Athabaskan languages

The Athabaskan or Athabascan languages ​​( short Athapaskisch or Athabaskisch ) constitute a widespread family of languages ​​in western North America. The approximately 40 Athabaskan languages ​​are spoken in Alaska, northwestern Canada, as well as in the Southwest and on the West Coast of the United States from a total of about 180,000 people. The most famous and important Athabaskan language is the Apache - Navajo language with 150,000 speakers in the Southwest, it is the largest indigenous language of the United States.

Athapaskisch and Na - Dene

Together with the extinct Eyak is the Athabaskan, the Eyak - backed genetic unit Athapaskisch. Whether the Tlingit is also genetically related, is not fully understood. The language group Tlingit - Eyak - Athapaskisch is also referred to as Na - Dene. The earlier also projected to Haida is no longer considered by most researchers to be genetically related.

Classification of Athabaskan languages

The Athabaskan divided into three genetic subunits: North Athapaskisch ( spoken in Alaska and northwestern Canada ), Pacific Athapaskisch (Oregon, California ) and the most significant on the number of speaker group of Apaches languages ​​( southwestern United States ). The following classification is based on Campbell in 1997, Mithun 1999 and the web link given below.

  • Athapaskisch North Athapaskisch Central Alaska - Yukon Ingalik Yukon: Deg Hit'an (Deg Xinak, Ingalik ) (nearly †), Holikachuk ( Innioko ) (nearly †), Koyukon ( Ten'a ) ( 300) Kolchan ( Upper Kuskokwim ) †
  • Han Kutchin: Han ( Moosehide, Dawson ) (nearly †), Kutchin ( Gwichin, Loucheux, Takudh ) ( 700)
  • Tanana: Lower Tanana ( Minto ) (nearly †), Upper Tanana ( Nabesna ) ( 100) Tanacross †
  • Tutchone (400)
  • Nahanni: Tahltan ( Nahanni ) (nearly †), Kaska (400), Tagish †
  • Beaver - Sekani: Sekani (300), Beaver ( 300)
  • Chipewyan ( Dene ) (4,000)
  • Hare slave: Dogrib ( Tlicho ) ( 3000 ), slave - Mountain - Bear Lake -Hare ( 3000 )
  • Oregon Upper Umpqua †
  • Rogue River ( Tututni ) (nearly †) ( dialects: Upper Coquille, Sixes, Tututni, Euchre Creek, Chasta Costa)
  • Galice - Tolowa: Galice -Applegate †, † Chetko, Tolowa †
  • Hupa - Chilula (almost †), Mattole - Bear River †, Eel River †
  • West: Navajo ( Navajo) (150,000 ), Western Apaches " ( COYOTERO " / " Garroteros " ) ( 13,000 ), Mescalero - Chiricahua (1,500)
  • East: Kiowa - Apache ( Plains Apache, Na'isha ) (nearly †), Jicarilla ( 1000 ), Lipan †
Language family Southern Athabaskan languages Eyak language Tlingit language Haida language Holikachuk people Koyukon people Kaska Dena Chipewyan people Tłı̨chǫ Tsuu T'ina Nation Jicarilla Apache Lipan Apache people Lyle Campbell
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