Dialects
The present-day population of Kitamaat developed from multiple sources, and they had language differences among them. The two most prominent are Kitimaat (''X̅aʼislakʼala'') and Kitlope (''X̅enaksialakʼala''). Pronunciation, grammar, and word choice depend on which dialect is being spoken. Haisla is still used to refer to the language as a whole, similar to the way that the term "English" encompasses multiple dialects.Phonology
Haisla is closely related to the other North Wakashan languages, Oowekyala,Morphology
Haisla is a VSO (verb-initial) language, with "highly polysynthetic, suffixing, ndpossibly with no (lexical) N–V distinction". Words that correspond to verbs and helping words come first in a sentence. Like the other Wakashan languages, Haisla is made up of multifaceted words made up out of a single root and extended through multiple expansions or reduplication. These can further be altered by lexical or grammatical suffixes, and modal clitics. One example can be seen with the Haisla word for 'condition', ''ḡʷailas''. The word can be modified to mean 'your condition' or 'my condition' as ''ḡʷailas-us'' and ''ḡʷailas-genc'' respectively. Emmon Bach, in 'One The Surface Verb q'ay'ai qela', cited the following points as the structure for building words: A. Stem = xtRoot)(-LexSuf)*(-GramSuf)* B. Word = Stem(Ending)* The majority of roots cannot function as independent words; those that can often take on different meanings. One example of this can be seen with the root ''bekʷ'', when combined with the stems ''-es'' or ''-ala'', mean either 'Sasquatch' or 'talk', respectively. Seen in all Wakashan languages, Haisla has a variety of common, clause-level clitics which contain inflection-like semantics. Seen also in Sapir in Swadesh where they are identified as "incremental suffixes", these contain markers of tense, aspect, and modality. These clitics are non-obligatory outside of the perfective vs. imperfective aspect, and do not form paradigms, while having a set order. Haisla has a wide range of classificatory roots, something shared with its fellow Northern Wakashan languages. These roots are always preceded either by a locative lexical suffix or a transitivizing suffix.Number and person
Haisla has a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person, as well as their plurals. Haisla does not have a large focus on number, with the word for ''begʷánem'' standing for both 'people' and 'person' depending on its context. Haisla also has inclusive and exclusive endings, in reference to if "we" or "us" includes the person being spoken to. Haisla has gender-neutral pronouns, with no distinction between 'him' and 'her'. All Northern Wakashan languages display elaborate systems of third-person pronominal clitics. These usually include distinct case forms for object, subject, and instrument or possessor. Unlike Kwakw'ala, Haisla and the other Northern Wakashan languages lack prenominal elements. Haisla, however, does make use of the independent demonstrative forms ''qi'', ''qu'', etc., which serve as optional yet frequently occurring first elements in nominal groups. The subject endings can be seen in the two charts below. Direct-object endings: The '*' denotes how there is a lack of clarity in determining how many of these "invisible" forms are still used.Syntax
As a VSO language, words that correspond to verbs and helping words occur first. For example, the sentence "The chief sees the grizzly", literally translates as "see the chief the grizzly". When expressing negation in Haisla, the helping verb ''k̕uus-/k̕uu-'' would occur at the beginning of the sentence. This root is then modified with the proper ending reflecting the subject of the verb, e.g. ''K̓un duqʷel qi sáakax̄i'' "I don't see the grizzly".Possessives
When expressing possession in Haisla, endings that are used to indicated to the possessor are also used with objects of some special verbs. The majority of these verbs tend to express emotions or psychological states. Possessive endings in Haisla sometimes bear a resemblance to those used in English. ''-nis'' can be used similarly to the English "my" when placed before a possessed object. Outside of using separated words to express possession, endings can also be used on individual words, e.g. ''gúxʷgenc'' "my house here". The set of suffixes in Haisla that reflect possession is quite extensive. Haisla, however, does use the independent demonstrative forms ''qi'', ''qu'', etc., which serve as optional and frequently occurring first elements in nominal groups. Third Person Possessive Forms: Possessed things near me:Oblique Objects
Oblique objects follow up the object in Haisla. Similar to the use of 'of' in English, some verbs require their objects to be marked by either the expression 'his' or the ending '-s' on the previous word. Possession in Haisla is expressed through pronouns, making use of the same endings that are used for oblique objects.Deixis
In Haisla, the location of a conversation directly impacts the use of the language. Depending if something occurred at the site of the conversation or far away, verb endings express where the action took place. There are four possible locations within the language: here (near the speaker), there (near you, the hearer), there (near neither the speaker nor the hearer), and just gone. These concepts help form the "spatial and tempora" aspects of Haisla. The language also distinguishes between things that are seen and known, which are classified as visible. Things that are not visible, instead being imagined or potential, are defined as invisible. Unique to Haisla is the addition of the optional demonstrative clitics ''qu'' and ''qi'', which help make the spatial explicitness of a clause more vivid.Sociolinguistics
Due to the large number of language groups on the Northwest Coast, there was a great deal of contact through trade and cultural exchange. This excess of communication eventually led to the creation of a special "trade language". Called Chinook Jargon, Haisla adopted multiple words from this language such as ''gʷasáu'', or pig. Other words, such as ''lepláit ~ lilepláit'', meaning 'minister, priest', reflect how contact with missionaries affected the language as a whole. The majority of adopted words were for 'new' objects, pre-existing words such as gewedén, or horse, were not overwritten.Arguments
Within the Wakashan language family, "coreStatus and Revitalization
As with the other languages in the North Wakashan family, Haisla is currently endangered. The indigenous languages of British Columbia were heavily influenced by residential schools, with up to 16 residential schools in the province during the 1930s. Speaker population after European arrival was drastically impacted by disease. Haisla does have programs for those interested in speaking. Kitamaat village provides lessons for those interested in learning the language. Eden Robinson, a Heiltsuk/Haisla author raised in British Columbia, has written and lectured on the subject of language revitalization. Recently she hosted the annual Munro Beattie lecture at Carleton University.References
Bibliography
* Lincoln, Neville J. & Rath, John C. 1986. ''Phonology, dictionary and listing of roots and lexical derivatives of the Haisla language of Kitlope and Kitimaat, B.C.'' Vol.1. Ottawa: National Museums of Canada. * Mithun, Marianne. (1999). ''The languages of Native North America''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.External links