The
Plains Algonquian languages are commonly grouped together as a subgroup of the larger
Algonquian family, itself a member of the
Algic family. Though this 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 closer related to one another than to any other Algonquian language. Within the Algonquian family, only
Eastern Algonquian constitutes a separate
genetic subgroup.