All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Tungusic languages Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
Tungusic languages facts for kids
| Tungusic | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution: |
Siberia, Manchuria |
| Linguistic classification: | possibly Altaic (controversial)
|
| Subdivisions: |
Northern
Southern
|
| Ethnologue code: | 17-844 |
| ISO 639-5: | tuw |
 Geographic distribution
|
|
The Tungusic languages (also known as Manchu-Tungus, Tungus) are spoken in Eastern Siberia and Manchuria. Many linguists consider them to be part of the Altaic languages but many others do not think that is correct. Many Tungusic languages are in danger, and the long-term future of the family is uncertain.
Classification
Linguists working on Tungusic have proposed a number of different classifications based on different criteria, including morphological, lexical, and phonological characteristics.
Northern Tungusic
- Evenki (obsolete: Tungus), spoken by Ewenkis in central Siberia and northeastern China and
- Even (Lamut) of eastern Siberia
Following languages can be considered dialects or related languages of Evenki
- Oroqen
- Negidal
- Solon
- Manegir
Southern Tungusic
- Southeast Tungusic
- Nanai (Gold, Goldi, Hezhen)
- Akani
- Birar
- Kile
- Samagir
- Orok
- Ulch
- Oroch
- Udege
- Southwest Tungusic (or the Jurchen-Manchu group)
- Manchu of Manchuria, the language of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Dynasty of China.
- Sibe - spoken in Xinjiang autonomous region by descendants of a Manchurian tribe dispatched by the Qing Dynasty to Xinjiang as a military garrison.
- Jurchen - an extinct language of the Jin Dynasty of China.
Jurchen-Manchu (Jurchen and Manchu are simply different stages of the same language).