would combine several Mesoamerican groups with the large but mostly doubted “Penutian” hypothesis (which itself proposes possible links among several language families of California and the Northwest of North America). There are several versions…
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…which would join Uto-Aztecan and Kiowa-Tanoan (of the U.S. Southwest and Great Plains). Mexican Penutian, which would combine several Mesoamerican groups with the large but mostly doubted “Penutian” hypothesis (which itself proposes possible links among several language families of California and the Northwest of North America). There are several versions…
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