Upper Umpqua language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids (Upper) Umpqua |
|
|---|---|
| Native to | USA |
| Region | Oregon (Umpqua Valley) |
| Extinct | ca. 1950 |
| Language family |
Dené–Yeniseian?
|
| Linguist List | xup |
| qhk (not ISO) | |
The Upper Umpqua language was a special way of talking. It was once used by the Upper Umpqua people. They lived near the Umpqua River in Oregon, USA. Sadly, this language is now extinct. This means no one speaks it anymore. It stopped being used around the 1950s.
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What Was the Upper Umpqua Language?
The Upper Umpqua language was a type of Athabaskan language. It was spoken by the Upper Umpqua (also called Etnemitane) people. These people lived in the western part of Oregon. Their home was along the south fork of the Umpqua River. This area is near the city of Roseburg today.
Why Is It Called "Upper Umpqua"?
Early explorers and settlers simply called this language "Umpqua." But there was another language in the same area. This other language was called "Lower Umpqua." It was an unrelated language from the Penutian family. The Lower Umpqua language (also known as Kuitsh or Siuslaw) was spoken closer to the coast. To avoid confusion, people now call the Athabaskan language "Upper Umpqua."
How Do We Know About It?
Not much is known about the Upper Umpqua language. It has been extinct for over 70 years. However, some important records exist.
Early Records
The most important information comes from Horatio Hale. He was an explorer and linguist. In 1841, he wrote down many words from the language. This collection was published in 1846. It is a key source for studying Upper Umpqua.
Later Studies
Later, in the 1940s, two other researchers collected more information. These were Melville Jacobs and John P. Harrington. They were able to find some of the last people who spoke the language. They gathered small pieces of data from them. These efforts helped preserve what little we know.
Its Language Family
Upper Umpqua belongs to the Athabaskan language family. More specifically, it is part of the Pacific Coast Athabaskan group. It is closely related to other languages in Oregon. These include:
These languages are all part of the "Oregon Athabaskan" cluster. This means they share a common history and similar features.
