Northern Athabaskan is a geographic sub-grouping of the
Athabaskan language family spoken by indigenous peoples in the northern part of
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
, particularly in
Alaska
Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
(
Alaskan Athabaskans
The Alaskan Athabascans, Alaskan AthapascansWilliam Simeone, ''A History of Alaskan Athapaskans'', 1982, Alaska Historical Commission or Dena () are Alaska Native peoples of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group. They are the original in ...
),
Yukon
Yukon () is a Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada, bordering British Columbia to the south, the Northwest Territories to the east, the Beaufort Sea to the north, and the U.S. state of Alaska to the west. It is Canada’s we ...
, and the
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada. At a land area of approximately and a 2021 census population of 41,070, it is the second-largest and the most populous of Provinces and territorie ...
. The
sprachraum
In linguistics, a sprachraum (; , "language area", plural sprachräume, ) is a geographical region where a common first language (mother tongue), with dialect varieties, or group of languages is spoken.
Characteristics
Many sprachräume are sep ...
of Northern Athabaskan languages spans the interior of Alaska to the
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay, sometimes called Hudson's Bay (usually historically), is a large body of Saline water, saltwater in northeastern Canada with a surface area of . It is located north of Ontario, west of Quebec, northeast of Manitoba, and southeast o ...
in Canada and from the Arctic Circle to the Canadian-US border.
Languages in the group include
Dane-zaa
The Dane-zaa (ᑕᓀᖚ, also spelled Dunne-za, or Tsattine) are an Athabaskan languages, Athabaskan-speaking group of First Nations in Canada, First Nations people. Their traditional territory is around the Peace River (Canada), Peace River in A ...
,
Chipewyan
The Chipewyan ( , also called ''Denésoliné'' or ''Dënesųłı̨né'' or ''Dënë Sųłınë́'', meaning "the original/real people") are a Dene group of Indigenous Canadian people belonging to the Athabaskan language family, whose ancest ...
,
Babine-Witsuwitʼen,
Carrier, and
Slavey
The Slavey (also Awokanak, Slave, and South Slavey) are a First Nations in Canada, First Nations group of Indigenous peoples in Canada. They speak the Slavey language, a part of the Athabaskan languages. Part of the Dene people, their homeland ...
;.
The Northern Athabaskan languages consist of 31 languages that can be divided into seven geographic subgroups.
Classification
* Northern Athabaskan
** Southern Alaskan
***
Ahtna
The Ahtna (also Ahtena, Atna, Ahtna-kohtaene, or Copper River) are an Alaska Native Athabaskan people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group. The people's homeland called Atna Nenn', is located in the Copper River area of southern ...
(also known as Atna, Ahtena, Copper River)
**** Central Copper River Ahtna
**** Lower Copper River Ahtna
**** Mentasta (also known as Upper Ahtna)
**** Western Ahtna
***
Dena’ina (also known as Tanaina)
**** Lower Inlet Dena’ina
***** Outer Inlet
***** Iliamna
***** Inland
**** Upper Inlet Dena’ina
** Central Alaska–Yukon
*** Koyukon
****
Deg Xinag
Deg Xinag (Deg Hitan) is a Northern Athabaskan language spoken by the Deg Hitʼan peoples of the GASH region. The GASH region consists of the villages of Grayling, Anvik, Shageluk, and Holy Cross along the lower Yukon River in Interior Alask ...
(also known as Deg Hit'an, Kaiyuhkhotana, Ingalik)
***** Lower Yukon River
***** Middle Kuskokwin
****
Holikachuk (also known as Innoko, Innoka-khotana, Tlëgon-khotana) ()
****
Koyukon
The Koyukon, Dinaa, or Denaa ( Denaakk'e: ''Tl’eeyegge Hut’aane'') are an Alaska Native Athabascan people of the Athabascan-speaking ethnolinguistic group. Their traditional territory is along the Koyukuk and Yukon rivers where they sub ...
(also known as Ten’a, Co-Youkon, Co-yukon)
***** Lower Koyukon (also known as Lower Yukon Koyukon)
***** Central Koyukon (also known as Dinaakkanaaga Ts’inh Huyoza, Koyukuk River Koyukon)
***** Upper Koyukon (also known as Upper Yukon Koyukon)
*** Tanana–Tutchone
****
Upper Kuskokwim (also known as Kolchan, Goltsan)
*****
Tanana
******
Lower Tanana
Lower Tanana (also Tanana and/or Middle Tanana) is an endangered language spoken in Interior Alaska in the lower Tanana River villages of Minto and Nenana. Of about 380 Tanana people in the two villages, about 30 still speak the language. As o ...
(also known as Tanana, Minto, Dandey in, Dineh su, Tananatana)
******* Minto-Tolovana-Toklat-Nenana-Wood River
******** Minto-Tolovana
******** Toklat
******** Nenana
******** Wood River
******* Chena
******* Salcha-Goodpastor
******
Tanacross
Tanacross (also Transitional Tanana) is an endangered Athabaskan language spoken by fewer than 60 people in eastern Interior Alaska.
Overview
The word Tanacross (from " Tanana Crossing") has been used to refer both to a village in eastern ...
(also known as Tanana, Dandey in, Dineh su, Tananatana)
******
Upper Tanana
Upper Tanana (also known as Tabesna, Nabesna or Nee'aanèegn') is an endangered language, endangered Alaskan Athabaskans, Athabaskan language spoken in eastern Interior Alaska, United States, mainly in the villages of Northway, Alaska, Northway ...
(also known as Tanana, Dandey in, Dineh su, Tananatana)
******* Nabesna
******* Tetlin
******* Northway
******* Scottie Creek
******* Canadian Upper Tanana
*****
Tutchone (also known as Gens de Bois, Gunana, Nahane, Nahani, Tutchonekutchin)
****** Southern Tutchone (sometimes considered to be just a dialect)
****** Northern Tutchone (also known as Mayo) (sometimes considered to be just a dialect)
*** Kutchin–Han
****
Gwich’in (also known as Gwitch’in, Kutchin, Kootchin, Loucheux, Loucheaux, Takudh, Tukudh, "Quarrelers")
***** Alaskan Gwich’in (also known as Western Gwich’in)
***** Canadian Gwich’in (also known as Eastern Gwich’in)
****
Hän
The Hän, Han or Hwëch'in / Han Hwech’in (meaning "People of the River, i.e. Yukon River", in English also Hankutchin) are a First Nations people of Canada and an Alaska Native Athabaskan people of the United States; they are part of the At ...
(also known as Han, Moosehide, Dawson, Gens du Fou, Han Gwich-in, Han-Kootchin, Hankutchin)
** Northwestern Canada
*** Cordillera
**** Central Cordillera (also known as Tahltan-Tagish-Kaska)
*****
Tagish
The Tagish or Tagish Khwáan ( Tagish: ; ) are a First Nations people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group that lived around Tagish Lake and Marsh Lake, in Yukon
Yukon () is a Provinces and territories of Canada, territory ...
(also known as Gunana, Nahane, Nahani, Si-him-E-na, "Stick Indians", Tagisch, Tahgish, Tahkeesh, Tahk-heesh) ()
*****
Tahltan
The Tahltan or Nahani are a First Nations people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group who live in northern British Columbia around Telegraph Creek, Dease Lake, and Iskut. The Tahltan constitute the fourth division of the ''Nahan ...
(also known as Nahanni, Keyehotine, Nahane, Nahani, Tahl-tan, Tatltan, Ticaxhanoten, Toltan)
*****
Kaska
The Kaska or Kaska Dena are a First Nations people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group living mainly in northern British Columbia and the southeastern Yukon in Canada. The Kaska language, originally spoken by the Kaska, is an Athaba ...
(also known as Nahanni, Nahane, Nahani, Cassiar)
**** Southeastern Cordillera
*****
Sekani
Sekani or Tse’khene are a First Nations people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group in the northern interior of British Columbia. Their territory includes the Finlay and Parsnip River drainages of the Rocky Mountain Trench. The n ...
*****
Danezaa (also known as Beaver, Tsattine, Dunne-za, Deneza, Gens de Castor)
*** Mackenzie
****
Slavey–Hare (v Slave)
***** Slavey (also known as Slavey proper, South Slavey, Southern Slavey, Dene Tha, Esclave, Nahane, Nahani, Slave)
***** Mountain (also known as Montagnards, Nahane, Nahani, Sih gotine, Sihta gotine)
***** Bearlake (also known as Satudine, Sahtu gotine, Bear Lake)
***** Hare (also known as Kawchottine, Ka so gotine, Kancho, Kawchodinneh, Rabbitskins, Ta-na-tin-ne)
****
Dogrib (also known as Tli Cho, Tłįchǫ or Thlingchadine)
*** Chipewyan
****
Dene Suline (also known as Chipewyan, Dëne Sųłiné, Dene, Yellowknife, Montagnais, "Northern Indians", Copper Indians, Coppermine Indians, Mithcocoman, Red Knife, T’atsan ottine, Tatsotine, Yellow Knife)
**
Tsetsaut
The Tsetsaut (Nisga'a language: ''Jits'aawit''; in the Tsetsaut language: ''Wetaŀ'' or ''Wetaɬ'') were an Athabaskan-speaking group whose territory was around the head of the Portland Canal, straddling what is now the boundary between the US sta ...
(also known as Ts’ets’aut, Nahane, Nahani, Portland Canal, Wetalth) ()
** Central British Columbia
***
Babine-Witsuwit'en (also known as North Carrier, Babine Carrier, Northern Carrier, Bulkley Valley, Lakes District, Western Carrier)
**** Babine (also known as Nadot’en, Nedut’en, Nat’oot’en)
**** Takla
****
Witsuwit’en (also known as Wetsuwet’en, Wets’uwet’en, Wet’suwet’en)
**** Moricetown
**** Francois Lake
***
Dakelh
The Dakelh (pronounced ) or Carrier are a First Nations in Canada, First Nations Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous people living a large portion of the British Columbia Interior, Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. The Dakel ...
(also known as Carrier, Dakelhne, Takelne, Takulli, Taculli, Takulie, Porteur, Nagailer)
**** Central Carrier (also known as Upper Carrier)
**** Southern Carrier (also known as Lower Carrier)
***
Chilcotin (also known as Tsilhqot’in, Tinneh, Chilkhodins, Tsilkotin)
***
Nicola (also known as
Stuwix, Nicola-Similkameen) ()
**
Sarsi (also known as Sarcee, Tsuu T’ina, or Tsuut’ina)
** Kwalhioqua–Tlatskanai
***
Kwalhioqua-Clatskanie (also known as Kwalhioqua-Tlatskanie) ()
**** Willapa (also known as Willoopah)
**** Suwal-Clatskanie
***** Suwal
***** Clatskanie (also known as Tlatskanie)
Phonology
In at least one Northern Athabaskan language, Slavey, a shift has occurred in the
fricative
A fricative is a consonant produced by forcing air through a narrow channel made by placing two articulators close together. These may be the lower lip against the upper teeth, in the case of ; the back of the tongue against the soft palate in ...
to ; this is the same sound change found in the
Cockney dialect
Cockney is a dialect of the English language, mainly spoken in London and its environs, particularly by Londoners with working-class and lower middle class roots. The term ''Cockney'' is also used as a demonym for a person from the East End ...
of English.
References
Further reading
*
External links
Map of Northern Athabaskan dialects
{{Athabaskan languages
Indigenous languages of Alaska