Language group
A language group can mean both a group of languages and a speaker group within the population.
Group of languages
As a language group in the are linguistics all languages combined, which have a significant number of systematic matches. There are two types:
- the language family - genealogical classification
- the Sprachbund - geographical classification
Speaker group
In addition, language group in common usage also refers to the totality of members of a certain language. This term is also of administrative and political importance in some countries . In Switzerland , for example, a distinction is made between French , Italian , German and Rhaeto-Romanic language groups. Similarly, a distinction is made in South Tyrol between German, Italian and Ladin language groups. Since a proportional system according to language groups is used when filling public offices , there is a so-called language group declaration in South Tyrol , in which every citizen can declare his or her membership free of obligations or examinations. In Belgium , on the other hand, the term (linguistic) community is used in a similar sense, derived from the language community .
literature
- Wilhelm R. Baier (Ed.): Language is the soul of a people. The large language families . Leykam, Graz 2005, ISBN 3-701-17501-2 .
- Kenneth Katzner: The languages of the world ( en ). Routledge, London 1999, ISBN 0-415-11809-3 .
