The Algic languages

Language family · North America

WALS includes 31 Algic languages in 3 branches; all of them are in North America.

All 9 members coded for basic word order are lacking a dominant word order.

The most solid shared trait: all 9 members coded for Order of Subject, Object and Verb have lacking a dominant word order.

Of these, 5 have a full page on this site.

Every Algic language in WALS, placed at the point the atlas gives for it.

Word order against the world

Members with at least 30 coded features, compared with every language WALS codes for each pairing.

dependent before the headboth or otherafter the head

Where the family agrees most
Feature	Most frequent value	Members
Order of Subject, Object and Verb	Lacking a dominant word order	9 of 9
Order of Demonstrative and Noun	Demonstrative word precedes noun (DemN)	9 of 9
Order of Object, Oblique, and Verb	More than one order with none dominant	8 of 8
Finger and Hand	Different	20 of 22
Hand and Arm	Different	20 of 23
Expression of Pronominal Subjects	Pronominal subjects are expressed by clitics with variable host	6 of 8
Coding of Nominal Plurality	Plural suffix	6 of 8
Order of Subject and Verb	Both orders with neither order dominant	6 of 9

Where it is most divided
Feature	Largest group	Members
Coding of Evidentiality	No grammatical evidentials	5 of 11
Order of Adposition and Noun Phrase	No adpositions	4 of 8
Semantic Distinctions of Evidentiality	Only indirect evidentials	6 of 11
Order of Object and Verb	Object follows verb (VO)	5 of 9
Negative Morphemes	Negative particle	5 of 8

Language	Branch	Basic order	Features coded
Blackfoot	Algonquian	no dominant order	35
Cree (Plains)	Algonquian	no dominant order	105
Menomini	Algonquian	no dominant order	33
Ojibwa (Eastern)	Algonquian	no dominant order	52
Passamaquoddy-Maliseet	Algonquian	no dominant order	84
Wiyot	Wiyot	no dominant order	47
Yurok	Yurok	no dominant order	94

Not listed: 24 further Algic languages with fewer than 20 coded features.