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Glite Dictionary
Tanoan language

Tanoan language

9.9
A group of Native American languages spoken in the US Southwest like Tiwa and Tewa
  • noun
  • /ˈtænəʊən ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/
  • Specialized
: lengua tanoana
  • Tiwa is one of several languages in the Tanoan language family.

Examples

  • Some pueblos still teach their distinctive Tanoan language to younger generations.

  • Linguists have studied the Tanoan language family to learn more about the history of the Southwest.

  • The Tanoan language family includes several distinct dialects.

  • Many Native American tribes speak Tanoan languages.

  • Linguists have studied the Tanoan language family to learn more about the history of the Southwest.

  • Some pueblos still teach their distinctive Tanoan language to younger generations.

  • Tiwa is one of several languages in the Tanoan language family.

Synonyms

Tanoan
vsTanoan language
  • Specialized
9.9

A family of Native American languages spoken in the southwestern United States, including Tiwa, Tewa and Towa

uses alternative phrasing and refers to additional languages instead of naming one

Surface Forms

Tanoan language singular
Tanoan languages plural

Morphology

Tanoan + language

The phrase is compositionally straightforward: 'Tanoan' names a particular group/family and 'language' denotes a spoken system, so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a language belonging to the Tanoan family. This modifier + noun pattern is a common, cross-linguistic way to label language varieties, making the MWE transparent.

Etymology

Tanoan language likely gets its name from the name of Pueblo people called Tano or Taos, who lived in the American Southwest. So the term now means the 'family of languages' those Pueblo people 'speak', such as Tiwa and Tewa.