What is the status of BC First nations languages? - First Peoples

APPENDIX ALanguage Specific DataIn the following sections we have provided data forindividual languages.LanguagesLanguage data is grouped according to languagefamily. It is important to clarify that because languagesare classified within one family, it does notmean that they are similar. For example, Englishand German are in the same language family, butare completely different. Each language is completelyunique and a speaker of one languageunderstand a speaker of another language. Eachlanguage must be treated as a unique case, withdifferent needs, sound system and grammar.In addition, within each language there are oftenseveral different dialects. Sometimes dialects areso different that speakers of the different dialectshave a hard time understanding one another.Some argue that their dialect is in fact a languageof its own. The way we have chosen to classify thelanguages here is generally accepted by B.C. FirstNations, and given the magnitude of the data, wehave chosen not to give data for separate dialects.NumbersThe numbers of fluent speakers, semi-speakersand learners are given as percentages of the totalpopulation of the communities of that language.Communities and populations vary in size greatlyfrom language to language, so percentages allowedus to more easily compare numbers betweenlanguages.However, a percentage for one language can, inreality be quite a different number for anotherlanguage. For example, both Éy7á7juuthem andHul’q’umi’num’ / Halq’eméylem / hən̓q̓əmin̓əmhave 2% of their population as fluent speakers.For the Hul’q’umi’num’ / Halq’eméylem /hən̓q̓əmin̓əm language, this is 2% of a total populationof 14,732, which means that there are about295 fluent speakers; on the other hand for theÉy7á7juuthem language, this is 2% of a total populationof 1698, which means that there are onlyabout 34 fluent speakers.Therefore, we have also included the total populations(of the communities that reported to us).Measure of EndangermentFor each language we have also provided a measureof endangerment based on our First Peoples’Council framework (Table 4). Since all B.C. First Nationslanguages are critically endangered, we havemade further distinctions for each language. Withinthe critically endangered category, a language canbe severely endangered, or nearly extinct..40 Report on the Status of B.C. First Nations Languages Appendix a