Choynimni dialect facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Choynimni |
|
|---|---|
| Region | California |
| Ethnicity | Choinumni |
| Extinct | 2022 with the death of Jennie Irene Oliver |
| Language family |
Yok-Utian
|
Choynimni (also spelled Choinumne) is a special way of speaking, or a dialect, of the Kings River Yokuts language. People historically spoke Choynimni along the Kings River in California. This area is between the towns of Sanger and Mill Creek, which is close to Piedra.
Choynimni is important because it is the most well-known and studied dialect of Kings River Yokuts. Researchers like Clinton Hart Merriam and Stanley Newman have collected a lot of information about this language.
Who Spoke Choynimni?
For a long time, there were very few people who could speak Choynimni fluently. A fluent speaker is someone who can speak a language perfectly and naturally. Jennie Irene Oliver was one of the last people who spoke Choynimni fluently. She passed away in 2022 when she was 83 years old.
Even though there are no longer fully fluent speakers, some members of the Choinumni tribe still know parts of the language. It is thought that about six people in the tribe still have some knowledge of Choynimni.
Bringing the Language Back
Many people believe it is very important to keep languages alive. Efforts are being made to revitalize Choynimni. This means working to bring the language back into everyday use.
These efforts are organized through the Department of Linguistics at California State University, Fresno. They are helping to teach and preserve the Choynimni language for future generations.
