Athabaskan languages facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Athabaskan |
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| Dene | |
| Geographic distribution: |
Western North America |
| Linguistic classification: | Dené-Yeniseian?
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| Subdivisions: | |
| ISO 639-2 and 639-5: | ath |
 Geographic distribution of the Athabaskan languages
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Athabaskan (also called Dene) is a large group of native languages spoken in North America. These languages are found mainly in the western parts of the continent. There are about 53 different Athabaskan languages. They are spread across a huge area, covering more than 4 million square kilometers (about 1.5 million square miles).
Contents
What Are Athabaskan Languages?
Athabaskan languages are a "language family." This means they are all related to each other, like members of a big family. They come from a common ancestor language spoken long ago. These languages are spoken by many different Indigenous peoples across North America.
Where Are Athabaskan Languages Spoken?
The Athabaskan languages are found in three main areas:
- Northern Athabaskan: These languages are spoken in Alaska and western Canada. This is the largest group by area.
- Pacific Coast Athabaskan: You can find these languages along the Pacific coast of the United States. They are spoken in parts of California and Oregon.
- Southern Athabaskan: This group is also known as Apachean languages. They are spoken in the southwestern United States.
Important Athabaskan Languages
Two of the most well-known Athabaskan languages are Chipewyan and Navajo.
- Chipewyan is spoken over the largest area of any native language in North America. It covers a vast region in Canada.
- Navajo has the most speakers of any native language north of Mexico. Many people still speak Navajo today, especially in the southwestern United States.
See also
In Spanish: Lenguas atabascanas para niños
