Muskogean Languages

Muskogean languages, family of perhaps six North American Indian languages spoken or formerly spoken across much of what is now the southeastern United States. In the 16th century Koasati (Coushatta) and Alabama were probably spoken in what is now northern Alabama, and Creek (Muskogee) and Mikasuki were spoken in Alabama and Georgia. To the west were Chickasaw in northern Mississippi and western Tennessee and Choctaw in central Mississippi. The forced removals of the 1830s (see Trail of Tears) had pushed most of the remaining Muskogean-speakers either west of the Mississippi or into Florida, where the Seminole continue to speak a dialect of Creek in central Florida and Mikasuki (Miccosukee) in the Everglades. The extant Muskogean languages continue to be spoken, at least by adults, with Choctaw (in Oklahoma and Mississippi) having the most speakers.