Superfamily (linguistics)
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In linguistics, a superfamily (or macrofamily) is a phyletic unit encompassing several language families. The term is generally used for conjectural families, e.g. the Nostratic, Dené-Caucasian, Altaic, and Proto-World groupings. The term is typically invoked to describe theoretical associations between established language families (e.g. between Turkic, Mongolic, and Tungusic languages, and often – but not always – Korean and Japonic, in the case of Altaic), and has come to carry a connotation of hypothesis, and therefore, controversy. As such, it is rarely applied to accepted groupings like the Indo-European language family. Unlike in language families in which establishment the strict comparative method is applied, superfamilies are normally suggested on the grounds of multilateral comparison which is a much more intuitive method first suggested by Greenberg. It has been shown by Ringe (Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, 1992) that the Greenbergian multilateral comparision is statistically untaneable, however this method, facilitating the establishment of linguistic affiliation to a great extent, still appeals to many and is especially popular among diletants. A stricter approach to superfamily affiliation is suggested by Nichols (Linguistic Diversity in Space and Time, 1992) and is also statistically backed in her book.
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