Tanoan languages
The Kiowa - Tanoan languages are widely spoken in the southwestern United States. The Kiowa language is spoken in the state of Oklahoma. The speakers of the other languages of the language family live in the state of New Mexico. The Southern Tiwa has the most speakers by 1700. It is believed that the Kiowa - Tanoan languages could be distantly related to the Uto-Aztecan languages. The relevant researches, however, are not yet completed.
Breakdown
Among the Kiowa - Tanoan languages are a total of seven languages , which are classified into four branches:
A. Kiowa
- Kiowa: 1092 speakers ( 1990 census )
B. Tiwa
- I. Northern Tiwa Taos: 803 speakers ( Census 1980)
- Picuris: 101 speakers ( 1990 census )
- Southern Tiwa ( dialects: Sandia - 144 speakers, Isleta - 1588 speakers, Ysleta del Sur, off)
- Piro ( off)
C. Tewa
- Tewa: 1298 speakers ( Census 1980) ( Dialects: Arizona Tewa ( Tano ) and Rio Grande Tewa group: Santa Clara - 207 spokesman, San Juan - 495 spokesman, San Ildefonso - 349 speakers, Nambe - 50 speakers, Pojoaque - 25 speakers, and Tesuque - 172 speakers)
D. Jemez
- Jemez (also known as Towa ) 1301 Speakers ( 1990 census )