{
  "metadata": {
    "version": "1.0",
    "created": "2025-12-16",
    "description": "Comprehensive dataset of world language families and evolution"
  },
  "proto_world": {
    "note": "Hypothetical common ancestor - not scientifically established",
    "estimated_date": "50000-100000 BCE",
    "status": "hypothetical"
  },
  "language_families": [
    {
      "id": "japonic",
      "name": "Japonic",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Japonic",
        "estimated_date_bce": 500,
        "date_range_bce": [
          700,
          300
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "medium",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Korean Peninsula",
          "coordinates": [
            37.0,
            127.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": [
            "Southern China"
          ]
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 128000000,
      "number_of_languages": 12,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Japan"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": {
        "language": "Old Japanese",
        "date_bce": -700,
        "writing_system": "Man'y\u014dgana"
      },
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "japanese",
          "name": "Japanese"
        },
        {
          "id": "ryukyuan",
          "name": "Ryukyuan"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": [
        {
          "hypothesis_name": "Japonic-Koreanic",
          "related_families": [
            "korean"
          ],
          "status": "controversial",
          "evidence_level": "moderate"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "mongolic",
      "name": "Mongolic",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Mongolic",
        "estimated_date_bce": -750,
        "date_range_bce": [
          -500,
          -1000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "medium",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Eastern Mongolia",
          "coordinates": [
            48.0,
            115.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 6000000,
      "number_of_languages": 14,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "East Asia",
        "Central Asia"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": {
        "language": "Middle Mongol",
        "date_bce": -1200,
        "writing_system": "Mongolian script"
      },
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "eastern-mongolic",
          "name": "Eastern Mongolic"
        },
        {
          "id": "western-mongolic",
          "name": "Western Mongolic"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": [
        {
          "hypothesis_name": "Altaic",
          "related_families": [
            "turkic",
            "tungusic",
            "koreanic",
            "japonic"
          ],
          "status": "rejected",
          "evidence_level": "weak"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "tungusic",
      "name": "Tungusic",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Tungusic",
        "estimated_date_bce": 0,
        "date_range_bce": [
          500,
          -500
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Manchuria",
          "coordinates": [
            45.0,
            125.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 100000,
      "number_of_languages": 12,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Siberia",
        "Manchuria"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": {
        "language": "Jurchen",
        "date_bce": -1119,
        "writing_system": "Jurchen script"
      },
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "northern-tungusic",
          "name": "Northern Tungusic"
        },
        {
          "id": "southern-tungusic",
          "name": "Southern Tungusic"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": [
        {
          "hypothesis_name": "Altaic",
          "related_families": [
            "turkic",
            "mongolic",
            "koreanic",
            "japonic"
          ],
          "status": "rejected",
          "evidence_level": "weak"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "kartvelian",
      "name": "Kartvelian",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Kartvelian",
        "estimated_date_bce": 2500,
        "date_range_bce": [
          3000,
          2000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "medium",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "South Caucasus",
          "coordinates": [
            42.0,
            44.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 5000000,
      "number_of_languages": 4,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Georgia"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": {
        "language": "Old Georgian",
        "date_bce": -430,
        "writing_system": "Georgian script"
      },
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "svan",
          "name": "Svan"
        },
        {
          "id": "georgian-zan",
          "name": "Georgian-Zan"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "hmong-mien",
      "name": "Hmong-Mien",
      "alternative_names": [
        "Miao-Yao"
      ],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Hmong-Mien",
        "estimated_date_bce": 2000,
        "date_range_bce": [
          2500,
          1500
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "medium",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Southern China",
          "coordinates": [
            28.0,
            110.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 10000000,
      "number_of_languages": 35,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Southern China",
        "Southeast Asia"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": null,
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "hmongic",
          "name": "Hmongic"
        },
        {
          "id": "mienic",
          "name": "Mienic"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": [
        {
          "hypothesis_name": "Austric",
          "related_families": [
            "austronesian",
            "austroasiatic",
            "kra-dai"
          ],
          "status": "controversial",
          "evidence_level": "weak"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "pama-nyungan",
      "name": "Pama-Nyungan",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Pama-Nyungan",
        "estimated_date_bce": 5500,
        "date_range_bce": [
          6000,
          5000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Northeastern Australia",
          "coordinates": [
            -15.0,
            145.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 50000,
      "number_of_languages": 300,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": null,
      "branches": [],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "indo-european",
      "name": "Indo-European",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Indo-European",
        "estimated_date_bce": 4500,
        "date_range_bce": [
          6400,
          3500
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Pontic-Caspian steppe",
          "coordinates": [
            48.0,
            40.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": [
            "Anatolian hypothesis"
          ]
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 3400000000,
      "number_of_languages": 445,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Europe",
        "South Asia",
        "Americas",
        "Oceania"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": {
        "language": "Hittite",
        "date_bce": 1700,
        "writing_system": "Cuneiform"
      },
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "anatolian",
          "name": "Anatolian",
          "estimated_divergence_bce": 3500
        },
        {
          "id": "indo-iranian",
          "name": "Indo-Iranian",
          "estimated_divergence_bce": 2200
        },
        {
          "id": "hellenic",
          "name": "Hellenic",
          "estimated_divergence_bce": 2500
        },
        {
          "id": "italic",
          "name": "Italic",
          "estimated_divergence_bce": 3000
        },
        {
          "id": "celtic",
          "name": "Celtic",
          "estimated_divergence_bce": 3000
        },
        {
          "id": "germanic",
          "name": "Germanic",
          "estimated_divergence_bce": 3300
        },
        {
          "id": "balto-slavic",
          "name": "Balto-Slavic",
          "estimated_divergence_bce": 2800
        },
        {
          "id": "armenian",
          "name": "Armenian",
          "estimated_divergence_bce": 2800
        },
        {
          "id": "albanian",
          "name": "Albanian",
          "estimated_divergence_bce": 1000
        },
        {
          "id": "tocharian",
          "name": "Tocharian",
          "estimated_divergence_bce": 3700
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [
        {
          "topic": "Indo-Hittite hypothesis",
          "positions": [
            "Anatolian as first branch",
            "Anatolian as sister to PIE"
          ],
          "status": "ongoing"
        }
      ],
      "proposed_relationships": [
        {
          "hypothesis_name": "Indo-Uralic",
          "related_families": [
            "uralic"
          ],
          "status": "controversial",
          "evidence_level": "moderate"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "sino-tibetan",
      "name": "Sino-Tibetan",
      "alternative_names": [
        "Trans-Himalayan"
      ],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Sino-Tibetan",
        "estimated_date_bce": 5000,
        "date_range_bce": [
          6000,
          4000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Yellow River valley, North China",
          "coordinates": [
            34.9,
            108.9
          ],
          "alternative_theories": [
            "Southwest China"
          ]
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 1400000000,
      "number_of_languages": 460,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "East Asia",
        "Southeast Asia",
        "South Asia"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": {
        "language": "Old Chinese",
        "date_bce": 1250,
        "writing_system": "Oracle bone script"
      },
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "sinitic",
          "name": "Sinitic"
        },
        {
          "id": "tibeto-burman",
          "name": "Tibeto-Burman"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [
        {
          "topic": "Unity of Sino-Tibetan",
          "positions": [
            "Valid family",
            "Not a valid family"
          ],
          "status": "ongoing"
        }
      ],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "afro-asiatic",
      "name": "Afro-Asiatic",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Afro-Asiatic",
        "estimated_date_bce": 12000,
        "date_range_bce": [
          15000,
          10000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Horn of Africa",
          "coordinates": [
            10.0,
            49.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": [
            "North Africa"
          ]
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 495000000,
      "number_of_languages": 375,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "North Africa",
        "Horn of Africa",
        "West Asia"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": {
        "language": "Ancient Egyptian",
        "date_bce": 3300,
        "writing_system": "Hieroglyphics"
      },
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "semitic",
          "name": "Semitic"
        },
        {
          "id": "berber",
          "name": "Berber"
        },
        {
          "id": "chadic",
          "name": "Chadic"
        },
        {
          "id": "cushitic",
          "name": "Cushitic"
        },
        {
          "id": "omotic",
          "name": "Omotic"
        },
        {
          "id": "egyptian",
          "name": "Egyptian"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [
        {
          "topic": "Omotic branch membership",
          "positions": [
            "Omotic is a branch of Afro-Asiatic",
            "Omotic is a separate family"
          ],
          "status": "ongoing"
        }
      ],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "niger-congo",
      "name": "Niger-Congo",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Niger-Congo",
        "estimated_date_bce": 12000,
        "date_range_bce": [
          15000,
          10000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "West Africa",
          "coordinates": [
            10.0,
            0.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 700000000,
      "number_of_languages": 1500,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Sub-Saharan Africa"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": null,
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "mande",
          "name": "Mande"
        },
        {
          "id": "atlantic",
          "name": "Atlantic"
        },
        {
          "id": "ijoid",
          "name": "Ijoid"
        },
        {
          "id": "kru",
          "name": "Kru"
        },
        {
          "id": "gur",
          "name": "Gur"
        },
        {
          "id": "adamawa-ubangi",
          "name": "Adamawa-Ubangi"
        },
        {
          "id": "kwa",
          "name": "Kwa"
        },
        {
          "id": "benue-congo",
          "name": "Benue-Congo"
        },
        {
          "id": "kordofanian",
          "name": "Kordofanian"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [
        {
          "topic": "Unity of Niger-Congo",
          "positions": [
            "Valid family",
            "Not a valid family"
          ],
          "status": "ongoing"
        }
      ],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "austronesian",
      "name": "Austronesian",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Austronesian",
        "estimated_date_bce": 3500,
        "date_range_bce": [
          4000,
          3000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "medium",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Taiwan",
          "coordinates": [
            23.5,
            121.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 386000000,
      "number_of_languages": 1200,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Maritime Southeast Asia",
        "Madagascar",
        "Pacific Islands"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": null,
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "formosan",
          "name": "Formosan"
        },
        {
          "id": "malayo-polynesian",
          "name": "Malayo-Polynesian"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": [
        {
          "hypothesis_name": "Austro-Tai",
          "related_families": [
            "kra-dai"
          ],
          "status": "controversial",
          "evidence_level": "moderate"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "dravidian",
      "name": "Dravidian",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Dravidian",
        "estimated_date_bce": 3500,
        "date_range_bce": [
          4500,
          2500
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "medium",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "South India",
          "coordinates": [
            13.0,
            77.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": [
            "Indus Valley"
          ]
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 250000000,
      "number_of_languages": 80,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "South India",
        "Sri Lanka",
        "Pakistan"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": {
        "language": "Tamil",
        "date_bce": 300,
        "writing_system": "Tamil-Brahmi"
      },
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "south-dravidian",
          "name": "South Dravidian"
        },
        {
          "id": "south-central-dravidian",
          "name": "South-Central Dravidian"
        },
        {
          "id": "central-dravidian",
          "name": "Central Dravidian"
        },
        {
          "id": "north-dravidian",
          "name": "North Dravidian"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [
        {
          "topic": "Relationship to Indus Valley Civilization",
          "positions": [
            "Dravidian languages were spoken by the Indus Valley Civilization",
            "No connection"
          ],
          "status": "ongoing"
        }
      ],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "uralic",
      "name": "Uralic",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Uralic",
        "estimated_date_bce": 5000,
        "date_range_bce": [
          6000,
          4000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Ural Mountains region",
          "coordinates": [
            60.0,
            60.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": [
            "Western Siberia",
            "Central Siberia"
          ]
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 25000000,
      "number_of_languages": 38,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Northern Eurasia"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": null,
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "finnic",
          "name": "Finnic"
        },
        {
          "id": "ugric",
          "name": "Ugric"
        },
        {
          "id": "saamic",
          "name": "Saamic"
        },
        {
          "id": "samoyedic",
          "name": "Samoyedic"
        },
        {
          "id": "permic",
          "name": "Permic"
        },
        {
          "id": "mari",
          "name": "Mari"
        },
        {
          "id": "mordvinic",
          "name": "Mordvinic"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": [
        {
          "hypothesis_name": "Indo-Uralic",
          "related_families": [
            "indo-european"
          ],
          "status": "controversial",
          "evidence_level": "moderate"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "austroasiatic",
      "name": "Austroasiatic",
      "alternative_names": [
        "Mon-Khmer"
      ],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Austroasiatic",
        "estimated_date_bce": 4000,
        "date_range_bce": [
          5000,
          3000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Mainland Southeast Asia",
          "coordinates": [
            16.0,
            102.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": [
            "South China"
          ]
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 117000000,
      "number_of_languages": 168,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Southeast Asia",
        "South Asia"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": {
        "language": "Old Khmer",
        "date_bce": 611,
        "writing_system": "Pallava script"
      },
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "mon-khmer",
          "name": "Mon-Khmer"
        },
        {
          "id": "munda",
          "name": "Munda"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "kra-dai",
      "name": "Kra-Dai",
      "alternative_names": [
        "Tai-Kadai"
      ],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Kra-Dai",
        "estimated_date_bce": 1500,
        "date_range_bce": [
          2000,
          1000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "medium",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Southern China",
          "coordinates": [
            25.0,
            110.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 93000000,
      "number_of_languages": 95,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Southeast Asia",
        "Southern China"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": null,
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "tai",
          "name": "Tai"
        },
        {
          "id": "kadai",
          "name": "Kadai"
        },
        {
          "id": "kra",
          "name": "Kra"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "turkic",
      "name": "Turkic",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Turkic",
        "estimated_date_bce": 0,
        "date_range_bce": [
          500,
          -500
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Central Asia/Mongolia",
          "coordinates": [
            47.0,
            97.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 170000000,
      "number_of_languages": 35,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Eurasia"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": {
        "language": "Old Turkic",
        "date_bce": -700,
        "writing_system": "Orkhon script"
      },
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "common-turkic",
          "name": "Common Turkic"
        },
        {
          "id": "oghur",
          "name": "Oghur"
        },
        {
          "id": "yakut-dolgan",
          "name": "Yakut-Dolgan"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "eskimo-aleut",
      "name": "Eskimo-Aleut",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Eskimo-Aleut",
        "estimated_date_bce": 2000,
        "date_range_bce": [
          3000,
          1000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Bering Strait",
          "coordinates": [
            65.0,
            -169.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 100000,
      "number_of_languages": 11,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Arctic regions of North America and Siberia"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": null,
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "eskimo",
          "name": "Eskimo"
        },
        {
          "id": "aleut",
          "name": "Aleut"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "na-dene",
      "name": "Na-Dene",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Na-Dene",
        "estimated_date_bce": 7000,
        "date_range_bce": [
          8000,
          6000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Alaska/Yukon",
          "coordinates": [
            65.0,
            -140.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 200000,
      "number_of_languages": 40,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "North America"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": null,
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "athabaskan",
          "name": "Athabaskan"
        },
        {
          "id": "eyak",
          "name": "Eyak"
        },
        {
          "id": "tlingit",
          "name": "Tlingit"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [
        {
          "topic": "Haida membership",
          "positions": [
            "Haida is a member of Na-Dene",
            "Haida is a language isolate"
          ],
          "status": "ongoing"
        }
      ],
      "proposed_relationships": [
        {
          "hypothesis_name": "Dene-Yeniseian",
          "related_families": [
            "yeniseian"
          ],
          "status": "proposed",
          "evidence_level": "moderate"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "algic",
      "name": "Algic",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Algic",
        "estimated_date_bce": 1000,
        "date_range_bce": [
          2000,
          0
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Pacific Northwest",
          "coordinates": [
            45.0,
            -120.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 200000,
      "number_of_languages": 30,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "North America"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": null,
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "algonquian",
          "name": "Algonquian"
        },
        {
          "id": "yurok",
          "name": "Yurok"
        },
        {
          "id": "wiyot",
          "name": "Wiyot"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "uto-aztecan",
      "name": "Uto-Aztecan",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Uto-Aztecan",
        "estimated_date_bce": 3000,
        "date_range_bce": [
          4000,
          2000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Southwestern United States / Northwestern Mexico",
          "coordinates": [
            35.0,
            -115.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "established",
      "speakers": 2000000,
      "number_of_languages": 60,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "Western United States",
        "Mexico"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": null,
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "northern-uto-aztecan",
          "name": "Northern Uto-Aztecan"
        },
        {
          "id": "southern-uto-aztecan",
          "name": "Southern Uto-Aztecan"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "nilo-saharan",
      "name": "Nilo-Saharan",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Nilo-Saharan",
        "estimated_date_bce": 11000,
        "date_range_bce": [
          12000,
          10000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "Central/Eastern Africa",
          "coordinates": [
            10.0,
            30.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "controversial",
      "speakers": 37500000,
      "number_of_languages": 200,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "North Africa",
        "East Africa",
        "Central Africa"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": null,
      "branches": [
        {
          "id": "eastern-sudanic",
          "name": "Eastern Sudanic"
        },
        {
          "id": "central-sudanic",
          "name": "Central Sudanic"
        },
        {
          "id": "saharan",
          "name": "Saharan"
        },
        {
          "id": "maban",
          "name": "Maban"
        },
        {
          "id": "fur",
          "name": "Fur"
        },
        {
          "id": "koman",
          "name": "Koman"
        },
        {
          "id": "gumuz",
          "name": "Gumuz"
        },
        {
          "id": "kunama",
          "name": "Kunama"
        },
        {
          "id": "berta",
          "name": "Berta"
        },
        {
          "id": "songhay",
          "name": "Songhay"
        }
      ],
      "controversies": [
        {
          "topic": "Unity of Nilo-Saharan",
          "positions": [
            "Valid family",
            "Geographic grouping (Sprachbund)"
          ],
          "status": "ongoing"
        }
      ],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "trans-new-guinea",
      "name": "Trans-New Guinea",
      "alternative_names": [],
      "proto_language": {
        "name": "Proto-Trans-New Guinea",
        "estimated_date_bce": 8000,
        "date_range_bce": [
          10000,
          6000
        ],
        "date_uncertainty": "high",
        "homeland": {
          "region": "New Guinea highlands",
          "coordinates": [
            -6.0,
            147.0
          ],
          "alternative_theories": []
        }
      },
      "classification_status": "proposed",
      "speakers": 3500000,
      "number_of_languages": 400,
      "geographic_distribution": [
        "New Guinea"
      ],
      "earliest_attestation": null,
      "branches": [],
      "controversies": [
        {
          "topic": "Internal classification",
          "positions": [
            "Highly uncertain"
          ],
          "status": "ongoing"
        }
      ],
      "proposed_relationships": []
    }
  ],
  "language_isolates": [
    {
      "id": "basque",
      "name": "Basque",
      "iso_639_3": "eus",
      "status": "living",
      "speakers": 750000,
      "location": {
        "region": "Iberian Peninsula",
        "coordinates": [
          43.0,
          -2.0
        ]
      },
      "first_attested_bce": -1000,
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "burushaski",
      "name": "Burushaski",
      "iso_639_3": "bsk",
      "status": "living",
      "speakers": 100000,
      "location": {
        "region": "Northern Pakistan",
        "coordinates": [
          36.5,
          74.5
        ]
      },
      "first_attested_bce": null,
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "sumerian",
      "name": "Sumerian",
      "iso_639_3": "sux",
      "status": "extinct",
      "speakers": 0,
      "location": {
        "region": "Mesopotamia",
        "coordinates": [
          33.0,
          44.0
        ]
      },
      "first_attested_bce": 3500,
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "ainu",
      "name": "Ainu",
      "iso_639_3": "ain",
      "status": "critically_endangered",
      "speakers": 10,
      "location": {
        "region": "Northern Japan",
        "coordinates": [
          43.0,
          143.0
        ]
      },
      "first_attested_bce": null,
      "proposed_relationships": [
        {
          "hypothesis": "Altaic",
          "status": "rejected",
          "notes": "Proposed connection to Altaic languages is widely rejected."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "korean",
      "name": "Korean",
      "iso_639_3": "kor",
      "status": "living",
      "speakers": 80000000,
      "location": {
        "region": "Korean Peninsula",
        "coordinates": [
          37.0,
          127.0
        ]
      },
      "first_attested_bce": -600,
      "proposed_relationships": [
        {
          "hypothesis": "Altaic",
          "status": "rejected",
          "notes": "Proposed connection to Altaic languages is widely rejected."
        },
        {
          "hypothesis": "Japonic",
          "status": "controversial",
          "notes": "Proposed connection to Japonic languages is debated."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "nihali",
      "name": "Nihali",
      "iso_639_3": "nll",
      "status": "living",
      "speakers": 2000,
      "location": {
        "region": "Central India",
        "coordinates": [
          21.5,
          76.5
        ]
      },
      "first_attested_bce": null,
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "kusunda",
      "name": "Kusunda",
      "iso_639_3": "kgg",
      "status": "critically_endangered",
      "speakers": 2,
      "location": {
        "region": "Nepal",
        "coordinates": [
          28.0,
          84.0
        ]
      },
      "first_attested_bce": null,
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "haida",
      "name": "Haida",
      "iso_639_3": "hai",
      "status": "critically_endangered",
      "speakers": 20,
      "location": {
        "region": "Pacific Northwest",
        "coordinates": [
          53.0,
          -132.0
        ]
      },
      "first_attested_bce": null,
      "proposed_relationships": [
        {
          "hypothesis": "Na-Dene",
          "status": "disputed",
          "notes": "Sometimes included in Na-Dene, but this is disputed."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "zuni",
      "name": "Zuni",
      "iso_639_3": "zun",
      "status": "living",
      "speakers": 10000,
      "location": {
        "region": "New Mexico",
        "coordinates": [
          35.0,
          -108.0
        ]
      },
      "first_attested_bce": null,
      "proposed_relationships": []
    },
    {
      "id": "purepecha",
      "name": "Pur\u00e9pecha",
      "iso_639_3": "tsz",
      "status": "living",
      "speakers": 140000,
      "location": {
        "region": "Mexico",
        "coordinates": [
          19.5,
          -101.5
        ]
      },
      "first_attested_bce": null,
      "proposed_relationships": []
    }
  ],
  "macro_families": [
    {
      "name": "Nostratic",
      "status": "rejected",
      "proposed_date_bce": 15000,
      "included_families": [
        "indo-european",
        "uralic",
        "altaic",
        "kartvelian",
        "dravidian",
        "afro-asiatic"
      ],
      "proponents": [
        "Holger Pedersen",
        "Vladislav Illich-Svitych",
        "Aharon Dolgopolsky"
      ],
      "evidence": "Lexical and morphological similarities",
      "mainstream_acceptance": "low",
      "controversies": "Methodological flaws, reliance on reconstructed forms, and the time depth involved make it highly speculative."
    },
    {
      "name": "Eurasiatic",
      "status": "rejected",
      "proposed_date_bce": 15000,
      "included_families": [
        "indo-european",
        "uralic",
        "altaic",
        "koreanic",
        "japonic",
        "eskimo-aleut"
      ],
      "proponents": [
        "Joseph Greenberg"
      ],
      "evidence": "Lexical and morphological similarities",
      "mainstream_acceptance": "low",
      "controversies": "Similar to Nostratic, methodological flaws and reliance on reconstructed forms make it highly speculative."
    },
    {
      "name": "Altaic",
      "status": "rejected",
      "proposed_date_bce": 2000,
      "included_families": [
        "turkic",
        "mongolic",
        "tungusic",
        "koreanic",
        "japonic"
      ],
      "proponents": [
        "Gustaf John Ramstedt",
        "Nicholas Poppe"
      ],
      "evidence": "Lexical and morphological similarities",
      "mainstream_acceptance": "low",
      "controversies": "Now considered a Sprachbund (linguistic area) rather than a genetic family by most linguists."
    },
    {
      "name": "Austric",
      "status": "controversial",
      "proposed_date_bce": 8000,
      "included_families": [
        "austronesian",
        "austroasiatic",
        "kra-dai",
        "hmong-mien"
      ],
      "proponents": [
        "Wilhelm Schmidt"
      ],
      "evidence": "Lexical similarities",
      "mainstream_acceptance": "low",
      "controversies": "Not widely accepted due to lack of systematic sound correspondences."
    }
  ],
  "terminology_notes": {
    "deprecated_terms": [
      {
        "old_term": "Ural-Altaic",
        "current_term": "Uralic and Altaic (as separate entities)",
        "reason": "The proposed Ural-Altaic family is now rejected by mainstream linguistics."
      },
      {
        "old_term": "Sino-Tibetan",
        "current_term": "Trans-Himalayan",
        "reason": "Some scholars prefer 'Trans-Himalayan' to avoid implying a close relationship between Sinitic and Tibeto-Burman."
      }
    ],
    "controversial_terms": [
      {
        "term": "Altaic",
        "controversy": "The validity of Altaic as a genetic family is highly disputed. Many linguists now consider it a Sprachbund.",
        "alternatives": [
          "Transeurasian"
        ]
      },
      {
        "term": "Nilo-Saharan",
        "controversy": "The unity of Nilo-Saharan is highly disputed. Some linguists reject it entirely.",
        "alternatives": []
      }
    ]
  }
}