Lyle Campbell is a historical linguist specializing in the languages of the Americas, and this academic book, published by Oxford University Press, surveys the historical linguistics of Native American languages, their classification into families and the methods used to establish those relationships. Its strength is methodological rigor, Campbell is known for applying the comparative method carefully and for being explicit about which proposed language family groupings are well established versus speculative, correcting looser classifications made by earlier scholars. That caution is valuable for the atlas, since language classification is sometimes cited loosely to support claims about cultural or religious connections between peoples that the linguistic evidence does not actually establish. Its limit is that it is a linguistics text, not an ethnographic or religious study of the peoples themselves.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier1
Lyle Campbell's standard scholarly reference on the historical linguistics and classification of Native American language families; a linguistics reference, not a source on the religious content of a tradition that uses the language. NotesStandard scholarly reference on the historical linguistics and classification of Native American language families. Use for established linguistic facts about a Native American language or language family; a linguistics reference, not a source on the religious content of a tradition that uses the language.
Citation
AuthorLyle Campbell
PublisherOxford University Press
Publication Year1997
URLhttps://archive.org/details/americanindianla0000camp
Source Typeacademic monograph
Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
This source names Americas directly: "specializing in the languages of the Americas, and this academic book, published by Oxford University Press, surveys the historical linguistics of Native American languages, their classification..."
Claims Backed By This Source (69 claims)
This source backs 69 claims across the atlas. As facts: 37 well-attested, 2 scholarly debate. As cited relationships: 7 holds. Plus 23 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Cultures, 23 claims: 9 well-attested, 14 general references.
- Culture Groups, 15 claims: 5 well-attested, 6 holds, 4 general references.
- Language Families, 15 claims: 9 well-attested, 2 scholarly debate, 4 general references.
- Sources, 9 claims: 8 well-attested, 1 holds.
- Articles, 7 claims: 6 well-attested, 1 general references.
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