| Haida Language |
Article Index for Haida |
Website Links For Haida |
Information About ™Haida Language |
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The Haida language is the language of the Haida people. It contains at least 46 Consonants and only three Vowels . Though once considered to be a member of the Na-Dené Language Family , it is now usually considered to be a Language Isolate . It is extremely endangered, with only 35-50 living speakers, all of whom are over the age of 70. Currently Haidas in all three dialect communities are working to reactivate the language. In Skidegate aging speakers gather on a daily basis to work on the "southern" or Skidegate dialect and have produced a series of recordings. In Massett the group is younger and are working to reintegrate the "northern" or Massett dialect in their daily lives. In Alaska the community has built a web based language tool complete with on line recordings of the "Kaigani" dialect. As of spring 2006 a very limited edition manual will be available to Haida working as Watchman in the field. The manual which uses a unique graphic style called Haida Manga is part of the informal but growing Haida efforts to create teaching tools. Haida Manga was also used in a 2001 publication called a "Tale of Two Shamans" ISBN 1-894778-01-4. This publication includes work originally translated by John R. Swanton (1906) and re-presented by linguist J. Enrico (2001). EXTERNAL LINKS |
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