Algonquian–Wakashan languages

Algonquian–Wakashan (also Almosan, Algonkian–Mosan, Algonkin–Wakashan) is a hypothetical language family composed of several established language families that was proposed by Edward Sapir in 1929. His proposal consists of the following:

I. Algic (Algonkin–Ritwan)

A. Algonquian (Algonkin) B. Beothuk C. Wiyot–Yurok (Ritwan)

II. Kutenai (also known as Kootenay; a language isolate)

III. Mosan

A. Wakashan B. Chimakuan C. Salishan

Kutenai may possibly be distantly related to the Salishan family, but this link has not been demonstrated. The Mosan family proposal is also hypothetical and is currently considered undemonstrated, rather appearing to be a Sprachbund.

Joseph Greenberg renamed Sapir's proposal Almosan and grouped it in an even more inclusive Almosan–Keresiouan phylum with the Caddoan, Iroquoian, Keresan, and Siouan families. This proposal has been rejected by linguists specializing in Native American languages.

More recently, Sergei Nikolaev has argued in two papers for a systematic relationship between the Nivkh language of Sakhalin and the Amur basin and the Algic languages on the one hand and a secondary relationship between these two together and the Wakashan languages,.