Southern Tsimshian dialect facts for kids

Southern Tsimshian, also known as Sgüüx̣s (pronounced: /skiːxs/) or Sgüümk, was a special language spoken by Indigenous people in British Columbia, Canada. It was a dialect (a different version) of the larger Tsimshian language family. Sadly, Southern Tsimshian is now an extinct language. This means there are no longer any people who speak it as their first language. The last person who spoke Southern Tsimshian, Violet Neasloss, passed away in 2013.

About Southern Tsimshian

Southern Tsimshian was a unique language. Its own name, Sgüüx̣s, means "the language beside." This name might describe where it was spoken or how it related to other languages.

Where it was Spoken

This language was spoken by two groups of Tsimshian people: the Gitga'ata and the Kitasoo Tsimshians. They lived in a place called Klemtu in British Columbia, Canada. This area is in the northwest part of the province.

A Special Dialect

Southern Tsimshian was very close to another dialect called Coast Tsimshian. However, even though they were similar, people speaking Southern Tsimshian might not have easily understood people speaking Coast Tsimshian. This is common with dialects; they can be different enough to make understanding tricky. Experts described Southern Tsimshian as a "conservative" dialect. This means it kept many older features of the language over time.

The Last Speaker

The sad truth about Southern Tsimshian is that it became extinct. This happened in 2013 when the last person who spoke it, Violet Neasloss, passed away. When a language becomes extinct, it means that no one speaks it anymore. This is a big loss because languages carry a lot of history, culture, and knowledge.

Studying the Language

A specialist named John Asher Dunn spent time studying Southern Tsimshian. He wrote several articles about it. His work helped to give the language the name "Southern Tsimshian." His studies are important for understanding and remembering this language, even though it is no longer spoken.