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Britannica Sources used in this answer

Which major language families were spoken by Indigenous peoples of California?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Map of California and surrounding areas showing the traditional homelands of Indigenous peoples, with tribal names such as Miwok, Pomo, Chumash, Yokut, Shastan, Mojave, and others labeled within outlined regions across the state.
Indigenous peoples of California

Indigenous peoples of California are characterized by extraordinary linguistic diversity, with representatives from approximately 20 distinct language families. This linguistic variety has been described by linguist Edward Sapir as being more diverse than that found across the entire continent of Europe.1

Major language families and groups represented in the region include:

Additionally, scholars have historically explored the Hokan hypothesis, a controversial and largely abandoned proposal that sought to group various California languages and isolates—such as Pomoan, Yuman, and Shastan—into a single phylum. While this hypothesis remains a significant topic in the study of American Indian languages, it is not universally accepted as a definitive classification of the region's linguistic history.2