language group

[/ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ ɡruːp/]
nounpl: language groups
grupo linguístico
1. A collection of languages that share a common ancestor or have similar linguistic features, classified together for linguistic study
Spanish and Portuguese belong to the Romance language group.
O espanhol e o português pertencem ao grupo linguístico Romance.
2. Languages grouped together by geographical region, cultural affiliation, or linguistic characteristics
The Sino-Tibetan language group includes Mandarin Chinese and Tibetan.
O grupo linguístico sino-tibetano inclui o chinês mandarim e o tibetano.
3. A family of related languages descended from a common proto-language
Germanic language group encompasses English, German, and Dutch.
O grupo linguístico germânico abrange o inglês, o alemão e o holandês.
Language groups are important in Brazil for understanding indigenous languages and linguistic diversity. The country recognizes multiple indigenous language groups distinct from Portuguese. In the USA, language group classification is commonly taught in linguistics, anthropology, and foreign language education programs.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
language familylinguistic familylanguage stocklanguage phylum
Antonyms / Antônimos
isolated languageunrelated language

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
grupo linguístico
Standard term used in academic and educational contexts
São Paulo
grupo linguístico
Common in universities and linguistic research centers
Portugal
grupo linguístico
Used in Portuguese academic settings; may also use 'família linguística'
USA
language group
Standard term in American linguistics and anthropology

Related Words

lingua francadialectlinguistic classificationetymologyphilologycomparative linguistics

Related Idioms & Phrases

belong to a language group
classified under a language group
share a language group
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →