Endangered Languages Project

ALSO KNOWN AS		Cree, East Cree, Northern East Cree, Northern James Bay Cree, Northern Eastern James Bay Cree, Montagnais-Naskapi,
CLASSIFICATION		Algic, Algonquian, Cree-Montagnais
ORTHOGRAPHY		Syllabic orthography used in education up until the 4th grade.
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		crl
VARIANTS & DIALECTS		Northern East Cree Southern East Cree
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS		Cree-Montagnais is a chain of Algonquian languages extending across Canada from the Rockies to the coast of Labrador. There is some degree of mutual intelligibility across the entire chain of languages. East Cree is the Montagnais-Naskapi dialect spoken in northwestern Quebec, along the east coast of James and Hudson Bay and inland. There is a distinction between northern and southern subdialects, the latter with coastal and inland varieties. The northern dialect is spoken in Whapamagostui (Great Whale River), Chisasibi (Fort George), and Wemindji (Paint Hills); southern dialects are spoken in Nemaska (Nemiscau), Waskaganish (Rupert House), Eastmain, Waswanipi, Ouje-bougamau and Mistissini. (Golla et al. 2008.) Ethnologue distinguishes Northern East Cree [crl] from Southern East Cree [crj], where others consider these dialects of East Cree.

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Information from: “North America” (7-41) . Victor Golla and Ives Goddard and Lyle Campbell and Marianne Mithun and Mauricio Mixco (2008) , Chris Moseley and Ron Asher · Routledge

Vulnerable

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
12,000
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
Of a population of about 12,000, all but a small number are speakers.

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

Of a population of about 12,000, all but a small number are speakers.

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

English
French

PLACES: Canada;

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: East Cree is the Montagnais-Naskapi dialect spoken in northwestern Quebec, along the east coast of James and Hudson Bay and inland. There is a distinction between northern and southern subdialects, the latter with coastal and inland varieties. The northern dialect is spoken in Whapamagostui (Great Whale River), Chisasibi (Fort George), and Wemindji (Paint Hills); southern dialects are spoken in Nemaska (Nemiscau), Waskaganish (Rupert House), Eastmain, Waswanipi, Ouje-bougamau and Mistissini.

Vulnerable

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
1,000-9,999
Native speakers worldwide

DOMAINS OF USE
SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS
TRANSMISSION
OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY
LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS: Schooling is in Cree to grade four, using the syllabic orthography, and in French in the upper grades, with a Cree maintenance program. Local radio service is provided in Cree in each community.
Scripts (Writing system): Syllabic orthography used in education up until the 4th grade.

PLACES: Canada;

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Spoken in north western Quebec in Whapamagostui (Great Whale River), Chisasibi (Fort George), and Wemindji (Paint Hills).

PLACES: Canada;

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
11,295
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
6,870 Northern East Cree
4,455 Southern East Cree

PLACES: Canada;

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
12,614
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
5,308 Northern East Cree; 7,306 Southern East Cree

PLACES: Canada;

Vulnerable

60 percent certain, based on the evidence available
5,310
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
Ethnologue distinguishes Northern East Cree [crl] from Southern East Cree [crj]: 12,620 total.
Northern East Cree [crl]: 5,310 (1997 Quebec Ministere de la Sante et des Services Sociaux). All Cree L1 speakers in Canada 97,230 (2001 Canada census) (2013 unchanged).
Southern East Cree [crj]: 7,310 (1997 MSSS) (2013 unchanged).

DATE OF INFO: 1997

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

Vigorous. All domains.

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

English
French

PLACES: Canada;

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Northern East Cree [crl]: West central Quebec, east coast of lower Hudson Bay and James Bay; some speakers likely on Nunavut islands in James Bay; Whapmagoostui, Chisasibi, Wemindji, and most in Eastmain communities.
Southern East Cree [crj]: Quebec, southeastward from James Bay, inland to the watershed east of Lake Mistissini. Coastal communities of Waskaganish, some in Eastmain. Inland, in Mistissini, Waswanipi, Nemaska, Ouje-Bougoumo.

0199255911			2005	The World Atlas of Language Structures			Bernard Comrie and David Gil and Martin Haspelmath and Matthew S. Dryer	Oxford University Press	New York			2005. "The World Atlas of Language Structures." edited by Bernard Comrie et al. Oxford University Press.													Canada;		51.0,-74.0
		16	2009	Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16th Edition (2009)			M. Paul Lewis	SIL International	Dallas, TX	http://www.ethnologue.com/		Lewis, M. Paul (ed.). 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16 edn. http://www.ethnologue.com/home.asp. (15 February, 2011.)	ll_pub	5,310	1997	1000-9999	Ethnologue distinguishes Northern East Cree [crl] from Southern East Cree [crj]: 12,620 total. Northern East Cree [crl]: 5,310 (1997 Quebec Ministere de la Sante et des Services Sociaux). All Cree L1 speakers in Canada 97,230 (2001 Canada census) (2013 unchanged). Southern East Cree [crj]: 7,310 (1997 MSSS) (2013 unchanged).	English, French		Vulnerable (60 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	10	Vigorous. All domains.			Canada;	Northern East Cree [crl]: West central Quebec, east coast of lower Hudson Bay and James Bay; some speakers likely on Nunavut islands in James Bay; Whapmagoostui, Chisasibi, Wemindji, and most in Eastmain communities. Southern East Cree [crj]: Quebec, southeastward from James Bay, inland to the watershed east of Lake Mistissini. Coastal communities of Waskaganish, some in Eastmain. Inland, in Mistissini, Waswanipi, Nemaska, Ouje-Bougoumo.
		3rd	2010	Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger				UNESCO Publishing	Paris	http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas	Christopher Moseley (ed.)	Moseley, Christopher (ed.). 2010. Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, 3rd edn. http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas. (03 June, 2011.)	ll_pub	11,295		1000-9999	6,870 Northern East Cree 4,455 Southern East Cree			Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)					Canada;		53.6916,-78.8011; 50.587,-73.6365
			2008	North America	Atlas of the World's Languages	7-41	Chris Moseley and Ron Asher	Routledge	London		Victor Golla and Ives Goddard and Lyle Campbell and Marianne Mithun and Mauricio Mixco	Victor Golla, Ives Goddard, Lyle Campbell, Marianne Mithun and Mauricio Mixco. 2008. "North America." In Atlas of the World's Languages, edited by Chris Moseley and Ron Asher. 7-41. Routledge.		12,000		10000-99999	Of a population of about 12,000, all but a small number are speakers.	English, French		Vulnerable (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	10	Of a population of about 12,000, all but a small number are speakers.		11	Canada;	East Cree is the Montagnais-Naskapi dialect spoken in northwestern Quebec, along the east coast of James and Hudson Bay and inland. There is a distinction between northern and southern subdialects, the latter with coastal and inland varieties. The northern dialect is spoken in Whapamagostui (Great Whale River), Chisasibi (Fort George), and Wemindji (Paint Hills); southern dialects are spoken in Nemaska (Nemiscau), Waskaganish (Rupert House), Eastmain, Waswanipi, Ouje-bougamau and Mistissini.
				World Oral Literature Project						http://www.oralliterature.org		"World Oral Literature Project." Online: http://www.oralliterature.org.		12,614		1000-9999	5,308 Northern East Cree; 7,306 Southern East Cree			Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)					Canada;
070071197X	3	1	2007	Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages				Routledge	Abingdon		Christopher Moseley	Moseley, Christopher. 2007. Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages, 1 edn. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 070071197X	ll_pub			1000-9999		English, French	Schooling is in Cree to grade four, using the syllabic orthography, and in French in the upper grades, with a Cree maintenance program. Local radio service is provided in Cree in each community.	Vulnerable (100 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	11		11	10	Canada;	Spoken in north western Quebec in Whapamagostui (Great Whale River), Chisasibi (Fort George), and Wemindji (Paint Hills).

East Cree

Language metadata

Language information by source

Vulnerable

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

12,000

Vulnerable

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1,000-9,999

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

11,295

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

12,614

Vulnerable

60 percent certain, based on the evidence available

5,310

Discussion

East Cree

Language metadata

Language information by source

Vulnerable

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

12,000

Vulnerable

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1,000-9,999

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

11,295

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

12,614

Vulnerable

60 percent certain, based on the evidence available

5,310

Discussion

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