Ainu languages
The Ainu languages (/ˈaɪnuː/ EYE-noo), sometimes known as Ainuic, are a small language family, often regarded as a language isolate, historically spoken by the Ainu people of northern Japan and neighboring islands.
| Ainu | |
|---|---|
| Ainuic | |
| Geographic distribution | Currently only Hokkaido; formerly also southern and central Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands and possibly northern Honshu |
| Linguistic classification | One of the world's primary language families |
| Subdivisions | |
| ISO 639-2 / 5 | ain |
| ISO 639-3 | ain |
| Glottolog | ainu1252 |
| ELP | Ainu (Japan) |
Map of the historical distribution of Ainu languages and dialects | |
The primary varieties of Ainu are alternately considered a group of closely related languages or divergent dialects of a single language isolate. The only surviving variety is Hokkaido Ainu, which UNESCO lists as critically endangered. Sakhalin Ainu and Kuril Ainu are now extinct. Toponymic evidence suggests Ainu was once spoken in northern Honshu and that much of the historically attested extent of the family was due to a relatively recent expansion northward. No genealogical relationship between Ainu and any other language family has been demonstrated, despite numerous attempts.