Re:How to count every language in India (2018)
by marc_abonce on Sunday November 01, 2020 @04:45PM
(#24962793)
> the sentinelese, a known isolated and uncontacted tribe who have preserved their way of life for 60,000 years of isolation.
I don't think they have actually been isolated for 60,000 years though. If I understand correctly, they chose to isolate in the 1800's because the British were kidnapping people. Before that they had contact with other Andaman islanders at least. For example, apparently the Sentinelese may speak a language of the Ongan family[1], which would mean that their language most likely diverged sometime within the last millennium or two, I think.
I don't think they have actually been isolated for 60,000 years though. If I understand correctly, they chose to isolate in the 1800's because the British were kidnapping people. Before that they had contact with other Andaman islanders at least. For example, apparently the Sentinelese may speak a language of the Ongan family[1], which would mean that their language most likely diverged sometime within the last millennium or two, I think.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ongan_languages