Explain the classification of languages in Europe. Describe the language distribution of Indo-European, Uralic and Altaic families. Give examples of the languages from each group (minimum 3-4 examples of languages from each group) and 6-7 languages for Romance Branch

1 answer

The languages of Europe can be broadly classified into three main language families: Indo-European, Uralic, and Altaic.

1. Indo-European family:
The Indo-European family is the largest language family in Europe and includes languages spoken by the majority of the population. It is further divided into branches, such as Romance, Germanic, Slavic, Celtic, etc. Examples of Indo-European languages spoken in Europe include:
- Romance Branch: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian
- Germanic Branch: English, German, Dutch, Swedish
- Slavic Branch: Russian, Polish, Czech, Bulgarian
- Celtic Branch: Irish, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic

2. Uralic family:
The Uralic family of languages is spoken in Finland, Estonia, Hungary, and parts of Russia. The most well-known Uralic language is Hungarian. Other examples of Uralic languages include:
- Finnish
- Estonian
- Lappic

3. Altaic family:
The Altaic family is a controversial language family that includes Turkic, Mongolic, and Tungusic languages. While some linguists consider the Altaic family a valid language family, others argue that the similarities between these languages are due to language contact rather than genetic relationship. Examples of languages from the Altaic family spoken in Europe include:
- Turkish
- Azeri
- Tatar

In conclusion, the languages of Europe can be classified into three main language families- Indo-European, Uralic, and Altaic- each with its own branches and subgroups. The distribution of these languages varies across the continent, with Indo-European languages dominating in most parts, Uralic languages in the north, and Altaic languages in the east.