Arapahoan languages facts for kids

The Arapahoan languages are a group of Native American languages. They belong to the larger Algonquian language family. These languages were spoken by different tribes in the United States.

This language group includes three main languages. They are Nawathinehena, Arapaho, and Gros Ventre.

Understanding Arapahoan Languages

What Are They?

The Arapahoan languages are a special part of the Algonquian family. This family includes many languages spoken by Native Americans. The Arapahoan group is sometimes called "Plains Algonquian." This is because they were spoken by tribes living on the Great Plains.

The Main Languages

There are three main languages in the Arapahoan group.

• Arapaho: This language is still spoken today. Most speakers live in Wyoming and Oklahoma.
• Gros Ventre: Also known as Atsina, this language is closely related to Arapaho. It was spoken by the Gros Ventre people in Montana.
• Nawathinehena: This language is no longer spoken. It was the most different from Arapaho and Gros Ventre.

Language Status Today

Sadly, many Native American languages are in danger. Nawathinehena is already extinct, meaning no one speaks it anymore. Both Arapaho and Gros Ventre are also endangered languages. This means they have very few speakers left. Efforts are being made to help keep these languages alive.

Other Related Varieties

Besawunena Language

Another language variety called Besawunena existed. It was very similar to Arapaho. A researcher named Kroeber found a list of its words. Some of its sounds were like those in Gros Ventre. Speakers of Besawunena were part of the Northern Arapaho tribe. They were still speaking it in the late 1920s.

Ha'anahawunena Language

The Ha'anahawunena language is another reported Arapahoan variety. However, there are no written records of it. This means we don't have much information about it. It is also believed to be extinct.

See also

In Spanish: Lenguas atsina-arapaho para niños