Editing Lenape Language (section)

== Linguistic Classification ==

Lenape belongs to the Eastern Algonquian branch of the Algonquian language family, one of the largest and most widespread indigenous language families in North America. Related languages include Ojibwe, Cree, Blackfoot, and the now-extinct languages of many New England tribes. Within the Eastern Algonquian branch, Lenape is most closely related to Mahican and the languages of Long Island. The language's position along the Atlantic coast and its extensive documentation by European missionaries and colonists make it particularly important for understanding the history and development of Algonquian languages as a whole.<ref name="mithun">{{cite book |last=Mithun |first=Marianne |title=The Languages of Native North America |year=1999 |publisher=Cambridge University Press}}</ref>

The Unami dialect spoken around Philadelphia differed from Munsee in vocabulary, pronunciation, and some grammatical features, though speakers of both dialects could generally understand one another. Unami itself had regional variations, with slightly different forms spoken along the Delaware River, the Schuylkill River, and in the interior regions. These dialectal differences reflected the decentralized political organization of the Lenape, who lived in autonomous bands rather than a unified tribe. Despite these variations, a shared linguistic heritage united the Lenape and distinguished them from neighboring peoples such as the Iroquois to the north and the Susquehannock to the west.<ref name="goddard"/>