When were similarities between the languages first noticed?
1706
By whom?
Dutch scholar Adriaan Reland
Where are the languages spoken?
Maritime Southeast Asia, Madagascar and the islands of the Pacific Ocean
Are there any members in Asia?
Yes
How many?
a few
How many speak Austronesian?
about 386 million people
Is it the largest spoken language?
fifth-largest
What languages encompass the top 4?
Indo-European languages, the Sino-Tibetan languages, the Niger-Congo languages, and the Afroasiatic languages.
How many languages does the family contain?
1,257
Is that the 3rd most?
no
Where does it stand?
second most