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Salishan languages

 

 

 

 

 

Salishan languages


 
 


The Salishan (also Salish) languages are a group of languages of western CanadaCanada

Canada is the world's second-largest country by total area, occupying most of northern North America....
 and the Pacific NorthwestPacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest in its broadest definition is an area that includes part of the west coast of United States and Canada...
 of the United StatesUnited States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is...
. They are characterised by agglutinativity and astonishing consonantConsonant

In articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a sound in spoken language that is characterized by a closure or stricture of the ...
 clusters—for instance the NuxálkNuxálk language Overview

Nuxlk is a Salishan language spoken in the vicinity of the Canadian town Bella Coola, British Columbia by approximately 20-3...
 word (IPA: ) meaning "he had had a bunchberryBunchberry

Bunchberry is a common name for two species of dwarf dogwoods:...
 plant" has 13 consonants in a row with no vowels.


The terms Salish and Salishan are used interchangeably by Salishan linguists and anthropologists. The name Salish is actually the autonymAutonym

Autonym may refer to*an endonym, the self-assigned name of an ethnic group...
 of Flathead NationConfederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation are the Bitterroot Salish, Kootenai and Pend d'Oreil...
. The name was later extended by linguists to refer to other related languages. Many languages do not have self-designations and instead have specific names for local dialects as the local group was more important culturally than larger tribal relations.

All Salishan languages are endangeredEndangered language Summary

An endangered language is a language with so few surviving speakers that it is in danger of falling out of use....
—some extremely so with only three or four speakers left. Practically all languages only have speakers who are over sixty years of age, and many languages only have speakers over eighty.

Family division


The Salishan language family consists of twenty-three languages. Below is a list of Salishan languages, dialects, and sub-dialects. This list is a linguistic classification that may not correspond to political divisions. Many Salishan groups consider their variety of speech to be a separate language rather than a dialectDialect

A dialect is a variety of a language used by people from a particular geographic area....
.



I. Bella Coola
1. NuxálkNuxálk language

Nuxlk is a Salishan language spoken in the vicinity of the Canadian town Bella Coola, British Columbia by approximately 20-3...
(a.k.a. Bella Coola, Salmon River)

  • Kimsquit
  • Bella Coola
  • Kwatna
  • Tallheo


II. Coast SalishCoast Salish

Coast Salish is a subgroup of the Salishan language family, but can also refer to First Nations or Native American cultures ...


A. Central Coast Salish (a.k.a. Central Salish)

2. Comox
  • Comox (a.k.a. Q'ómox??s)
  • Sliammon (Homalco-Klahoose-Sliammon) (a.k.a. ?ay?ajú??m)

3. Halkomelem
Island (a.k.a. Hul'q_'umi'num', h?l?q??mín??m?)
  • Cowichan
  • Snuneymuxw/NanaimoSnuneymuxw First Nation

    The Snuneymuxw First Nation are a First Nation of Coast Salish people....


Downriver (a.k.a. Hunq'um?i?num?)
  • Katzie
  • KwantlenKwantlen

    Kwantlen generally refers to one of the following:...
  • MusqueamMusqueam Indian Band

    The Musqueam are the only Indian band whose reserve lies within the boundaries of the City of Vancouver....


Upriver (a.k.a. Upper Sto:lo, Halq'?méyl?m)
  • Chehalis (Canada)
  • Chilliwack
  • TaitTait

    Tait may refer to the following:* a Scottish surname that most likely originated in Berwickshire, Scotland....
  • Skway

4. LushootseedLushootseed Overview

Lushootseed is the language or dialect continuum of several Salish...
(a.k.a. Puget Salish, Skagit-Nisqually, Dx?l?šúcid)
Northern
  • Skagit (a.k.a. Skaj?t)
  • SnohomishSnohomish (tribe)

    Snohomish is the name of a tribe of Native Americans who reside around the Puget Sound area of Washington, north of Seattle....
     (a.k.a. Sduhubš)


Southern
  • Duwamish-SuquamishDuwamish (tribe)

    The Duwamish tribe is a Native American tribe in western Washington, and the indigenous people of metropolitan Seattle....
     (a.k.a. Dx?du?abš)
  • PuyallupPuyallup (tribe)

    The Puyallup are a Native American tribe from western Washington state, U.S.A....
     (a.k.a. Spuyal?pubš)
  • NisquallyNisqually (tribe)

    Nisqually is a Native American tribe in western Washington state in the United States....
     (a.k.a. Sq?ali?abš)


5. Noxws'a7aqNoxws'a7aq language

The Noxws'a7aq language, also known as the Nooksack language, is a Coast Salish language spoken by the Noxws'a7aq peop...
(a.k.a. Nooksack ??´c?l?s?m, ??´cælos?m) (†)
6. Pentlatch (a.k.a. P?n??ác) (†)
7. SháshíshálhSháshíshálh language

The Sh?sh?sh?lh language, also called Shashishalhem and the Sechelt language, is a Coast Salish language spoken...
(a.k.a. Sechelt, Seshelt, Shashishalhem, šášíšá??m)
8. S?wxwú7mesh snichim (a.k.a. Squamish, Sqwxwu7mish, S?wx_wú7mesh, sq?x??ú?m?š)
i. Straits Salish group (a.k.a. Straits)
9. KlallamKlallam language

Klallam or Clallam is a nearly extinct Straits Salishan language that was traditionally spoken by the Klallam peoples ...
(a.k.a. Clallam, N?x?s??áy?emúc?n)
  • Becher Bay
  • Eastern
  • Western

10. Northern StraitsNorth Straits Salish language

North Straits Salish is a Salishan language which includes the dialects of Lummi, Samish, Saanich, Semi...
(a.k.a. Straits)
  • LummiLummi (linguistics) Overview

    Lummi is a dialect of the North Straits Salish language traditionally spoken by the Lummi people of northwest Washington, in...
     (a.k.a. Xwlemi'chosen, x?l?mi?cós?n) (†)
  • SaanichSaanich (linguistics)

    Saanich is the language of the Saanich people in Native America....
     (a.k.a. SENCOTEN, s?ncá??n, sén?cq?n)
  • SamishSamish

    The Samish are a Native American tribe located in the Washington area....
     (a.k.a. Si?nem?š)
  • SemiahmooSemiahmoo

    Semiahmoo can refer to several places....
     (a.k.a. Tah-tu-lo) (†)
  • Sooke (a.k.a. T'sou-ke, c?awk) (†)
  • SongheesSonghees

    The Songhees or Songish, also known as the Lekwungen or Lekungen, are an indigenous North American Coast S...
     (a.k.a. L?k????ín???) (†)


11. Twana (a.k.a. Skokomish, Sq?uq?ú?b?šq, Tuwáduqutšad) (†)
  • Quilcene
  • SkokomishSkokomish (tribe)

    ...
     (a.k.a. Sq?uq?ú?b?šq)



B. Tsamosan (a.k.a. Olympic)

i. Inland
12. CowlitzCowlitz (tribe)

Cowlitz is a group of Native American peoples from what is now western Washington state in the United States....
(a.k.a. Lower Cowlitz, S??púlmš) (†)
13. Upper ChehalisFacts About Chehalis (tribe)

Chehalis is a group of Native American peoples from western...
(a.k.a. Q??ay?áyi?q?) (†)
  • Oakville Chehalis
  • Satsop
  • Tenino Chehalis

ii. Maritime
14. Lower ChehalisChehalis (tribe)

Chehalis is a group of Native American peoples from western...
(a.k.a. ??w?ál?m?š) (†)
  • Humptulips
  • Westport-Shoalwater
  • Wynoochee

15. QuinaultQuinault (tribe)

...
(a.k.a. K?ínay?)
  • Queets
  • QuinaultQuinault

    Quinault can mean:* Quinault, Native American tribe...



C. Tillamook

16. TillamookTillamook language

Tillamook is an extinct Salishan language, formerly spoken by the Tillamook tribe in northwestern Oregon, USA. ...
(a.k.a. Hutyéyu) (†)
Siletz
  • SiletzSiletz (tribe)

    This article refers to the historical Siletz tribe, which is to be distinguished from the currently existing Confederated Tr...


Tillamook
  • Garibaldi-Nestucca
  • NehalemNehalem

    Nehalem may refer to:* The Nehalem, a tribe of native American people who lived in the Pacific Northwest...



III. Interior SalishInterior Salish

Interior Salish is a Salishan language, but can also refer to First Nations/Native American cultures who speak the language....


A. Northern

17. ShuswapShuswap language

The Shuswap language, known to its speakers as or Secwepemctsín, is the traditional language of the Shuswap people of the s...
(a.k.a. Secwepemctsín, s?xw?pm?xcín)
Eastern
  • Kinbasket
  • Shuswap Lake

Western
  • Canim Lake
  • Chu Chua
  • Deadman's Creek-Kamloops
  • Fraser River
  • Pavilion-Bonaparte

18. St'at'imcetsSt'at'imcets language

St'at'imcets is an Interior Salishan language spoken in southern British Columbia, Canada around the middle Fraser and Lillo...
(a.k.a. Lillooet, Lilloet, St'át'imcets)
  • Lillooet-Fountain
  • Mount Currie-Douglas

19. Thompson River SalishNlaka'pamux

The Nlaka'pamux are an indigenous First Nations/Native American people of Salish ethnicity in southern British Columbia and ...
(a.k.a. Nlaka'pamux, Ntlakapmuk, n?e?kepmxcín, Thompson River, Thompson Salish, Thompson, known in frontier times as the Hakamaugh, Klackarpun, Couteau or Knife Indians)
  • Lytton
  • Nicola Valley
  • Spuzzum-Boston Bar
  • Thompson Canyon


B. Southern

20. Coeur d’AleneCoeur d'Alene language

Coeur d'Alene is a Salishan language spoken by only five of the 800 individuals in the Coeur d'Alene Tribe on the Coeur d'Al...
(a.k.a. Snchitsu'umshtsn, sncícu?umšcn)
21. ColumbianSinkiuse-Columbia Overview

The Sinkiuse-Columbia were a Native American tribe so called because of their former prominent association with the Columbia...
(a.k.a. Columbia, Nxa?amxcín)
  • Chelan
  • Entiat
  • Columbia-MosesColumbia-Moses

    Columbia-Moses is a Southern Interior Salish language, also known as Nxa?mxc?n....
  • Wenatchee (a.k.a. Pesquous)

22. Colville-Okanagan (a.k.a. Okanagan, Nsilxcín, Nsíylxc?n, ta nukunaqínxc?n)
Northern
  • Quilchena & Spaxomin
  • Head of the Lakes
  • Penticton
  • SimilkameenSimilkameen

    Similkameen is the name of a river in British Columbia which has several possible local meanings:...
  • Vernon

Southern
  • Lakes-Colville-Inchelium
  • Methow
  • San Poil-Nespelem
  • Southern Okanogan

23. Spokane-Kalispel-FlatheadKalispel-Pend d'Oreille

Kalispel-Pend d'oreille is a language spoken in Kalispel Reservation, Washington. ...
(a.k.a. Kalispel)
  • FlatheadConfederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation

    The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation are the Bitterroot Salish, Kootenai and Pend d'Oreil...
     (a.k.a. Séliš)
  • Kalispel (a.k.a. Qalispé)
  • Chewelah
  • KalispelKalispel

    Kalispel may refer to:* Pend d'Oreilles, a tribe of Native Americans...
  • Pend d’Oreile
  • SpokaneSpokane (tribe) Summary

    The Spokan are First Nations/Native American people in the northeastern portion of the U.S....
     (a.k.a. Npoqínišcn)


Pentlatch, Nooksack, Twana, Lower Chehalis, Upper Chehalis, Cowlitz, and Tillamook are now extinctExtinct language

An extinct language is a language which no longer has any native speakers....
. Additionally, the Lummi, Semiahmoo, Songhees, and Sooke dialects of Northern Straits are also extinct.

Genetic relations

No relationship to any other language is well established. The most plausible connection is with the language isolateLanguage isolate Overview

A language isolate, in the absolute sense, is a natural language with no demonstrable genealogical relationship with other l...
 Kutenai (Kootenai), which is generally considered not unlikely but not solidly established.

Edward SapirEdward Sapir

Edward Sapir , was an American anthropologist-linguist, a leader in American structural linguistics, and one of the creator...
 suggested that the Salishan languages may be related to the WakashanWakashan languages

Wakashan is a family of languages spoken in British Columbia around and on Vancouver Island....
 and Chimakuan languagesChimakuan languages

The Chimakuan language family consists of two languages spoken in northwestern Washington, USA on the Olympic Peninsula....
 in a hypothetical MosanMosan

Mosan is a hypothetical language family consisting of the Salishan, Wakashan, and Chimakuan languages of the Pacific Northwe...
 family. This proposal persists primarily due to Sapir's stature. There is little evidence for it and no progress has been made in reconstructing such a family.

The Salishan languages, principally Chehalis, contributed greatly to the vocabulary of the Chinook JargonChinook Jargon

Chinook Jargon was a trade language of the Pacific Northwest, which spread quickly up the West Coast from Oregon, through Wa...
.

Family features


  • post-velar harmonyVowel harmony

    Vowel harmony is a type of long-distance assimilatory phonological process involving vowels in some languages....
     (more areal)
  • presence of syllables without vowels
  • grammatical reduplicationReduplication

    Reduplication, in linguistics, is a morphological process in which the root or stem of a word, or only part of it, is repeat...
  • nonconcatenation|metathesis]], glottalizationGlottalization

    See also Glottalic consonantGlottalization is the complete or partial closure of the glottis during the articulation of...
    )
  • tenselessness
  • nounlessness (controversial)

External links

  • (YDLI)
  • (Native languages of the Northwest)
  • (Linguist List)
  • (includes sound files)
  • (Timothy Montler's site)
  • (Timothy Montler's site)
  • by Peter LadefogedPeter Ladefoged

    Peter Nielsen Ladefoged was an English-American linguist phonetician who traveled the world to document the distinct sounds...
     


Bibliography

  • Bibliography of the Salishan Languages. Gardners Books, 2007. ISBN 9781430469278
  • Boas, Franz, et al. Folk-Tales of Salishan and Sahaptin Tribes. Memoirs of the American Folk-lore Society, 11. Lancaster, Pa: American Folk-Lore Society, 1917.
  • Czaykowska-Higgins, Ewa; & Kinkade, M. DaleDale Kinkade

    M. Dale Kinkade was a linguist known especially for his work on Salishan languages....
     (Eds.). (1997). Salish languages and linguistics: Theoretical and descriptive perspectives. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. ISBN 3-11-015492-7.
  • Flathead Culture Committee. Common Names of the Flathead Language. St. Ignatius, Mont: The Committee, 1981.
  • Kroeber, Paul D. (1999). The Salish language family: Reconstructing syntax. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press in cooperation with the American Indian Studies Research Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington.
  • Kuipers, Aert H. Salish Etymological Dictionary. Missoula, MT: Linguistics Laboratory, University of Montana, 2002. ISBN 1879763168
  • Liedtke, Stefan. Pilling, James Constantine. Bibliography of the Salishan Languages. Washington: G.P.O., 1893.
  • Thompson, Laurence C. (1973). The northwest. In T. A. Sebeok (Ed.), Linguistics in North America (pp. 979-1045). Current trends in linguistics (Vol. 10). The Hague: Mouton.
  • Thompson, Laurence C. (1979). Salishan and the northwest. In L. Campbell & M. Mithun (Eds.), The languages of native America: Historical and comparative assessment (pp. 692-765). Austin: University of Texas Press.