Ahtna
[aka Ahtena, Nabesna, Tanana]Classification: Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit
·critically endangered
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Critically endangered
100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
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30
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Among the Ahtna population, there are approximately 30 first-language speakers of the language alive today, all of whom are at least 60 years of age. Although most children know some phrases and vocabulary items in the language, English is the language taught in homes today (p. 3).
- DOMAINS OF USE
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- SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS
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- TRANSMISSION
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- MORE ON VITALITY
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Among the Ahtna population, there are approximately thirty first-language speakers of the language alive today, all of whom are at least sixty years of age. Although most children know some phrases and vocabulary items in the language, English is the language taught in homes today (p. 3).
- LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS
Among the Ahtna population, there are approximately thirty first-language speakers of the language alive today, all of whom are at least sixty years of age. Although most children know some phrases and vocabulary items in the language, English is the language taught in homes today. There is, however, a growing passion for Ahtna language revitalization in the community, and several recent projects have undertaken to increase knowledge of the heritage language among Ahtna people and non-Ahtna residents of the Copper Valley. (pp. 3-4.)
- PLACES
- USA; Alaska
- LOCATION DESCRIPTION
The Ahtna community today consists of eight modern villages (Mentasta, Chistochina, Gakona, Gulkana, Tazlina, Copper Center, Chitina, and Cantwell) in the Copper River and Upper Susitna drainages of south central Alaska. More than 1600 Ahtna residents of the area are shareholders in Ahtna, Incorporated, one of the thirteen Alaska Native Regional Corporations established by Congress under the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. (p. 3)