Lummi dialect facts for kids

The Lummi language, known as Xwlemi Chosen by its speakers, is a special way of speaking that belongs to the Lummi people. These people live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest region of Washington state, in the United States. Lummi is considered a dialect of a larger language family called North Straits Salish language. This means it's very similar to other ways of speaking in that family, and people who speak different dialects can usually understand each other.

Sadly, the original traditional Lummi dialect is no longer spoken in its old form. But don't worry! A new version, called New Lummi, is now actively spoken and taught. You can find it being learned in schools like Ferndale High School, Lummi Nation School, Vista Middle School, Horizon Middle School, Skyline and Eagleridge Elementary Schools, and Northwest Indian College. This shows a strong effort to keep the Lummi language alive for future generations!

What is the Lummi Language?

Lummi is a unique way of speaking that is part of a bigger language family. It's a dialect of the North Straits Salish language, which is spoken in the Pacific Northwest. This area includes parts of Vancouver Island in Canada and the mainland of Washington state in the U.S. Think of it like different flavors of ice cream that are all still ice cream – they are similar enough that speakers can usually understand each other.

Where Does Lummi Come From?

The North Straits language, including Lummi, belongs to an even larger group called the Coast Salish languages. These languages are spoken by many different Indigenous peoples along the coast. Within the Coast Salish family, North Straits is part of a smaller group called Straits Salish.

Even though these languages are very similar, the people who speak them have their own special identities. The Northern Straits peoples traditionally see themselves as belonging to one of six main groups: the Sooke, Lekwungen, Saanich, Lummi, Samish, and Semiahmoo. Each of these groups has its own dialect, like Lummi, which helps them connect to their unique heritage.

The Rise of New Lummi

New Lummi is a modern version of the Lummi dialect. It developed on the Lummi Reservation as a way to help keep the language alive and make it easier for new learners. Many years ago, the traditional Lummi language started to be spoken less often. To help bring it back, people created New Lummi.

How New Lummi is Different

New Lummi was designed to be simpler than the original traditional dialect. It has a more straightforward sound system and grammar, which means the rules for how words are put together and how they sound are a bit easier to learn. This simplification was partly influenced by the English language, making it more accessible for students. For example, some complex sounds and grammar rules that were in the original Lummi dialect were changed or removed in New Lummi to help more people learn and speak it. This effort is very important for the Lummi community to preserve their cultural heritage.