Washoe language
Quick Summary
The Washo language, also known as Washoan, is spoken by the Washoe people, who are indigenous to the area around Lake Tahoe in California and Nevada. This language belongs to the Hokan language family, which has historical ties to languages spoken in parts of California, Arizona, and Baja California, Mexico. Linguists believe the Washoe people separated from other Hokan-speaking groups in California several thousand years ago. The Washo language is distinct from the Numic languages spoken by other indigenous groups in the Great Basin region.1
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