Did you know Kalispel-Spokane-Pend d'Oreille-Salish is severely endangered?

Varieties of this language are spoken by four groups: Spokane, Kalispel, Salish (or Bitterroot Salish, from their original homeland south of Missoula, Montana), and Pend d'Oreilles. The Salish and the Pend d'Oreilles share the Flathead Reservation in Montana with each other and with the Kutenais.

ALSO KNOWN AS		Nqlispélišcn, Kalispel, Kalispel-Pend d'Oreille, Kalispel-Pend D'oreille, Kalispel-Flathead, "Flathead"-Kalispel, Salish, Montana Salish-Kalispel-Spokane, Flathead-Kalispel-Spokane, Flathead-Pend d'Oreille-Spokane, Montana Salish-Pend d'Oreille-Spokane, Séliš, Spokane-Kalispel-Flathead, Qalispé, Flathead-Kalispel-Spokane, Spokan, Montana Salish-Kalispel-Spokane, Flathead-Pend d'Oreille-Spokane, Montana Salish-Pend d'Oreille-Spokane, Spokane-Kalispel-Flathead, Npoqínišcn, Spokane, Flathead, Selish
CLASSIFICATION		Salishan, Interior Salish
LANGUAGE CODE		fla, spo
VARIANTS & DIALECTS		Kalispel Pend d'Oreille Spokane Montana Salish
DOWNLOAD		As csv
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS		Because four separate groups are represented, entering their language under a single name is problematic. However, the varieties used by each tribe are mutually intelligible with few dialectal differences, so their languages are represented with one entry here. Ethnologue has 2 languages here, Kalispel-Pend d’Oreille [fla] and Spokane [spo].

Compare Sources (6)

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

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
70
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
Speaker number: 70 (?)

MORE ON VITALITY

Spokane-Kalispel is spoken in 3 major dialects: (1) Spokane dialect (It has only 2 fluent first-language speakers, a married couple in their 70s; (2) Flathead dialect (also known as Montana Salish) (about 60 fluent first-language speakers of Flathead, one in his 40s, another about 55, all others 65 or older). A sub-dialect is said to characterize Flathead speakers of Pend d’Oreille descent. (3) Kalispel dialect (a few speakers, information is scant). (Golla et al. 2008.)

PLACES: USA; Montana

Critically endangered

60 percent certain, based on the evidence available
66
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
7,800
SEMI SPEAKERS
A few
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
58 in Salish and Pend d’Oreille; 4 in Kalispel; 2 Spokane.

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

Shifting to English. Older adults only.

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

Classes, revival programs, dictionary, grammar

LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS

"Flathead dialect classes in some reservation schools and at the tribal college. Language camp in the summer. Kalispel Tribe has begun documentation and revitalization program."
Spokane: "Language revival program is expanding to provide instruction at all grade levels in the reservation school."

PLACES: USA; Montana, Washington

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Northeast Washington, Kalispel Reservation; northwest Montana, Flathead Reservation.

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
65
Native speakers worldwide

PLACES: USA; Montana

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
200
Native speakers worldwide

PLACES: USA; Montana

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.														48.0,-117.0
		2016	Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 19th Edition (2016)			Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig	online	SIL International	Dallas, Texas	http://www.ethnologue.com		Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig (eds.). 2016. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Nineteenth edition (2016). Dallas, Texas: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com.		7,800	66	10-99	58 in Salish and Pend d’Oreille; 4 in Kalispel; 2 Spokane.	A few	"Flathead dialect classes in some reservation schools and at the tribal college. Language camp in the summer. Kalispel Tribe has begun documentation and revitalization program." Spokane: "Language revival program is expanding to provide instruction at all grade levels in the reservation school."	Classes, revival programs, dictionary, grammar	Critically Endangered (60 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	15	Shifting to English. Older adults only.	Northeast Washington, Kalispel Reservation; northwest Montana, Flathead Reservation.	USA; Montana, Washington
	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		65	10-99					Severely Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)				USA; Montana	47.5944,-114.1182
		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.			70	10-99	Speaker number: 70 (?)				Severely Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)		Spokane-Kalispel is spoken in 3 major dialects: (1) Spokane dialect (It has only 2 fluent first-language speakers, a married couple in their 70s; (2) Flathead dialect (also known as Montana Salish) (about 60 fluent first-language speakers of Flathead, one in his 40s, another about 55, all others 65 or older). A sub-dialect is said to characterize Flathead speakers of Pend d’Oreille descent. (3) Kalispel dialect (a few speakers, information is scant). (Golla et al. 2008.)		USA; Montana
	2nd edition	2010	Endangered Languages of the United States	Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing	108-130	Christopher Moseley		UNESCO	Paris		Christopher Rogers, Naomi Palosaari and Lyle Campbell	Christopher Rogers, Naomi Palosaari and Lyle Campbell. 2010. "Endangered Languages of the United States." In Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing, edited by Christopher Moseley. 108-130. UNESCO.													USA; Montana	47.5944,-114.1182
			World Oral Literature Project							http://www.oralliterature.org		"World Oral Literature Project." Online: http://www.oralliterature.org.			200	100-999					Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)

Kalispel-Spokane-Pend d'Oreille-Salish

Language metadata

Language information by source

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

70

Critically endangered

60 percent certain, based on the evidence available

66

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

65

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

200

Discussion

Kalispel-Spokane-Pend d'Oreille-Salish

Language metadata

Language information by source

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

70

Critically endangered

60 percent certain, based on the evidence available

66

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

65

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

200

Discussion

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