Spurious languages

Spurious languages are languages that have been reported as existing in reputable works, while other research has reported that the language in question did not exist. Some spurious languages have been proven to not exist. Others have very little evidence supporting their existence, and have been dismissed in later scholarship. Others still are of uncertain existence due to limited research.

Not to be confused with Fictional language.

Below is a sampling of languages that have been claimed to exist in reputable sources but have subsequently been disproved or challenged. In some cases a purported language is tracked down and turns out to be another, known language. This is common when language varieties are named after places or ethnicities.

Some alleged languages turn out to be hoaxes, such as the Kukurá language of Brazil or the Taensa language of Louisiana. Others are honest errors that persist in the literature despite being corrected by the original authors; an example of this is Hongote, the name given in 1892 to two Colonial word lists, one of Tlingit and one of a Salishan language, that were mistakenly listed as Patagonian. The error was corrected three times that year, but nonetheless "Hongote" was still listed as a Patagonian language a century later in Greenberg (1987).[1]: 133 

In the case of New Guinea, one of the most linguistically diverse areas on Earth, some spurious languages are simply the names of language surveys that the data was published under. Examples are Mapi, Kia, Upper Digul, Upper Kaeme, listed as Indo-Pacific languages in Ruhlen 1987; these are actually rivers that gave their names to language surveys in the Greater Awyu languages and Ok languages of New Guinea.[2]

Dubious languages

Dubious languages are those whose existence is uncertain. They include:

Spurious according to Ethnologue and ISO 639-3

Following is a list of ISO 639-3 language codes which have been retired since the standard was established in 2006, arranged by the year in which the change request was submitted; in most cases the actual retirement took effect in the beginning of the following year. Also included is a partial list of languages (with their SIL codes) that appeared at one time in Ethnologue but were removed prior to 2006, arranged by the first edition in which they did not appear.

The list includes codes that have been retired from ISO 639-3 or languages removed from Ethnologue because the language apparently does not exist and cannot be identified with an existing language. The list does not include instances where the "language" turns out to be a spelling variant of another language or the name of a village where an already known language is spoken; these are cases of duplicates, which are resolved in ISO 639-3 by a code merger. It does include "languages" for which there is no evidence or which cannot be found. (In some cases, however, the evidence for nonexistence is a survey among the current population of the area, which would not identify extinct languages such as Ware below.)

SIL codes are upper case; ISO codes are lower case. Once retired, ISO 639-3 codes are not reused.[6] SIL codes that were retired prior to 2006 may have been re-used or may have reappeared as ISO codes for other languages.

Removed from Ethnologue, 12th ed., 1992
  • Itaem (PNG) [ITM]
  • Marajona (Brazil) [MPQ]
  • Nemeyam (PNG) [NMY]
  • Nereyama, Nereyó (Brazil) [NRY]
  • Numbiaí (Orelha de Pau) [NUH]
  • Oganibi (PNG) [OGA]
  • Tijuana Sign Language (Mexico) [TJS] – added to Ethnologue 1988 by mistake due to a misunderstanding, removed in 1992. No evidence that it ever existed.
  • Tyeliri Senoufo [TYE] – the Tyeliri are a caste of leather workers, and do not have their own language
  • Wagumi [WGM]
  • Zanofil – name of an ethnic group that speaks Yongkom [yon]

Removed from Ethnologue, 13th ed., 1996
  • Bibasa (PNG) [BHE] – described as "isolate in need of survey" in the 12th ed.

Removed from Ethnologue, 14th ed., 2000
  • Alak 2 [ALQ] – a mislabeled fragment of a word list[7]
  • Dzorgai [DZI], Kortse [KBG], Pingfang [PFG], Thochu [TCJ], Lofuchai (Lophuchai) [LFU], Wagsod [WGS] – old names for Qiangic languages, some of uncertain correspondence to currently recognized names
  • Hsifan [HSI] – an ethnic name for people speaking a variety of Qiangic or Jiarongic languages
  • Scandinavian Pidgin Sign Language [SPF] – normal inter-language contact, not an established pidgin
  • Wutana (Nigeria) [WUW] – an ethnic name

Removed from Ethnologue, 15th ed., 2005
  • Jiji [JIJ][8]
  • Kalanke [CKN][9]
  • Lewada-Dewara [LWD], incl. Balamula/Mataru[10]
  • Lowland Semang [ORB][11] (though other languages without ISO codes, such as Wila', are also called Lowland Semang)
  • Mutús [MUF][12] – suspected to exist, e.g. by Adelaar 2005
  • Nchinchege [NCQ][13]
  • Nkwak [NKQ][14] – same as Tanjijili? Also a possible synonym for Kwak (retired in 2015)
  • Oso (Southern Fungom) [OSO] – no evidence it is distinct from Fungom and Bum[15]
  • Rungi [RUR][16]
  • Wamsak [WBD][17]

Retired 2006
  • Miarrã [xmi] – unattested[18][19]
  • Atuence [atf] – an old town name[20]
  • Amapá Creole [amd][21]

Retired 2007
  • Amikoana (Amikuân) [akn][22]
  • Land Dayak [dyk] – language family name, not individual language[23]
  • Ware [wre][24] – Ware is listed as extinct in Maho (2009). When an SIL team in Tanzania were not able to find any evidence of it being spoken, the code was retired.
  • Bahau River Kenyah [bwv], Kayan River Kenyah [knh], Mahakam Kenyah [xkm], Upper Baram Kenyah [ubm] – Any current use is likely either Mainstream Kenyah [xkl] or Uma' Lung [ulu]

Retired 2008
  • Aariya [aay]
  • Papavô [ppv] – name given to several uncontacted groups
  • Amerax [aex] – prison jargon
  • Europanto [eur] – a jest
  • Garreh-Ajuran [ggh] (Borana & Somali)
  • Sufrai [suf] – two languages, Tarpia and Kaptiau, which are not close[25]

Retired 2009

Retired 2010
  • Ayi (China) [ayx]
  • Dhanwar (India) [dha]
  • Mahei [mja]

Retired 2011
  • Palu [pbz]
  • Pongyong [pgy]
  • Elpaputih [elp] – could be either of two existing languages

Retired 2012

Retired 2013
  • Gugu Mini [ggm] – a generic name
  • Maskoy Pidgin [mhh] – never existed
  • Emok [emo] – never existed
  • Yugh [yuu] – duplicate of Yug [yug]
  • Lamam [lmm] – duplicate of Romam [rmx]

Retired 2014

Retired 2015
  • Bhatola [btl]
  • Cagua [cbh]
  • Chipiajes [cbe] – a Saliba and Guahibo surname
  • Coxima [kox]
  • Iapama [iap] – uncontacted, and likely one of the neighboring languages
  • Kabixí [xbx] – generic name for Parecis, Nambiquaras, or any hostile group (see Cabixi language for one specific use)
  • Runa [rna]
  • Savara (Dravidian) [svr]
  • Xipináwa [xip][33]
  • Yarí [yri]

And several supposed extinct Arawakan languages of Venezuela and Colombia:

  • Cumeral [cum]
  • Omejes [ome]
  • Ponares [pod] – a Sáliba surname, perhaps just Piapoco or Achagua[34]
  • Tomedes a.k.a. Tamudes [toe]

Additional languages and codes were retired in 2015, due to a lack of evidence that they existed, but were not necessarily spurious as languages.

Retired 2016

Retired 2017
  • Lyons Sign Language [lsg][39] – no substantive evidence that the language ever existed.
  • Mediak [mwx][40]
  • Mosiro [mwy] – a clan name[41]

Retired 2018
  • Lui [lba][42]
  • Khlor [llo] – duplicate of Kriang [ngt][43]
  • Mina (India) [myi] – Meena, a tribe and caste name in India[44]

Retired 2019

Retired 2020
  • Bikaru [bic] – posited based on a poor elicitation of ordinary Bisorio[57]

Retired 2021

Retired 2022

Spurious according to Glottolog

Glottolog, maintained at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, classifies several languages, some with ISO 639 codes, as spurious/unattested in addition to those retired by the ISO. These include:

Language NameISO 639-3Details
!KhuaiDuplicate of ǀXam
AdabeadbDialect of Wetarese, taken for a Papuan language
AduaduDuplicate of Okpamheri
Agariaagiall likely candidates in the area already have ISO codes
AhiraniahrKhandeshi dialect
AnasibpoMisidentification of Nisa
ArakwalrkwAn ethnic group, not a language
Baga KaloumbqfShould be subsumed into Koga variant
Baga SobanébsvShould be subsumed into Sitemu variant
Bainouk-SamikbcbSplit from Bainouk-Gunyuño due solely to national border
BhalaybhxA caste rather than a language
Bubiabbx
BusobsoDuplicate of Kwang
ChetcoctcIndistinguishable from Tolowa
Chuanqiandian Cluster Miaocqd
Concno
GenglegegMutually intelligible with Kugama
GowlangojA caste rather than a language
GowligokA caste, not a language
GuajajaragubMutually intelligble with Tenetehara
IhievbeihiIbviosakan dialect
Irirrduplicate of Ong-Ir
Judeo-BerberjbrAccording to Glottolog, Jewish Berbers speak no differently than Muslim Berbers However, there are claims, listed in the linked article, that this is not true.
Kangkyp
Kannada Kurumbakfi
KatukínakavHistorical form of modern-day language, not considered distinct
KayortkyvDuplicate of Rajbanshi
Kisankasakqh
KofaksoDuplicate of Bata
KpatilikpmPurportedly the original language of the Kpatili people, who now speak Gbayi, but any such language is unattested
KuanhuaxnhInsufficient attestion; possibly Khmu
Kuku-Mangkxmq
Lama (Myanmar)layDuplicate of Nung
LambichhonglmhYakkha language; name exists due to form errors
Lang'eyne
LaopanglbgUndocumented Loloish language
LoarkilrkAlso covered under Gade Lohar (gda)
LopilovUndocumented Loloish language
Lumba-YakkhaluuYakkha language; name exists due to form errors
MundaunxDuplicate of Mundari
Ndonde HambanjdDialect of Makonde language
NorranrrDuplicate of Nung
Northwestern Farsfazall likely candidates in the area already have ISO codes
OdutodaExtinct and unattested Nigerian language
Old Turkishotk
OntenuontA place rather than a language
PhangduwaliphwYakkha language; name exists due to form errors
PisabopigAsserted to be both unattested and non-distinct by Glottolog
PokangápokSpurious misidentification of Waimajã
PotiguárapogUnattested language, Glottolog argues is likely Old Tupi
Puimei NaganpuIndistinct variety of one of the related languages
Putohput
Quetzaltepec Mixepxm
Rufijirui
Skagitskaduplicate of Lushootseed
Snohomishsnoduplicate of Lushootseed
Southern LolopoyspConfused entry duplicating either Lolopo or Miqie
Southwestern NisunsvLikely confused additional Nisu language (spoken in same locations as Southern Nisu)
Syerna SenoufoshzShould be subsumed into Sìcìté Sénoufo
Tawang MonpatwmChinese and Indian name for Dakpakha
TetetetebUnattested, but intelligeble with Siona language
Thu LaotylDuplicate of Dai Zhuang
Tingui-BototgvEthnic group speaking Dzubukuá
WelaungweuPlace name, not a language
Yarsunyrs
Yaumayax

References and notes
  1. Campbell, Lyle (2012). "Classification of the indigenous languages of South America". In Grondona, Verónica; Campbell, Lyle (eds.). The Indigenous Languages of South America. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 2. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 59–166. ISBN 9783110255133.
  2. Upper Kaeme may correspond to Korowai.
  3. Tapeba at Ethnologue (17th ed., 2013) closed access
  4. Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2017). "Tapeba". Glottolog 3.0. Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
  5. "Glottolog 2.4 – Adabe". Glottolog.org. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  6. "ISO 639-3 Change History". 01.sil.org. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  7. Sidwell, 2009, Classifying the Austroasiatic languages
  8. "Ethnologue 14 report for language code:JIJ". Ethnologue.com. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  9. "Ethnologue 14 report for language code:CKN". Ethnologue.com. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  10. "Ethnologue 14 report for language code:LWD". Ethnologue.com. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  11. "Ethnologue 14 report for language code:ORB". Ethnologue.com. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  12. "Ethnologue 14 report for language code:MUF". Ethnologue.com. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  13. "Ethnologue 14 report for language code:NCQ". Ethnologue.com. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  14. "Ethnologue 14 report for language code:NKQ". Ethnologue.com. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  15. "Ethnologue 14 report for language code:OSO". Ethnologue.com. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  16. "Ethnologue 14 report for language code:RUR". Ethnologue.com. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  17. "Ethnologue 14 report for language code:WBD". Ethnologue.com. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  18. Hurd, Conrad (8 August 2006). "Request Number 2006-016 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  19. Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2017). "Miarra". Glottolog 3.0. Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
  20. Hurd, Conrad (26 March 2007). "Request Number 2006-122 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  21. Hurd, Conrad (21 March 2007). "Request Number 2006-124 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  22. Holbrook, David J. (5 April 2007). "Request Number 2007-003 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  23. Peebles, Matt (1 September 2007). "Request Number 2007-254 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  24. Woodward, Mark (23 May 2007). "Request Number 2007-024 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  25. Hurd, Conrad (8 August 2006). "Request Number 2006-016 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  26. McLaughlin, John (3 March 2008). "Request Number 2008-030 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  27. Legère, Karsten (18 August 2011). "Request Number 2011-133 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  28. Bickford, J. Albert (31 January 2014). "Request Number 2014-010 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  29. "Request Number 2014-032 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  30. "639 Identifier Documentation: dzd". SIL International. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  31. "639 Identifier Documentation: xsj". SIL International. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  32. Dyer, Josh (28 August 2014). "Request Number 2014-059 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  33. "Request Number 2015-011 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  34. "Request Number 2015-032 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  35. Cheeseman, Nate (16 February 2016). "Request Number 2016-010 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  36. Bickford, Albert (23 September 2015). "Request Number 2016-002 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  37. Cheeseman, Nate (27 October 2015). "Request Number 2016-005 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  38. "Request Number 2016-004 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  39. Bickford, J. Albert (9 March 2017). "Request Number 2017-013 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  40. Legère, Karsten (18 May 2017). "Request Number 2017-017 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  41. Legère, Karsten (31 August 2016). "Request Number 2016-029 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  42. "Request Number 2018-016 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  43. Gehrmann, Ryan (22 January 2018). "Request Number 2018-008 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  44. "Request Number 2018-011 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  45. "Request Number 2019-017 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 1 March 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  46. "Request Number 2019-018 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  47. "Request Number 2019-013 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 5 January 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  48. "Request Number 2019-019 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  49. "Request Number 2019-020 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  50. "Request Number 2019-028 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  51. "Request Number 2019-029 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 18 March 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  52. "Request Number 2019-015 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 16 February 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  53. "Request Number 2019-026 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 12 March 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  54. "Request Number 2019-025 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 7 March 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  55. "Request Number 2019-034 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  56. "Request Number 2019-032 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  57. "2020-026 | Iso 639-3".
  58. "Request Number 2021-015 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  59. "Request Number 2021-021 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  60. "Request Number 2022-012 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  61. "Request Number 2022-012 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  62. "Request Number 2022-011 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  63. "Request Number 2022-015 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  64. "Request Number 2022-009 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  65. Turki, Houcemeddine (21 April 2021). "Request Number 2021-020 for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). SIL International. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
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