Endangered Languages Project

ALSO KNOWN AS		Gitksan, Gitsanimx̱, Gitksanimx, Gitxsan, Gitxsen, Hazelton, Giklsan, Gityskyan, Gyitska'n, Interior, Nass-Gitksan
CLASSIFICATION		Tsimshian
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		git
VARIANTS & DIALECTS		Gitxsan (Eastern Gitxsan) Gitsken (Western Gitsken)
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search

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Information from: “First Peoples' Language Map of British Columbia” .

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
444
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
14,813
SEMI SPEAKERS
2,901

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS
TRANSMISSION

PLACES: Canada

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: British Columbia

Endangered

60 percent certain, based on the evidence available
1330
Native speakers worldwide

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

Small number of families in which children and young people are fluent speakers. Taught in public schools in some communities and at the University of Northern British Columbia (Golla 2007). Positive attitudes. 1,500 also use Nisga’a [ncg].

PLACES: Canada;

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: West central British Columbia, Gitxsan, middle Skeena River.

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
710
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
This number reflects speakers of Gitksan [git] and Nass combined.

PLACES: Canada

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
523
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
9849
SEMI SPEAKERS
640

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

5.3% fluent speakers, 6.5% semispeakers, 3.5% learners

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
350
Native speakers worldwide
SEMI SPEAKERS
486

DATE OF INFO: 2014

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

4.6% fluent speakers, 4.6% semi-speakers, 8.4% learners.

PLACES: Canada: British Columbia

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: British Columbia: the main communities are located along the Skeena, Kispiox, and Kitwanga rivers. In 6 communities:
Gitanmaax Band Council
Gitanyow Band Council
Gitsegukla Band Council
Gitwangak Band Council
Glen Vowell Band
Kispiox Band Council
Urban areas, especially Terrace and Prince Rupert

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
800-1,000
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
Nass-Gitksan, consists of two emergent languages. (1) Nisga’a (Nisgha) has between 400 and 500 speakers, with no first-language speakers under 30. (2) Gitksan has about the same number of speakers as Nisga’a (400 to 500), but there is a small number of families in which children and young people are fluent speakers.

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS
TRANSMISSION

PLACES: Canada

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
400
Native speakers worldwide

255 fluent and 339 semi-speakers. 648 language learners
Native speakers worldwide
SEMI SPEAKERS
339

		2012	First Peoples' Language Map of British Columbia							First Peoples' Cultural Council	http://www.maps.fphlcc.ca/		2012. "First Peoples' Language Map of British Columbia." edited by First Peoples' Cultural Council. Online: http://www.maps.fphlcc.ca/.		14,813	444		100-999		2,901		Critically Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	15		15		Canada	British Columbia	55.5300000, -128.0100000
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.																55.3333333333,-127.75
	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		1330		1000-9999				Endangered (60 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	13	Small number of families in which children and young people are fluent speakers. Taught in public schools in some communities and at the University of Northern British Columbia (Golla 2007). Positive attitudes. 1,500 also use Nisga’a [ncg].			Canada;	West central British Columbia, Gitxsan, middle Skeena River.
	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		710		100-999	This number reflects speakers of Gitksan [git] and Nass combined.			Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)					Canada		55.355,-127.6828
	3	2018	Report on the status of B.C. First Nations Languages					First People's Cultural Council		First Peoples' Cultural Council		Britt Dunlop, Suzanne Gessner, Tracey Herbert & Aliana Parker			9849	523		100-999		640		Severely Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	14	5.3% fluent speakers, 6.5% semispeakers, 3.5% learners	15
		2014	Report on the status of B.C. First Nations Languages (2nd Edition) 2014				Website: http://www.fpcc.ca/files/PDF/Language/FPCC-LanguageReport-141016-WEB.pdf	First Peoples' Cultural Council (FPCC)			http://www.fpcc.ca/files/PDF/Language/FPCC-LanguageReport-141016-WEB.pdf	First Peoples' Cultural Council (FPCC)	First Peoples' Cultural Council (FPCC). 2014. Report on the status of B.C. First Nations Languages (2nd Edition). http://www.fpcc.ca/files/PDF/Language/FPCC-LanguageReport-141016-WEB.pdf			350	2014	100-999		486		Severely Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	14	4.6% fluent speakers, 4.6% semi-speakers, 8.4% learners.	15	British Columbia: the main communities are located along the Skeena, Kispiox, and Kitwanga rivers. In 6 communities: Gitanmaax Band Council Gitanyow Band Council Gitsegukla Band Council Gitwangak Band Council Glen Vowell Band Kispiox Band Council Urban areas, especially Terrace and Prince Rupert	Canada: British Columbia
		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.			800-1,000		100-999	Nass-Gitksan, consists of two emergent languages. (1) Nisga’a (Nisgha) has between 400 and 500 speakers, with no first-language speakers under 30. (2) Gitksan has about the same number of speakers as Nisga’a (400 to 500), but there is a small number of families in which children and young people are fluent speakers.			Critically Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	15		15		Canada
			World Oral Literature Project								http://www.oralliterature.org		"World Oral Literature Project." Online: http://www.oralliterature.org.			400		100-999				Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)
		2022	Report on the Status of B.C. First Nations Languages (Fourth Edition)								https://fpcc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/FPCC-LanguageReport-23.02.14-FINAL.pdf	Gessner, Suzanne, Tracey Herbertn and Aliana Parker				255 fluent and 339 semi-speakers. 648 language learners		100-999		339	648

Gitsenimx̱

Language metadata

Language information by source

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

444

Endangered

60 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1330

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

710

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

523

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

350

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

800-1,000

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

400

255 fluent and 339 semi-speakers. 648 language learners

Discussion

Gitsenimx̱

Language metadata

Language information by source

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

444

Endangered

60 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1330

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

710

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

523

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

350

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

800-1,000

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

400

255 fluent and 339 semi-speakers. 648 language learners

Discussion

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