Miwok languages
| Miwok | |
|---|---|
| Miwokan | |
| Geographic distribution | California, western slopes of Sierra Nevada |
| Ethnicity | Miwok |
| Linguistic classification | Penutian ? |
| Subdivisions |
|
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | miwo1275 |
The Miwok or Miwokan languages (/ˈmiːwɒk/; Northern Sierra Miwok: [míwːɨːk]), also known as Moquelumnan or Miwuk, are a group of endangered languages spoken in central California by the Miwok peoples, ranging from the Bay Area to the Sierra Nevada. There are seven Miwok languages, four of which have distinct regional dialects. There are a few dozen speakers of the three Sierra Miwok languages, and in 1994 there were two speakers of Lake Miwok. The best attested language is Southern Sierra Miwok, from which the name Yosemite originates. The name Miwok comes from the Northern Sierra Miwok word miw·yk meaning 'people.'