Tag: language revitalization

Abenakis Language Attrition and Revitalization

Shayne Crawford

Overall, 52 percent of all the world’s languages are spoken by fewer than 10,000 people each (Coulmas 2005: 150 as cited in Van Herk, 2012). One of those languages happens to be Abenaki. Abenaki used to have several regional dialects. It is a branch of the Eastern Algonquin language group along with Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Malecite and Micmac who all speak distinct dialects of Eastern Algonquin (Wiseman, 2001, p.79). The Abenakis covered a vast amount of territory back in the day.

Wôbanakik covered a significant portion of what would become America during the years of the Moose (approximately 10 000 – 6500 Winters Ago) (Wiseman, 2001, p.26). Wôbanakik’s territory was significantly reduced by 1500 AD due to many circumstances relating to colonial invasion (Wiseman, 2001, p.70)

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Michif, a Dying Language

Bonnie

For my last blog, I’d like to discuss an endangered language, specifically Michif, which is an even mixture of Plains Cree and Canadian French. The verbs are Cree and the nouns are French. This language is rather unique as it a true mixed language spoken by descendants of mostly French fur traders and Cree women in North America. Eventually, this community became know as the Métis. Most Métis were found in the Red River settlement, now known as Winnipeg though there were scattered communities across the Prairies and in North Dakota. Considering the fur trade was popular in the 1700s and 1800s, the language is rather young. Moreover, it is thought that there were never over 1000 speakers of Michif (Bakker, 1997).

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