The ASCL has a three-level hierarchical structure.
The third and most detailed level of the classification consists of the base units which are Languages as described above (see: Definition of language). The classification consists of 193 base or third-level units including 26 'not elsewhere classified' (nec) and three 'other' categories, which contain entities that are not listed separately in the classification (See: Reserved codes for residual categories). The 193 base-level units are comprised of 49 'European' Languages (six nec categories), 55 Aboriginal Languages (five nec categories), and 89 Languages (15 nec and three 'other' categories) covering the languages of the rest of the world.
The second level of the classification comprises 48 Narrow Groups of Languages similar in terms of the classification criteria, including five 'other' categories which consist of languages which do not fit into a particular Narrow Group (see: Classification criteria and their application). Narrow Groups contain between one and 22 Language categories.
The first and most general level of the classification comprises nine Broad Groups of Languages including one 'other' category. Broad Groups are formed by aggregating geographically proximate Narrow Groups.
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