# Plateau Penutian languages

Plateau Penutian (also Shahapwailutan, Lepitan) is a proposed family of languages spoken in northern California, reaching through central-western Oregon to northern Washington and central-northern Idaho.

## Family division

Plateau Penutian is hypothesized to consist of four languages:
* Plateau Penutian
** Klamath (a.k.a. Klamath-Modoc, Lutuami, Lutuamian) †
** Molala †
** Sahaptian
*** Nez Percé
*** Sahaptin

## History of proposal

Plateau Penutian, as originally proposed, was one branch of the hypothetical Penutian phylum as proposed by Edward Sapir. The original proposal also included Cayuse (which was grouped with Molala into a Waiilatpuan branch); however, this language has little documentation and that which is documented is inadequately recorded. Thus, the status of Cayuse within Penutian (or any other genealogical relation for that matter) may very well forever remain unclassified.
The Sahaptian grouping of Sahaptin and Nez Percé has long been uncontroversial. There is evidence in support of a connection between Klamath (a.k.a. Klamath-Modoc) and Sahaptian. Howard Berman also provides evidence that would include Molala within Plateau Penutian.
Appraisals of the Penutian hypothesis in the 90s find Plateau Penutian to be "well supported" (DeLancey & Golla (1997: 181); Campbell 1997), with DeLancey & Golla (1997: 180) cautiously stating "while all subgroupings at this stage of Penutian research must be considered provisional, several linkages show considerable promise" (Campbell 1997 likewise mentions similar caveats). Other researchers have pointed out similarities between Plateau Penutian and the Maiduan family, although this proposal is still not completely demonstrated. A connection with Uto-Aztecan has also been suggested (Rude 2000). The Glottolog classification, favored by many linguistic typologists but considered too conservative by some, disregards Plateau Penutian entirely.

### Computational analyses and the Comparative Method

A study published in 2013 using an automated computational analysis (ASJP 4) of 40 basic vocabulary items resulted in languages from Plateau Penutian showing similarities that could be interpreted as genealogical cohesion. However, when describing the method, the authors of the study also concede that similarities may be due to borrowings and areal diffusion. Moreover, the use of automated methods for establishing genealogical connections is controversial, with many historical linguistics still favouring analyses using the comparative method, which places high importance on morphological similarities, especially when found in irregularities (e.g. English good-better-best, German gut-besser-best, Icelandic góður-betri-bestur).

## Vocabulary

Below is a comparison of selected basic vocabulary items in Proto-Sahaptian, Klamath, and Molala †.

### Abbreviations

* S = Sahaptian
* N = Nez Percé
    glossProto-SahaptianKlamathMolala head S łamtɨ́x̣nʼolaʔwi hair lag̣tałimt eye lolbtuːns ear momʼoˑwčtaːps nose *núšnupsipiłs tooth dottaʔnf tongue baˑwčaʔpaːws mouth S ɨ́msomsimilq hand nʼepteːs foot pečtaylaks meat S nɨkʷɨ́tčʼoleˑkneːwit blood N kikeʔtǰeg̣leałp bone *pípšqaqʼopupt person *tenénmaqlag̣ name N weʔniktseˑsshastu(ː)qs dog N cq̓ám-qalwač̓aˑkʼsaka(ʔ) fish kyem louse N hasas 'nit, louse egg'kʼoY tree N tewliktg̣oˑ leaf tʼapq flower leˑw water *kéweš; N kúusʔambouq-n-s fire lolog̣teːc stone qdaytqaʔnt earth g̣eˑlalaŋs road *ʔɨškɨ́tsdo eat N ké-p’aʔst 's/he is eating' die *ƛaʔyáwi/*ƛʔayáwig̣leg (sg.); čʼoˑqʼ (pl.) I niina you ʔikiː