Naskapi language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Naskapi |
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| ᓇᔅᑲᐱ naskapi, ᐃᔪᐤ ᐃᔨᒧᐅᓐ iyuw iyimuun |
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| Native to | Canada | |||
| Region | St'aschinuw (Quebec, Labrador) |
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| Ethnicity | Naskapi | |||
| Native speakers | 1,230 (2016 census) | |||
| Language family |
Algic
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| Writing system | Eastern Cree syllabics | |||
| Linguasphere | 62-ADA-ba | |||
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Naskapi (also called ᐃᔪᐤ ᐃᔨᒧᐅᓐ/Iyuw Iyimuun in the Naskapi language) is an Algonquian language. It is spoken by the Naskapi people in Quebec and Labrador, Canada. The Naskapi language is written using Eastern Cree syllabics.
The name Naskapi mainly refers to the language spoken by people living in the middle of Quebec and Labrador. This includes communities like Kawawachikamach, Quebec. Naskapi is a special kind of "y-dialect." This means it shares many sounds and words with the Northern dialect of East Cree. It also has many words in common with the Innu language.
Even though Naskapi is very similar to Innu and other Cree languages, it is still its own unique language. It stands out from all other languages in the Quebec-Labrador area.
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How Naskapi Sounds
The Naskapi language has its own set of sounds, just like English or French. These sounds include different types of consonants and vowels.
Consonant Sounds
Naskapi has consonants like 'm', 'n', 'p', 't', 'ch', 'k', 's', 'h', 'w', and 'y'. Some of these sounds can change a little depending on where they are in a word. For example, 'p', 't', 'k', and 'ch' can sound softer, like 'b', 'd', 'g', and 'j', when they are between vowels. Sounds like 'l' and 'r' are mostly found in words borrowed from other languages.
Vowel Sounds
Naskapi has both long and short vowel sounds.
- Long vowels are like the 'ee' in "see" (/i/), the 'a' in "father" (/a~æ/), and the 'oo' in "moon" (/u/).
- Short vowels are similar to the 'i' in "sit" (/ɪ~ə/), the 'u' in "cut" (/ʌ~ə/), and the 'o' in "go" (/o~ʊ/).
How Naskapi is Written
The Naskapi language uses two main ways of writing. One is a Latin alphabet, which is similar to the one used for the Innu Language. The other is a system called Cree syllabics. This system is also used by James Bay Cree and other Cree groups across Canada.
Latin Alphabet
The Naskapi Latin alphabet uses three main vowels: 'a', 'i', and 'u'. These vowels can be short or long. A long vowel can be written with a special mark called a circumflex (like 'â') or by writing the vowel twice (like 'aa').
The alphabet also has 12 consonant letters. These include 'ch', 'h', 'k', 'l', 'm', 'n', 'p', 'r', 's', 't', 'w', and 'y'.
| Uppercase | A | Â/AA | Ch | H | I | Î/II | K | L | M | N | P | R | S | T | U | Û/UU | W | Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lowercase | a | â/aa | ch | h | i | î/ii | k | l | m | n | p | r | s | t | u | û/uu | w | y |
Syllabics
Naskapi Syllabics (ᓇᔅᑲᐱ ᐃᔪᐤ ᐃᔨᒧᐅᓐ, naskapi iyuw iyimuun) is a writing system that uses special symbols for syllables. A syllable is a part of a word, like "na" or "ska" or "pi". This system comes from Canadian Aboriginal syllabics. It shares many features with other Cree Syllabic systems in Canada.
One interesting thing about Naskapi Syllabics is that it does not show the difference between long and short vowels. This is different from some other Cree Syllabic systems. The symbols used at the end of words in Naskapi Syllabics are similar to those in other types of Eastern Cree syllabics.
