Taensa language

The Taensa language was purportedly the language spoken by the Taensa people of northeastern Louisiana, according to a grammar published in the early 1880s by two French students. The language was unique, and the grammar aroused great interest among linguists. The language is also well known in linguistic and historical circles for the fact that two young co-conspirators published purported studies of the Taensa language in 1880-1882 that was later proven fraudulent, unequivocally in 1908-1910 by John R. Swanton.
More information on the Wikipedia page , and there is various other coverage.
Category:Spurious languages
Category:19th century