Southern Athabaskan languages
| Southern Athabascan | |
|---|---|
| Apachean | |
| Geographic distribution |
Southwestern United States |
| Linguistic classification |
Dené–Yeniseian?
|
| Subdivisions |
|
| ISO 639-2 / 5 | |
| Glottolog | apac1239 |
Historical distribution of Southern Athabaskan languages
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Southern Athabaskan (also Apachean) is a subfamily of Athabaskan languages spoken primarily in the Southwestern United States (including Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Sonora) with two outliers in Oklahoma and Texas. Those languages are spoken by various groups of Apache and Navajo peoples. In the northern versions, Athabaskan is spoken by many indigenous groups of peoples in Alaska and Canada. It represents the third major wave of ancient migration from Asia.
The Western Apache and Navajo identify as Nnee biyáti’ or Ndee biyáti’, and Diné bizaad or Naabeehó bizaad, respectively.
Several well-known historical people were Apache or Navajo. Apache raider and war leader Geronimo (Goyaałé) spoke Chiricahua. Manuelito was a leader of the Navajo in the 19th century, and is known for his leadership during and after the Long Walk of the Navajo.
The seven Southern Athabaskan languages can be divided into two groups according to the classification of Harry Hoijer: (I) Plains and (II) Southwestern. Plains Apache is the only member of the Plains Apache group. The Southwestern group can be further divided into two subgroups (A) Western and (B) Eastern. The Western subgroup consists of Western Apache, Navajo, Mescalero, and Chiricahua. The Eastern subgroup consists of Jicarilla and Lipan.
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