Languages in – Revised June 2019

Family1 Language Name2 Other Names3 Dialects4 #5 Communities Where Spoken6 Anishnaabemowin Saulteau 7 1 Saulteau First Nations ALGONQUIAN 1. Anishinaabemowin Ojibway ~ Ojibwe Saulteau Plains Ojibway Blueberry River First Nations Fort Nelson First Nation 2. Nēhiyawēwin ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐍᐏᐣ Saulteau First Nations ALGONQUIAN Nēhiyawēwin (Plains Cree) 1 Cree West Moberly First Nations Plains Cree Many urban areas, especially Vancouver Cheslatta Carrier Nation Nak’albun-Dzinghubun/ Lheidli-T’enneh First Nation Stuart-Trembleur Lake Lhoosk’uz Nation Lhtako Dene Nation (Tl’azt’en, Yekooche, Nadleh Whut’en First Nation Nak’azdli) Nak’azdli Whut’en ATHABASKAN- ᑕᗸᒡ Saik’uz First Nation Carrier 12 EYAK- or 3. Fraser-Nechakoh Stellat’en First Nation 8 Taculli ~ Takulie NA-DENE (Cheslatta, Sdelakoh, Nadleh, First Nation Saik’uz, Lheidli) Tl’azt’en Nation Ts’il Kaz Koh First Nation Blackwater (Lhk’acho, Lhoosk’uz, Ndazko, Lhtakoh) Urban areas, especially Prince George and Quesnel

1 Please see the appendix for definitions of family, language and dialect. 2 The “Language Names” are those used on First Peoples' Language Map of British Columbia (http://fp-maps.ca) and were compiled in consultation with First Nations communities. 3 The “Other Names” are names by which the language is known, today or in the past. Some of these names may no longer be in use and may not be considered acceptable by communities but it is useful to include them in order to assist with the location of language resources which may have used these alternate names. 4 Only dialects spoken in B.C. are included here. These are estimates based on our current knowledge. There may be variation in the spelling of dialect names and in the number of dialects for each language. We encourage people who share dialects of the same language to collaborate on language reclamation, revitalization and maintenance. 5 This refers to the estimated number of dialects. 6 This lists the main communities where a language is spoken but all languages may be spoken in other towns and cities across the province. 7 The Algonquian family is part of the larger Algic . 8 The Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit or Na-Dene family is part of the larger Dené-Yeniseian language family.

Family1 Language Name2 Other Names3 Dialects4 #5 Communities Where Spoken6 Blueberry River Blueberry River First Nations ATHABASKAN- ᑕᓀ ᖚ Doig River First Nation First Nation EYAK-TLINGIT or 4. Dane-Zaa Dane-zaa Záágéʔ Halfway River 5 Beaver First Nation NA-DENE Dunne-za Prophet River Saulteau First Nations West Moberly Lake West Moberly First Nations ATHABASKAN- Daylu Dena Council Kaska Lower Post EYAK-TLINGIT or 5. Danezāgé’ 2 First Nation Lake NA-DENE Liard First Nation Dene K’eh ATHABASKAN- Slavey Dene ~ Dené 1 Fort Nelson First Nation EYAK-TLINGIT or 6. Dene K’e Dené Tha’ ~ Dháh South Slavey NA-DENE Dene Zhatıé Acha'otinne Cheslatta Carrier Nation Babine ~ Lake Babine Hagwilget Village Council Nadot’en ATHABASKAN- Nat’oot’en Nedut’en Nee-Tahi-Buhn Indian Band EYAK-TLINGIT or 7. Nedut’en / Witsuwit’en Wet'suwet'en 2 Skin Tyee Nation Witsuwit'en NA-DENE Babine-Witsuwit'en Bulkley Valley/Lakes Tsil Kaz Koh () District Language Wet’suwet’en Nation First Nation ATHABASKAN- Champagne and First Nations Tutchone 1 EYAK-TLINGIT or 8. Southern Tutchone (CAFN) NA-DENE ATHABASKAN- Iskut Iskut Nation EYAK-TLINGIT or 9. Tāłtān Didene k’eh 2 Tahltan Nation Telegraph Creek/Dease Lake NA-DENE Nahanni The village of Dease Lake Tsek’ene ATHABASKAN- Kwadacha Kwadacha Nation Tsek’ehne 3 McLeod Lake Indian Band EYAK-TLINGIT or 10. Tse’khene McLeod Lake Tsay Keh Dene Nation NA-DENE Sékanais Tsay Keh Dene

First Peoples’ Cultural Council – First Nations Languages in British Columbia – Revised June 2019 – Page 2 of 11

Family1 Language Name2 Other Names3 Dialects4 #5 Communities Where Spoken6 ʔEsdilagh Tl’esqox Tl’etinqox ATHABASKAN- Chilcotin Tsi Deldel Tsilhqut’in 1 EYAK-TLINGIT or 11. Tsilhqot’in Tsilhqot’in Ulkatcho First Nation Tzilkotin NA-DENE Xeni Gwet’in Yunesit’in Urban areas, especially Williams Lake ATHABASKAN- Łingít EYAK-TLINGIT or 12. Lingít Tlingit Inland Tlingit ~ Inland Lingít 1 Taku River Tlingit First Nation NA-DENE Inland Tlingit yaqan nuʔkiy (Lower Kootenay Band) ʔakinkumǂasnuqǂiʔit (Tobacco Plains Indian Band) Kootenay Upper Ktunaxa 2 ʔakisq̓nuk (Akisqnuk First Nation) KTUNAXA 13. Ktunaxa Kootenai Lower Ktunaxa ʔaq̓am (St. Mary’s Indian Band) Urban areas, especially Cranbrook and Nelson Island Comox First Nation Mainland Comox Qʼómoxʷṣ K’omoks First Nation SALISHAN 14. Éy7á7juuthem 2 Sliammon Éy7á7juuthem ~ ʔayʔaǰúθəm Sliammon First Nation Comox-Sliammon Urban areas, especially Courtenay and Powell River

First Peoples’ Cultural Council – First Nations Languages in British Columbia – Revised June 2019 – Page 3 of 11

Family1 Language Name2 Other Names3 Dialects4 #5 Communities Where Spoken6 Aitchelitz Band BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin) Chawathil First Nation Cheam First Nation Chehalis Indian Band First Nation Kwaw-kwaw-aplit First Nation Lake Cowichan First Nation Leq’a:mel First Nation Lyackson First Nation MÁLEXEȽ () Tribe Hul’q’umi’num’ (Island) Qualicum First Nation Halq'eméylem Hul’q’umi’num’ 15. Hul’q’umi’num’ / Scia’new (Beecher Bay) (Upriver) ~ Halq'eméylem 3 SALISHAN Halq’eméylem / hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ Seabird Island Band hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ Shxwhá:y Village (Downriver) Shxw’owhamel First Nation

Skawahlook First Nation Skowkale First Nation Snaw-naw-as First Nation Soowahlie Indian Band Stz’uminus First Nation Tsleil-Waututh Nation Union Bar Band xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Yakweakwioose Band Yale First Nation First Peoples’ Cultural Council – First Nations Languages in British Columbia – Revised June 2019 – Page 4 of 11 Urban areas, including the Metro Vancouver area, Chilliwack, Abbotsford and Nanaimo

Family1 Language Name2 Other Names3 Dialects4 #5 Communities Where Spoken6 Boothroyd Band Cook’s Ferry Indian Band Kanaka Bar Indian Band Lower Indian Band Thompson Lytton Nlaka’pamux 4 SALISHAN 16. Nłeʔkepmxcín Merritt Nlha7kápmx Nicola Valley Shackan Indian Band Urban areas, especially Merritt Lower Similkameen Indian Band Indian Band Osoyoos Indian Band Northern Penticton Indian Band SALISHAN 17. Nsyilxcən Okanagan (Lakes) 3 Upper Nicola Upper Similkameen Indian Band Westbank First Nation Urban areas, especially Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton and Osoyoos Bella Coola 1 First Nation SALISHAN 18. Nuxalk Nass Nuxalk

First Peoples’ Cultural Council – First Nations Languages in British Columbia – Revised June 2019 – Page 5 of 11

Family1 Language Name2 Other Names3 Dialects4 #5 Communities Where Spoken6 Esk’etemc First Nation Kenpésq’t () Llenllenéy’ten () Pelltíq’t (Whispering Pines / Clinton) Sexqeltqín ( Indian Band) Sk’atsin () Eastern Skeetchestn First Nation Shuswap Skwlax (Little ) 3 SALISHAN 19. Secwepemctsín Western Splatsin First Nation Northern St’uxwtéws () Stswécem’c ( Creek Band) T’éxel’c (Williams Lake Indian Band) Tk’emlúps ( Indian Band) Tsq’éscen () Xats'ull First Nations (Soda Creek) Urban areas, especially Kamloops and SALISHAN BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin) MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat) Scia’new (Beecher Bay) SENĆOŦEN SEMYOME (Semiahmoo) 20. SENĆOŦEN / Malchosen Nation Northern Straits 5 SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsaout) Malchosen / Lekwungen / Salish Lekwungen Semiahmoo / T’Sou-ke Semiahmoo SXIMEȽEȽ (Esquimalt) T’Sou-ke Nation T’Sou-ke W̱ JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip) W̱ SIḴEM (Tseycum) Urban areas, especially Victoria Sechelt shíshálh Nation SALISHAN 1 21. She shashishalhem sháshishálem She shashishalhem The town of Sechelt SALISHAN 22. Sḵwxwú7mesh Urban areas, especially in Squamish, Squamish Sḵwxwú7mesh sníchim 1 sníchim North Vancouver and West Vancouver

First Peoples’ Cultural Council – First Nations Languages in British Columbia – Revised June 2019 – Page 6 of 11

Family1 Language Name2 Other Names3 Dialects4 #5 Communities Where Spoken6 Líl’wat Nation Ucwalmícwts N’Quatqua First Nations Stá̓ timc̓ Samahquam Nation Sekw’el’was (Cayoose Creek Band) Statimc Stá̓ timcets̓ (Upper; Fountain) Skatin Nations SALISHAN 23. Stá̓ timcets̓ Stl’atl’imx Ucwalmícwts (Lower; Mount 2 T’it’q’et Stl’atl’imc Currie) Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation Sƛ’aƛ’imxǝc Tsal’alh ( Band) Stlatliumh Xa’xtsa (Douglas First Nation) Slatlemuk Xaxli’p Xwísten ( Indian Band) Anspayaxw Gitanmaax Gitsanimx ̱ Gitanyow Gitksan Gaanimx (Eastern) Gitsegukla TSIMSHIANIC 24. Gitsenimx ̱ 2 Gitxsan Geets’imx (Western) Gitwangak Gitxsen Sik-e-Dakh Urban areas, especially Terrace and Prince Rupert Gingolx Village Government Nisga’a Gitlaxt’aamiks Village Government Nishga Laxgalts’ap Village Government 1 TSIMSHIANIC 25. Nisg̱a’a Niska’ Nisg̱a’a Nisga’a Village of Gitwinksihlkw Nisk’a’ Urban areas, especially Terrace, Prince Rupert and Vancouver Klemtu 1 Kitasoo / Xai’xais (Klemtu) TSIMSHIANIC 26. Sgüüxṣ Southern Tsimshian Sgüüxṣ Gitga’at Nation Gitxaala Nation Kitselas First Nation Coast Tsimshian Kitsumkalum 1 TSIMSHIANIC 27. Sm̓ algya̱x Tsimshian Sm̓ algya̱x Lax Kw’alaams Band Metlakatla First Nation Urban areas, especially Terrace and Prince Rupert Ditidaht diitiidʔaaʔtx ̣ WAKASHAN 28. diitiidʔaaʔtx ̣ Nitinat ~ Nitinaht 2 Lake Cowichan First Nation Ditidaht-Pacheedaht p̓aap̓aačidq

First Peoples’ Cultural Council – First Nations Languages in British Columbia – Revised June 2019 – Page 7 of 11

Family1 Language Name2 Other Names3 Dialects4 #5 Communities Where Spoken6 Híɫzaqvḷa Hailhzaqvla Haílhzaqvḷa Haíłzaqvḷa ~ Híɫzaqvḷa (Bella Heiltsuk Nation (Bella Bella) Heiltsuk 2 WAKASHAN 29. Haíłzaqvḷa Bella) Kitasoo / Xai’xais (Klemtu) Heiltsukv Xai’xais ~ Xíxí̌ s (Klemtu) Heiltsukvla Bella Bella Da’naxda’xw First Nation Dzawada’enuxw First Nation Gwa’sala-’Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwawaʼenuxw̱ Bak’wamk’ala K’omoks First Nation ̕ Kwakiutl Band Council G̱utsala Kwiakah First Nation Gwawaenuk Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis Kwakwaka’wakw 7 Ławitʼsis (Tlowitsis) Nation WAKASHAN 30. Kwakwala Kwakiutl Kwakwala Liq̓wala Mamalilikulla-Qwe’Qwa’Sot’Em Band ʼNa̱mǥis First Nation Nak’wala T̕łat̕łasiḵ̕wala Tlatlasikwala First Nation Wei Wai Kai First Nation Wei Wai Kum First Nation Urban areas, especially Port Hardy and Campbell River

First Peoples’ Cultural Council – First Nations Languages in British Columbia – Revised June 2019 – Page 8 of 11

Family1 Language Name2 Other Names3 Dialects4 #5 Communities Where Spoken6 Northern: Chicklisaht Kyuquot Ehattesaht Nuchatlaht First Nation Mowachaht Muchalaht Huu-ay-aht First Nation Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k:tles7et’h’ First Nuu-chah-nulth Central: Nation Nootka9 Hesquiaht 15 Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations WAKASHAN 31. nuučaan̓uɫ Nootkans Ahousaht Tahkaht Tla-o-qui-aht Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation Southern: Toquaht Nation Ucluelet Uchucklesaht Tribe Toquaht Tseshaht Urban areas, especially Huu-ay-aht Uchucklesit Hupachasath ’Uikala 32. ’Wuikala ’Wuikala 1 Nation () WAKASHAN Oweek’ala Oweke(e)no Haisla 33. Xenaksialakala / Xenaksialakala (Kitimaat) Haisla Nation WAKASHAN 2 Xa’islakala Kitlope Xa’islakala (Kitlope) Urban areas, especially Kitimat Northern Kwakiutl XAAD KIL / X̱aad Kil (Massett) Old Massett Village Council 34. X̱aad Kil / X̱aaydaa Kil Haida 2 XAAYDAA KIL X̱aaydaa Kil (Skidegate) Skidegate Band Council Total 34 languages – 95 dialects 95 –

9 This is an outdated name which has been replaced by nuučaan̓uł or Nuu-chah-nulth. We have included it for reference purposes for people who may want to look for older resources that could be listed under this name.

First Peoples’ Cultural Council – First Nations Languages in British Columbia – Revised June 2019 – Page 9 of 11

Summary • There are 7 distinct language families in British Columbia. • There are 34 First Nations languages indigenous to B.C. • In addition, , the language of the Métis people, is spoken in B.C. There are also many other Indigenous languages from other places which are now spoken in B.C. • The trade language (pidgin/creole) Chinuk Wawa () was also spoken in B.C in the past. To our knowledge there are no remaining speakers of Chinuk Wawa in B.C. but there are learners. • Sleeping languages include Nicola, Pentlatch, Tāgizi Dene () and Tsetsaut (Wetalh). • This is not a permanent, fixed list. Just like our living languages, this is a living list which is updated every four years. If you have suggestions for changes, please contact us: [email protected]

APPENDIX: Definitions

English is used as an example to explain the terms, but these terms are relevant to all languages.

LANGUAGE A language is a system of communication used by a particular nation or people. Languages include one or more different dialects. Example: English is a language.

DIALECT Dialects are varieties of a language that differ based on geographical region or social group. Each dialect has differences that make it unique. There might be differences in pronunciation, in words used for certain things, in sentence structure or even in the meaning of certain words. But dialects of the same language are mutually intelligible. This means that speakers of one variety can understand speakers of another variety and vice versa. This is the main way to tell the difference between a dialect and a language. If speakers can understand each other, in spite of differences in their speech, they are speaking dialects of the same language. Examples: British English, , Australian English, New Zealand English, etc. are some examples of dialects of English from different geographical regions. Even though there are differences, we (speakers of Canadian English) can understand speakers of British English (and other English dialects) and they can understand us. Our dialects are mutually intelligible so they are dialects of the same language, English. Before colonization, we know that speakers of First Nations languages in B.C. tended to be familiar with other dialects of their language and it was even common to be multilingual, speaking several different languages. We encourage people who share dialects of the same language to collaborate on language reclamation, revitalization and maintenance.

First Peoples’ Cultural Council – First Nations Languages in British Columbia – Revised June 2019 – Page 10 of 11

LANGUAGE FAMILY All languages change over time. A community might start with one language but some members of that community might move to a different place. After a long period of time passes, there will be changes in the way people in the two places speak which results in different dialects of the same language. There might be so many changes over time that the dialects may no longer be mutually intelligible. This means they have become different enough to be considered different languages. All languages that come from a common ancestor language are related to each other in the same language family. We can figure out which languages are related to each other because their grammars share similarities. Language families may also be divided into subfamilies based on shared characteristics. Example: English is in the Germanic language family, related to languages like German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish and others. The Germanic language family is part of an even bigger language family called the Indo-European language family.

Example family tree of a language family with languages and dialects:

LANGUAGE FAMILY

LANGUAGE LANGUAGE LANGUAGE

DIAL. DIALECT DIALECT DIAL. DIAL. DIAL. DIALECT

First Peoples’ Cultural Council – First Nations Languages in British Columbia – Revised June 2019 – Page 11 of 11