Pacific Coast Athabaskan languages facts for kids

Pacific Coast Athabaskan refers to a group of Athabaskan languages spoken along the Pacific Coast. These languages are found in parts of California and Oregon. They are part of a larger language family called Athabaskan. This family includes many languages spoken by Indigenous peoples across North America.

Athabaskan Languages in California

In California, several Athabaskan languages were spoken. Some of these languages are now considered extinct. This means that no one speaks them as their first language anymore.

• Hupa (also known as Hoopa-Chilula)
  • This language has different ways of speaking called dialects.
    • Hupa
    • Tsnungwe (tse:ning-xwe, tł'oh-mitah-xwe)
    • Chilula-Whilkut (Chilula, Whilkut)

• Mattole–Bear River - extinct
  • This language also had dialects:
    • Mattole
    • Bear River

• Wailaki ("Eel River") - extinct
  • This language was spoken by the Eel River Athapaskan peoples.
  • Its dialects included:
    • Sinkyone
    • Wailaki
    • Nongatl
    • Lassik

• Cahto (also known as Kato) - extinct
  • This language is sometimes grouped with the Eel River languages.

The Mattole and Wailaki language groups are often called Southern Athapaskans. Their languages were similar to each other. However, they were different from the Athabaskan languages spoken by tribes in northern California. It is important not to confuse them with the Apachean peoples. The Apache and Navajo are also called Southern Athabascans. They live in the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico. They speak a different set of Athabaskan languages.

Athabaskan Languages in Oregon

Oregon also has several Athabaskan languages.

• Upper Umpqua (also known as Etnemitane)

• Lower Rogue River (also known as Tututni, Coquille)
  • This language has many dialects:
    • Upper Coquille (Coquille, Flores Creek)
    • Tututni (Tututunne, Naltunnetunne, Mikwunutunne, Joshua, Sixes, Pistol River, Wishtenatin)
    • Euchre Creek
    • Chasta Costa (Illinois River)

• Upper Rogue River (also known as Galice–Applegate)
  • Its dialects are:
    • Galice
    • Applegate

• Chetco-Tolowa
  • This language includes these dialects:
    • Chetco
    • Smith River (also known as Tolowa)
    • Siletz Dee-ni
      • This is a modern form of Chetco-Tolowa. It includes words from other languages. These languages were spoken by members of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.

Some language experts have different ideas about how to group the Lower Rogue River, Upper Rogue River, and Chetco-Tolowa languages. Some see them as separate languages. Others believe they are all part of one larger language. This larger language is like a "dialect continuum." This means the different ways of speaking blend into each other.

Many tribal elders and people working to keep languages alive agree with this idea. They notice that speakers of these languages can often understand each other well. They also share a common culture. Because there isn't one clear English name for this language group, some speakers call it Nuu-wee-ya. This means "our language" in their own words.

See also

In Spanish: Lenguas atabascanas de la Costa del Pacífico para niños