Coeur d'Alene language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coeur d'Alene |
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|---|---|
| Snchitsu’umshtsn | |
| Native to | United States of America |
| Region | northern Idaho |
| Ethnicity | Coeur d'Alene people |
| Native speakers | 4 (2007) |
| Language family |
Salishan
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The Coeur d'Alene language (also known as Cœur d'Alène or Snchitsu’umshtsn) is an ancient language. It belongs to the Salishan language family. This language is spoken by the Coeur d'Alene people in northern Idaho, United States.
For a while, very few people spoke Coeur d'Alene. In 1999, only two people out of 80 in the Coeur d'Alene Tribe spoke it. This made it an endangered language. But things are changing! By 2014, two elders in their 90s still spoke it as their first language. Now, more and more people of all ages are learning and using the language.
The Coeur d'Alene Tribe is working hard to keep their language alive. They have a special language program. Elders and teachers are actively promoting the language. They even created computer sounds using Snchitsu’umshtsn phrases. A radio station, KWIS FM 88.3, in Plummer, Idaho, also helps preserve the language.
Lawrence Nicodemus was a retired judge and former tribal council member. He became a great expert in the Coeur d'Alene language. When he was young, he worked with a linguist named Gladys Reichard. Later, he created a grammar book, a dictionary, and teaching materials for the language. Nicodemus taught language classes until he passed away at 94. The Tribe's language program has recorded over 2,000 hours of audio and video. You can also take classes at North Idaho College.
Contents
How the Language Sounds
The Coeur d'Alene language has many unique sounds. It uses different parts of the mouth to make these sounds. This includes sounds made with the lips, tongue, and throat.
Consonant Sounds
The language has many consonant sounds. Some are like English, but others are very different. For example, some sounds are made by pushing air out quickly. This is called an "ejective" sound.
Vowel Sounds
Coeur d'Alene has a few main vowel sounds. These are similar to the vowels in words like "machine," "yes," and "father."
How the Language Works
Coeur d'Alene is a very complex language. It can express a whole sentence with just one verb! This is because it adds many small parts (called affixes) to the verb. These parts tell you who is doing the action, when it happened, and more.
Simple Sentences
In a simple sentence, you might see the subject, then the action, then the main verb. For example, a small part might be added to the verb to say "I saw" or "we saw."
Adding More Meaning
The language uses special words called "determiners." These help to point out who or what is involved in the sentence. They are like words such as "the" or "a" in English.
Action Words (Verbs)
When you want to talk about an action, the verb is key. You add different parts to the verb to show who is doing the action and who the action is happening to.
There are different ways to make a verb show an action:
- Simple actions: These are common and show someone doing something on purpose.
- Causing actions: These show that someone caused something to happen. For example, "He made me go."
- Benefiting actions: These show that an action was done for someone's benefit. For example, "I sang for you."
Showing Possession
To show that something belongs to someone, Coeur d'Alene uses special parts added to words. This is like saying "my house" or "their things."
Time and Action
The language also shows when an action happened or how it happened.
- Completed actions: This means an action is finished. There is no special marker for this.
- Usual actions: This shows something that happens regularly.
- Ongoing actions: This shows something that is happening right now.
The language also has ways to show if something is real or just a guess. This is called "realis" (for real events) and "irrealis" (for things that might happen or are not certain).
Images for kids
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Coeur d'Alene is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger
See also
In Spanish: Idioma coeur d'alene para niños
