| Yuki–Wappo | |
|---|---|
| Yukian | |
| Geographic distribution | California |
| Extinct | 1990, with the death ofLaura Somersal (Wappo) |
| Linguistic classification | One of the world's primarylanguage families |
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | yuki1242 |
 Pre-contact distribution of Yuki–Wappo languages | |
TheYuki–Wappo orYukian languages are a smalllanguage family of westernCalifornia consisting of two distantly related languages, both nowextinct.
The Yukian languages may be, along withChumashan and perhaps languages of southern Baja such asWaikuri, one of the oldest language families established in California, before the arrival of speakers ofPenutian,Uto-Aztecan, and perhaps evenHokan languages. All three are spoken in areas with long-established populations of a distinct physical type.[1]
The family consists of
Yuki consisted of three dialects: Yuki, Coast Yuki, and Huchnom. Wappo consisted of four dialects spoken in theNapa Valley, with a fifth dialect spoken in an enclave onClear Lake.
Wappo and Yuki are quite divergent grammatically and lexically (Goddard 1996: 83), which has led to contested theories about their relationship. Additionally, the Wappo and Yuki people were quite distinct culturally and even in physical type (Goddard 1996: 83). The Yuki–Wappo languages appear to belong to the very earliest strata of languages in California, even predatingHokan (Goddard 1996: 84). Yuki is associated with theMendocino Complex aroundClear Lake (3000 BCE), while Wappo of theNapa Valley is associated with theSt. Helena Aspect of theAugustine Pattern. Proto-Yukian peoples may be of thePost Pattern (9000 BCE).
Some evidence suggests the two languages separated around 2000–1000 BCE. Wappo speakers may have separated from Yuki due to migrations ofPomoan peoples. Alternatively, the Yuki and Wappo may have entered Northern California as distinct communities that settled in different areas, or Wappo speakers may have migrated south from the Yuki–Wappo heartland in the upper reaches of the Eel River.
The Wappo migration toAlexander Valley in the 19th century was due to a war with theSouthern Pomo.
The relationship between Yuki and Wappo was contested by Jesse Sawyer who believes that the similarities are due tolinguistic borrowing and sharedareal features.[2] However, William Elmendorf has presented some persuasive evidence in favor of the relationship, noting that they are as close as two branches of Indo-European. Campbell (1997) considers Elmendorf's evidence to be conclusive. Mithun (1999) reports that the relationship remains open to question, Golla (2011) that it is securely demonstrated.
Yuki–Wappo has been linked to a number of hypothetical relationships:
To date, none of these proposals have been successfully demonstrated.
