North Straits Salish language

Salishan dialect continuum

North Straits Salish

SENĆOŦEN / Malchosen / Siʔneməš / Lekwungen / Semiahmoo / T’Sou-ke
Native to| Canada, United States
Region| Vancouver Island, British Columbia; Washington

Native speakers

| 105 (2016 census)[1]

Language family

Salishan

* Coast
* Central
* Straits Salish
* North Straits Salish

Dialects|

* Lummi
* Saanich
* Samish
* Semiahmoo †
* Songhees
* T'sou-ke

Language codes
ISO 639-3| `str`
Glottolog| `stra1244`
ELP| Northern Straits Salish

Northern Straits Salish is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger

Northern Straits Salish (also referred to as North Straits Salish)[2] is a language composed of several mutually-intelligible dialects within the Coast Salish language family spoken in western Washington and British Columbia. The various dialects of Northern Straits Salish are often referred to as separate languages, both in historic and modern times, and although their similarities are recognized by its speakers, there is no word for the language as a whole.

## Dialects

[edit]

The dialects of Northern Straits are as follows:[3] (†) marks a dialect that has no native speakers.

* Lummi (Lummi: Xwlemi Chosen)
* Saanich (Saanich: SENĆOŦEN,[a] W̱SÁNEĆḴEN[b])[4]
* Samish (Samish: Xws7ámeshqen)[5]
* Semiahmoo (†[citation needed])
* Songhees (Songhees: lək̓ʷəŋiʔnəŋ; also known as Lekwungen or Songish)[6][7]
* T'sou-ke (also known as Sooke)

## Classification

[edit]

Northern Straits is a Salishan language within the Coast Salish branch. Among the Coast Salish languages, Northern Straits is one of the two languages in the Straits Salish branch, the other being Klallam. Klallam and Northern Straits are very closely related, but have lost mutual intelligibility.[2]

Historians have historically classified the various dialects of Northern Straits and Klallam together in many ways. Linguist George Gibbs, in 1863, classified Klallam, Sooke, and Songhees as being one language, Lummi, Saanich, and Semiahmoo being another language, and Samish being a dialect of another Coast Salish language, Lushootseed. One missionary, Myron Eells, believed that Lummi was a dialect of Klallam. German anthropologist Franz Boas believed that Klallam was part of the same language as Northern Straits. Furthermore, Charles Hill-Tout, a Canadian anthropologist, classified Sooke, Saanich, Songhees, Lummi, and Klallam as one language called "Lekonenen," and Songhees as another called "Lekunen."[clarification needed] What Hill-Tout believed to be the names of the languages were actually derived from the words lək̓ʷəŋiʔnəŋ (the Songhees name for Songhees dialect) and lək̓ʷəŋən (the Songhees name for the Songhees people). Despite this, Klallam and the dialects of Northern Straits Salish are not mutually intelligible.[2]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ NAPA: sənčáθən
2. ^ NAPA: xʷsénəčqən

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Canada, Government of Canada, Statistics (28 March 2018). "Aboriginal Mother Tongue (90)". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2018-05-21.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
2. ^ a b c Montler, Timothy (1999). "Language and Dialect Variation in Straits Salishan". Anthropological Linguistics. 41 (4): 462–502\. ISSN 0003-5483. JSTOR 30028724.
3. ^ Montler 1999, p. 462-463.
4. ^ "Human relations". SENĆOŦEN Word List. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
5. ^ "Language". Samish Indian Nation. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
6. ^ Patterson, Travis (2011-06-01). "Traditional language comes alive on breakwater". Victoria News. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2013-06-02.
7. ^ "lək̓ʷəŋən Language Reawaken". Songhees Nation. Retrieved 2024-03-16.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Thompson, Laurence C.; Thompson, M. Terry; Efrat, Barbara S. (1974). "Some Phonological Developments in Straits Salish". International Journal of American Linguistics. 40 (3): 182–196\. doi:10.1086/465311. S2CID 144820134.

## External links

[edit]

North Straits Salish language test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator

* An Outline of the Morphology and Phonology of Saanich, North Straits Salish
* SENĆOŦEN Classified Word List

* v
* t
* e

Salishan languages

Bella Coola|

* Nuxálk

Coast Salish|

| Central|

* Comox
* Halkomelem
* Klallam
* Lushootseed
* Southern Lushootseed
* Nooksack
* Northern Straits
* Lummi
* Saanich
* Songhees
* Samish
* Semiahmoo
* T'Sou-ke
* Pentlatch
* shíshálh
* Squamish
* Twana

|

Tsamosan|

* Cowlitz
* Lower Chehalis
* Upper Chehalis
* Quinault

Tillamook|

* Tillamook

Interior Salish|

| Northern|

* Lillooet
* Shuswap
* Thompson River Salish

|

Southern|

* Coeur d’Alene
* Columbia-Moses
* Colville-Okanagan
* Montana Salish

Italics indicate extinct languages

* v
* t
* e

Coast Salish

Peoples|

* Chawathil
* Cheam
* Sts'ailes (WA)
* Stz'uminus
* Clemclemaluts
* Comiaken
* Copalis
* Cowlitz
* Duwamish
* Esquimalt
* Halalt
* Hoh
* Homalco
* Humptulips
* Katzie
* Khenipsen
* Kilpahlas
* Klahoose
* Klallam
* Koksilah
* Kwa-kwa-a-pilt
* Kwantlen
* Kway-quit-lam
* Matsqui
* Musqueam
* Nanoose
* Nuxalk
* Malahat
* Sliammon
* Snuneymuxw
* Tsawwassen
* Tsleil-Waututh
* shíshálh
* Squamish
* Semiahmoo
* Sumas
* Sq'éwlets
* Sts'ailes
* Leq'á:mel
* Popkum
* Seabird Island
* Skwah
* Skway
* Shilshole
* Shxw'ow'hamel
* Skawahlook
* Skowkale
* Soowahlie
* Squiala
* Stó꞉lō
* Tzeachten
* Yakweakwioose
* T'souk-e
* Tsartlip
* Somena
* Quamichan
* Penelakut
* Lamalcha
* Saanich
* Lummi
* Nooksack
* Lower Skagit
* Upper Skagit
* Skokomish
* Muckleshoot
* Sammamish
* Samish
* Sauk-Suiattle
* Snohomish
* Snoqualmie
* Skykomish
* Nisqually
* Puyallup
* Stillaquamish
* Suquamish
* Swinomish
* Tulalip
* Quinault
* Sahewamish
* Wynoochee
* Satsop
* Nehalem (Tillamook)
* Siletz
* Quamichan
* Somena

Governments|

* Aitchelitz Band
* Chawathil First Nation
* Cheam First Nation
* Kwantlen First Nation
* Katzie First Nation
* Kwaw-kwaw-Apilt First Nation
* Leq'á:mel First Nation
* Matsqui First Nation
* Popkum Band
* Sq'éwlets First Nation
* Seabird Island Band
* Skwah First Nation
* Skway First Nation
* Shxw'ow'hamel First Nation
* Skawahlook First Nation
* Skowkale First Nation
* Soowahlie First Nation
* Squiala First Nation
* Sto꞉lo Nation Chiefs Council
* Stó꞉lō Tribal Council
* Sumas First Nation
* Tzeachten First Nation
* Yakweakwioose First Nation
* Sts'ailes Nation
* Tsleil-waututh First Nation
* Musqueam Indian Band
* Katzie First Nation
* Kwikwetlem First Nation
* Semiahmoo First Nation
* Chemainus First Nation
* Halalt First Nation
* Homalco First Nation
* Klahoose First Nation
* Malahat First Nation
* Nanoose First Nation
* Peters First Nation
* Tla'amin Nation
* shíshálh Nation
* Snuneymuxw First Nation
* Tsawwassen First Nation
* Yale First Nation
* Yakweakwioose First Nation
* Tseycum First Nation
* Tsleil-Waututh First Nation
* Squamish Nation
* Union Bar First Nation
* Nuxalk Nation
* T'Sou-ke Nation
* Esquimalt First Nation
* Tsawout First Nation
* Cowichan Tribes
* Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
* Confederated Tribes of Siletz
* Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis
* Cowlitz Indian Tribe
* Suquamish Tribe
* Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe
* Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe
* Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe
* Lummi Nation
* Makah Tribe
* Muckleshoot Indian Tribe
* Nisqually Indian Tribe
* Quinault Indian Nation
* Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe
* Samish Indian Nation
* Skokomish Indian Tribe
* Snoqualmie Indian Tribe
* Squaxin Island Tribe
* Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians
* Suquamish Tribe
* Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
* Tulalip Tribes

Organizations and institutions|

* Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
* South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency
* Washington Indian Gaming Association
* Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs

Culture and society|

* Music
* Mythology
* Art

Languages|

* Comox
* Island Comox †
* Sliammon/Mainland Comox
* Pentlatch
* Halkomelem
* shíshálh
* Squamish
* Nooksack
* North Straits
* Lummi
* Saanich
* Samish
* Semiahmoo
* Songhees
* T'sou-ke
* Klallam
* Lushootseed
* Northern and Southern
* Twana
* Cowlitz
* Quinault

* v
* t
* e

Indigenous peoples in Washington state

Federally recognized tribes|

* Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation
* Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
* Cowlitz Indian Tribe
* Hoh Tribe
* Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe
* Kalispel Tribe of Indians
* Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe
* Lummi Nation
* Makah Tribe
* Muckleshoot Indian Tribe
* Nisqually Indian Tribe
* Nooksack Indian Tribe
* Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe
* Puyallup Tribe of Indians
* Quileute Nation
* Quinault Indian Nation
* Samish Indian Nation
* Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe
* Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe
* Skokomish Indian Tribe
* Snoqualmie Indian Tribe
* Spokane Tribe of Indians
* Squaxin Island Tribe
* Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians
* Suquamish Tribe
* Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
* Tulalip Tribes
* Upper Skagit Indian Tribe
* Yakama Nation

Unrecognized Tribes|

* Duwamish Tribe
* Steilacoom Tribe
* Snohomish Tribe
* Chinook Indian Nation
* Marietta Band of Nooksacks
* Mitchell Bay Band of the San Juan Islands

Languages|

| Athabaskan languages|

* Kwalhioqua–Clatskanie

|

Chimakuan languages|

* Chemakum
* Quileute

Chinookan languages|

* Lower Chinook
* Upper Chinook

Sahaptian languages|

* Nez Perce
* Sahaptin

Salishan languages|

* Coeur d'Alene
* Columbia-Moses
* Colville-Okanagan
* Cowlitz language
* (S')Klallam
* Lower Chehalis
* Lushootseed
* North Straits Salish
* Quinault language
* Salish-Spokane-Kalispel
* Thompson
* Upper Chehalis

Wakashan languages|

* Makah

Trade languages|

* Chinook Jargon

Unclassified languages|

* Cayuse

Archaeological topics|

* Duwamish Number 1 Site
* East Wenatchee Clovis Site
* Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park
* Kennewick Man
* Lind Coulee Archaeological Site
* Lower Snake River Archaeological District
* Marmes Rockshelter
* Marymoor Prehistoric Indian Site
* Ozette Indian Village Archeological Site
* Old Man House
* Redmond Town Center archaeological site
* Salish peoples
* Tri-Cities Archaeological District
* Tse-whit-zen
* Windust Caves Archaeological District

Institutions|

* ʔálʔal Café (closed)
* Chief Seattle Club
* Daybreak Star Cultural Center
* Lelooska Museum
* Makah Museum
* Northwest Indian College
* Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
* Quinault Cultural Center and Museum
* Suquamish Museum

*[†]: Extinct
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