The Central Algonquian languages are commonly grouped together as a subgroup of the larger Algonquian family, itself a member of the Algic family. Though the grouping is often encountered in the literature, it is an areal grouping rather than a genetic one. In other words, the languages are grouped together because they were spoken near each other, not because they are any more closely related to one another than to any other Algonquian language. Within the Algonquian family, only Eastern Algonquian is a valid genealogical group.
Within the Central Algonquian grouping languages that are closely related are Potawatomi and Chippewa, otherwise known as Ojibwe, which are generally grouped together as an Ojibwa-Potawatomi sub-branch. David J. Costa speculated in his 2003-2004 web publications that within Central Algonquian is a specific language sub-branch that he refers to as "Eastern Great Lakes." The hypothesis for the subgroup is based on lexical and phonological innovations.
Family division
The languages are listed below along with dialects and subdialects. This classification follows Goddard (1996) and Mithun (1999).
1. Cree-Montagnais (also known as Kirištino˙ or Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi)
i. Cree2. Menominee (also known as Menomini)
I. Eastern Great Lakes (also known as Core Central)