This is a list of the languages and dialects spoken by members of native
communities in British Columbia.
Members of five different native language families, as well as two
isolates, are spoken in British Columbia. For a list see:
Classified List of BC Native Languages
Languages belonging to different families are no more similar to each
other than English and Japanese. Of course, even related languages may be
quite different from each other.
It is important to be aware that some communities are bilingual or
multilingual, and that towns such as Prince George, Prince Rupert, Terrace,
and Williams Lake attract people of a variety of linguistic backgrounds.
For example, although the native language of the Prince George area is the
Lheidli dialect of Carrier, there are speakers of languages as varied
as Coast Tsimshian, Nisga'a, Nuxalk, Chilcotin, Tahltan, and Okanagan living
in Prince George, and there are probably more speakers of Cree than speakers
of Carrier.
Although originally a Carrier community, extensive intermarriage with
Chilcotins has resulted in this community becoming one in which the
dominant language and ethnic identity is Chilcotin
rather than Carrier.
The Tribal Council to which Alexandria belongs is the Tsilhqot'in National Government.
Chilcotin is an Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language.
A member of the Fraser/Nechako dialect group of Carrier, an Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit
language. Its closet relative is the Stellakoh dialect of Carrier.
Due to interaction with members of the Nee-Tahi-Buhn and Skin-Tayi bands,
many Cheslatta people have a good understanding of Witsuwit'en, and a few
can speak it.
The native language here is a variety of Nisga'a,
a Tsimshianic language. It is most closely related to other varieties of Nisga'a,
and after them, to Gitksan.
Most native people living around Grassy Plains are members of the
Cheslatta Carrier Nation and speak the Cheslatta
dialect of Carrier.
Some are members of the Skin-Tayi band and speak the Witsuwit'en dialect of
BabineWitsuwit'en.
The native language is Haisla,
a member of the Northern sugroup of the Wakashan language family, most
closely related to Heiltsuk (Bella Bella). It is unrelated to the neighbouring
Coast Tsimshian (Prince Rupert, Hartley Bay) and Nisga'a (New Aiyansh),
or to the Lhoosk'us (Kluskus), Lhk'acho (Anahim Lake) and Cheslatta
dialects of Carrier, which are Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit..
Halalt
The native language is an Island dialect of Halkomelem, a Salishan
language
The native language is Tahltan, an Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language.
However, since 1962, there have been a substantial number of Sekani
people in Iskut. Sekani is also an Athabaskan language.
The native language is Shuswap, a Salishan language. There is some confusion about this because the Kinbasket people live among
Ktunaxa (Kootenay) people and belong to the Ktunaxa Nation Council.
The native language here is a variety of Gitksan, a Tsimshianic
language. It is most closely related to other varieties of Gitksan,
and after them, to Nisga'a.
The true native language here is South Tsimshian,
a nearly extinct Tsimshianic language. At present most native people
here who speak a native language speak Heiltsuk,
a North Wakashan language..
The native language here is Coast Tsimshian, a Tsimshianic
language. It is most closely related to the language spoken in Prince Rupert
and Hartley Bay. It is also related to Nisga'a, but only relatively distantly.
The native language here is a variety of the Babine dialect of the
Babine-Witsuwit'en language, which is a member of the Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit
language family. Its closest linguistic relative is the dominant language
of the Takla First Nation.
Although Babine-Witsuwit'en has sometimes been referred to
as "Northern Carrier", it is quite different from "Carrier" in the narrow sense,
and Babine-Witsuwit'en is now generally regarded as a distinct language from Carrier.
Speakers of one who are not familiar with the other have considerable
difficulty understanding the other. In general, speakers of Carrier in the
narrow sense are not suitable as legal interpreters for speakers of
Babine-Witsuwit'en, and speakers of Babine-Witsuwit'en are not suitable as legal interpreters for
speakers of Carrier in the narrow sense.
The native language is a dialect of Carrier, a member of the Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit
language family. It is a member of the Fraser/Nechako dialect group.
Its closest linguistic relative is Saik'uz dialect.
The dominant language is a member of the Blackwater dialect group
of the Carrier language, which is a member of the Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language
family. Its closest linguistic relative is the Lhoosk'us (Kluskus)
dialect of Carrier.
However, many people can also speak Chilcotin, a mutually
unintelligible Athabaskan language. The older elders also speak Nuxalk
(Bella Coola), an unrelated Salishan language.
The native language is a member of the Blackwater dialect group of
Carrier, an Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language. Its closest linguistic relatives are
the Lhk'acho and Ndazko dialects of Carrier.
The native language is a member of the Blackwater dialect group of
Carrier, an Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language. It is most closely related to the Nazkoh
dialect. Some people can also speak Chilcotin to some extent.
The native language is a dialect of the Sekani langauge, which belongs
to the Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language family. It is very closely related to the
Sekani dialects of Tsay-Ke Dene (Fort Ware) and Ingenika. Some people
here can also speak Nak'azdli Carrier. Only a few people still
speak Sekani.
Malahat
The native language is an Island dialect of Halkomelem, a Salishan
language.
The native languages spoken in this area are Dunne-za (Beaver), an Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language,
and Cree, an Algonquian language. A few elders of the Saulteau First Nation
also speak Saulteau, an Algonquian language.
The native language is a variety of the Witsuwit'en
dialect of the Babine-Witsuwit'en language, which belongs to the
Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language family. Its closest relatives are the Witsuwit'en dialects
spoken by members of the Nee-Tahi-Buhn, Skin-Tayi, and Wet'suwet'en First
Nation bands.
After that, it is most closely related to the Babine dialects, spoken
by members of the Lake Babine Nation and Takla First nation.
Although Witsuwit'en, together with Babine, is sometimes referred to
as "Northern Carrier",
it is quite different from Carrier in the narrow sense,
and Babine-Witsuwit'en is now generally regarded as a distinct language from Carrier.
Speakers of one who are not familiar with the other have considerable
difficulty understanding the other. In general, speakers of Carrier in the
narrow sense are not suitable as legal interpreters for speakers of
Babine-Witsuwit'en, and speakers of Babine-Witsuwit'en are not suitable as legal interpreters for
speakers of Carrier in the narrow sense.
The native language is a member of the
Fraser/Nechako dialect group of the Carrier language, which belongs to the
Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language family. Its closest relatives are Stellakoh,
Saik'uz, Lheidli, and Cheslatta.
The native language is a member of the Nak'albun/Dzinghubun
(Stuart/Trembleur Lake) dialect of Carrier, an Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language.
It is very closely related to the Tl'azt'en Nation and Yekooche dialects.
The native language is a member of the Blackwater dialect group of
Carrier, an Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language. It is closely related to Lhtakoh (Red Bluff)
and Lhoosk'us (Kluskus).
The native language is a variety of the Witsuwit'en
dialect of the Babine-Witsuwit'en language, which belongs to the
Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language family. Its closest relatives are the Witsuwit'en dialects
spoken by members of the Skin-Tayi, Wet'suwet'en First Nation,
and Moricetown bands.
After that, it is most closely related to the Babine dialects, spoken
by members of the Lake Babine Nation and Takla First nation.
Although Witsuwit'en, together with Babine, is sometimes referred to
as "Northern Carrier",
it is quite different from Carrier in the narrow sense,
and Babine-Witsuwit'en is now generally regarded as a distinct language from Carrier.
Speakers of one who are not familiar with the other have considerable
difficulty understanding the other. In general, speakers of Carrier in the
narrow sense are not suitable as legal interpreters for speakers of
Babine-Witsuwit'en, and speakers of Babine-Witsuwit'en are not suitable as legal interpreters for
speakers of Carrier
The native language here is a variety of Nisga'a, a Tsimshianic
language. It is most closely related to other varieties of Nisga'a,
and after them, to Gitksan.
New Westminster
The native language is a Downriver dialect of Halkomelem, a Salishan
language.
The native language is a member of the Salishan language family.
It is therefore unrelated to the neighbouring Carrier and Chilcotin,
which are Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit, or to the neighbouring Heiltsuk (Bella Bella),
Oweekyala, and Haisla (Kitamaat), which are Wakshan. Although it belongs
to the Salishan language family and is therefore related to Secwepmectsin
Shuswap and St'at'imx (Lillooet), it is an outlier within the Salishan
family and its relationship to other Salishan languages is remote.
The native language of the area is the Lheidli
dialect of Carrier, an Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language. However, speakers of many
other languages are to be found in Prince George.
The native language is a member of the
Fraser/Nechako dialect group of the Carrier language, which belongs to the
Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language family. Its closest relatives are Nadleh, Stellakoh,
Lheidli, and Cheslatta.
Samahquam
The native language is St'at'imx (Lillooet), a Salishan language.
Two languages are spoken here: Cree, an Algonquian language, and
Beaver, an Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language. The variety of Cree spoken is Plains Cree.
It is similar to varieties spoken in Alberta.
The reason that this community refers to itself as Saulteau is that,
around 1880, the leader of a band of Saulteau people had a vision that told
him to go West. He did, and his people ended up merging with the Beaver and
Cree who now make up the Saulteau First Nation. The original language of
the Saulteau band was Saulteau, a dialect of Ojibwe, an Algonquian
language, but even before they settled in British Columbia they were
bilingual in Cree. The Saulteau language has all but died out in the
Saulteau First Nation. A few elders know it, but they all also speak Cree.
The native language is a variety of the Witsuwit'en
dialect of the Babine-Witsuwit'en language, which belongs to the
Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language family. Its closest relatives are the Witsuwit'en dialects
spoken by members of the Nee-Tahi-Buhn, Wet'suwet'en First Nation,
and Moricetown bands.
After that, it is most closely related to the Babine dialects, spoken
by members of the Lake Babine Nation and Takla First nation.
Although Witsuwit'en, together with Babine, is sometimes referred to
as "Northern Carrier", it is quite different from Carrier in the narrow sense,
and Babine-Witsuwit'en is now generally regarded as a distinct language from Carrier.
Speakers of one who are not familiar with the other have considerable
difficulty understanding the other. In general, speakers of Carrier in the
narrow sense are not suitable as legal interpreters for speakers of
Babine-Witsuwit'en, and speakers of Babine-Witsuwit'en are not suitable as legal interpreters for
speakers of Carrier in the narrow sense.
Skookum Chuck
The native language is St'at'imx (Lillooet), a Salishan language.
The area around the south shore of Francois lake contains speakers of two languages.
Some are speakers of Witsuwit'en and are members of the Skin-Tayi and Nee-Tahi-Buhn bands.
Others are members of the Cheslatta Carrier Nation and speak the
Cheslatta dialect of Carrier.
The native language is a member of the
Fraser/Nechako dialect group of the Carrier language, which belongs to the
Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language family. Its closest relatives are Nadleh,
Saik'uz, Lheidli, and Cheslatta.
The native language here is Secwepmectsin (Shuswap), a member of the
Salishan language family. It is completely unrelated to the neighbouring
languages Chilcotin and Carrier, which belong to the Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language
family.
The dominant language here is a variety of the Babine dialect of the
Babine-Witsuwit'en language, which is a membe of the Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit
language family. Its closest linguistic relative is the dialect of the
Lake Babine Nation.
Although the Babine-Witsuwit'en has sometimes been referred to
as "Northern Carrier", it is quite different from Carrier in the narrow sense,
and Babine-Witsuwit'en is now generally regarded as a distinct language from Carrier.
Speakers of one who are not familiar with the other have considerable
difficulty understanding the other. In general, speakers of Carrier in the
narrow sense are not suitable as legal interpreters for speakers of
Babine-Witsuwit'en, and speakers of Babine-Witsuwit'en are not suitable as legal interpreters for
speakers of Carrier in the narrow sense.
Some Takla people speak Sekani, another Athabaskan language.
Sekani and Carrier are distantly related; they are not mutually intelligible.
Some Takla people, from the Bear Lake area, speak Gitksan. This is a
Tsimshianic language, completely unrelated to Athabaskan.
Taku River Tlingit
The native language is Tlingit, a member of the Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit-Eyak-Tlingit
language family.
The First Nation whose principal reserve is in Terrace is
Kitsumkalum.
However, Terrace is a centre for people from the surrounding
area, some of whom take up residence there. Speakers of Nisga'a (Tsimshianic),
Haisla (Wakashan), and Tahltan (Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit) are to be found in Terrace.
A band consisting of four communities: Tache (Tachie), Binche (Pinchie),
K'uzche (Grand Rapids), and Dzitl'ainli (Middle River).
The native language, which varies slightly from community to community,
is a member of the Nak'albun/Dzinghubun (Stuart/Trembleur Lake)
dialect of Carrier, an Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language. It is very closely related to
the Nak'azdli (Fort Saint James) and Yekooche (Portage) dialects.
The native language here is a variety of Chilcotin, an Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit
language. Note that Anaham Reserve, the English name for this community,
is not the same as the town of Anahim
Lake, next to which the main reserve of the Carrier-speaking Ulkatcho Indian
band (see Lhk'acho) is located.
The native language is a variety of the Witsuwit'en
dialect of the Babine-Witsuwit'en language, which belongs to the
Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language family. Its closest relatives are the Witsuwit'en dialects
spoken by members of the Nee-Tahi-Buhn, Skin Tayi, and Moricetown bands.
After that, it is most closely related to the Babine dialects, spoken
by members of the Lake Babine Nation and Takla First nation.
Although Witsuwit'en, together with Babine, is sometimes referred to
as "Northern Carrier", it is quite different from Carrier in the narrow sense,
and Babine-Witsuwit'en is now generally regarded as a distinct language from Carrier.
Speakers of one who are not familiar with the other have considerable
difficulty understanding the other. In general, speakers of Carrier in the
narrow sense are not suitable as legal interpreters for speakers of
Babine-Witsuwit'en, and speakers of Babine-Witsuwit'en are not suitable as legal interpreters for
speakers of Carrier in the narrow sense.
The native language is a member of the Nak'albun/Dzinghubun
(Stuart/Trembleur Lake) dialect of Carrier, an Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit language.
It is very closely related to the Nak'azdli (Fort Saint James)
and Tl'azt'en Nation dialects. Many people here also have a good
understanding of, and speak to varying extents, the Lake Babine dialect
of the Babine-Witsuwit'en language.