Endangered Languages Project

ALSO KNOWN AS		Nishga, Niska', Nisk'a', Nass, Nisgha, Nass-Gitksan, Nisk'a, Nishka, Niska, Nasqa'
CLASSIFICATION		Tsimshian
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		ncg
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search

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

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
1,107
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
5,778
SEMI SPEAKERS
3,324
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
http://maps.fphlcc.ca/nisgaa

PLACES: British Columbia, Canada

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
920
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
5,400
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
Data for the ethnic population is from Krauss (1997).

DATE OF INFO: 1997

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

Speakers 30 and older.

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

English

LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS

Taught in public school since 1976 and at local community college and the University of Northern British Columbia (Golla 2007). Speakers 30 and older.

PLACES: Canada;

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: British Columbia, Lower Nass River Valley, Aiyansh (Ay’ans), Canyon City (Gitwinksihlkw), Greenville (Laxtalts’ap or Gitxat’in), Kincolith (Gingolx) villages.

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
265
Native speakers worldwide

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
331
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
6113
SEMI SPEAKERS
159

DATE OF INFO: 2018

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

5.4% fluent speakers, 2.6% semispeakers, 4.8% active learners

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

English

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
857
Native speakers worldwide
SEMI SPEAKERS
1866

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

Of languages that are contained within B.C. (without speakers in other provinces or states) Nis�a’a has the second largest number of speakers. 15.8% fluent speakers.

PLACES: Canada: British Columbia

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: In British Columbia in 4 communities:
Laxgalts'ap Village Government 
New Aiyansh Village Government
Nisga'a Village of Gingolx
Nisga'a Village of Gitwinksihlkw
Urban areas, especially Terrace, Prince Rupert, and Vancouver

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
800-1,000
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
Two emergent languages. Nisga’a (Nisgha) has between 400 and 500 speakers, with no first-language speakers under 30. 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.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Nisga’a (Nisgha) is spoken in four village communities along the Nass River. Gitksan is spoken in six village communities along
the Skeena River upriver from the Coast Tsimshians.

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
700
Native speakers worldwide

333 fluent and 820 semi-speakers. 958 language learners.
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
6,110
SEMI SPEAKERS
820

		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/.		5,778	1,107		1000-9999	http://maps.fphlcc.ca/nisgaa	3,324				Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)					British Columbia, Canada		56.4500000, -129.3900000
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.																		55.0,-130.0
	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	5,400	920	1997	100-999	Data for the ethnic population is from Krauss (1997).		1,500	English	Taught in public school since 1976 and at local community college and the University of Northern British Columbia (Golla 2007). Speakers 30 and older.	Severely Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	13	Speakers 30 and older.	14		Canada;	British Columbia, Lower Nass River Valley, Aiyansh (Ay’ans), Canyon City (Gitwinksihlkw), Greenville (Laxtalts’ap or Gitxat’in), Kincolith (Gingolx) villages.
	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		265		100-999						Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)							55.2035,-129.07
	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			6113	331	2018	100-999		159		English		Severely Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	13	5.4% fluent speakers, 2.6% semispeakers, 4.8% active learners	14
		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			857		100-999		1866				Severely Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	13	Of languages that are contained within B.C. (without speakers in other provinces or states) Nis�a’a has the second largest number of speakers. 15.8% fluent speakers.	14	In British Columbia in 4 communities: Laxgalts'ap Village Government  New Aiyansh Village Government Nisga'a Village of Gingolx Nisga'a Village of Gitwinksihlkw Urban areas, especially Terrace, Prince Rupert, and Vancouver	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	Two emergent languages. Nisga’a (Nisgha) has between 400 and 500 speakers, with no first-language speakers under 30. 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.					Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)				Nisga’a (Nisgha) is spoken in four village communities along the Nass River. Gitksan is spoken in six village communities along the Skeena River upriver from the Coast Tsimshians.
			World Oral Literature Project								http://www.oralliterature.org		"World Oral Literature Project." Online: http://www.oralliterature.org.			700		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			6,110	333 fluent and 820 semi-speakers. 958 language learners.		1000-9999		820	958

Nisga'a

Language metadata

Language information by source

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1,107

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

920

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

265

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

331

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

857

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

800-1,000

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

700

333 fluent and 820 semi-speakers. 958 language learners.

Discussion

Nisga'a

Language metadata

Language information by source

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1,107

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

920

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

265

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

331

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

857

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

800-1,000

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

700

333 fluent and 820 semi-speakers. 958 language learners.

Discussion

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