The Interior Salish languages are one of the two main branches of the Salishan language family, the other being Coast Salish. It can be further divided into Northern and Southern subbranches. The first Salishan people encountered by American explorers were the Flathead people (Selish or seliš), among the most easterly of the group.
NorthernShuswap (a.k.a. Secwepemctsín, səxwəpməxcín)Lillooet (a.k.a. Lilloet, St'át'imcets)Thompson River Salish (a.k.a. Nlakaʼpamux, Ntlakapmuk, nɬeʔkepmxcín, Thompson River, Thompson Salish, Thompson, known in frontierSouthernCoeur d’Alene (a.k.a. Snchitsuʼumshtsn, snčícuʔumšcn)Columbia-Moses (a.k.a. Columbia, Nxaʔamxcín)Colville-Okanagan (a.k.a. Okanagan, Nxsəlxcin, Nsilxcín, Nsíylxcən, ta nukunaqínxcən)Montana Salish (Spokane-Kalispel-Flathead, Kalispel–Pend d'Oreille language, Spokane–Kalispel–Bitterroot Salish–Upper Pend d'Oreille)The Southern Interior Salish languages share many common phonemic values but are separated by both vowel and consonant shifts (for example k k̓ x > č č' š).
Secwepemc, also known as Shuswap, Secwepemctsín, səxwəpməxcín (ʃəxwəpməxtʃín)St'at'imc, also known as Lillooet, Stlʼatlʼimx, Stlʼatlʼimc, Sƛ’aƛ’imxǝc (Stʼatʼimcets, also known as Ucwalmicwts)Nlaka'pamux, also known as Thompson River Salish, Ntlakapmuk, Ntleʼkepmxcín, Thompson River, Thompson Salish, Thompson, known in frontier times as the Hakamaugh, Klackarpun, Couteau or Knife IndiansColville, Sanpoil, Okanagan, Sinixt (Senjextee, Sin Aikst, or Lakes Band), and Methow, all of whom speak Nxsəlxcin.Entiat, Wenatchi, and Chelan, all of whom speak Columbia-Moses, also known as Nxaảmxcín, Sinkiuse-Columbia, Sinkiuse, Columbia.Spokane, Kalispel, and the Flathead, including the Bitterroot, all of whom speak Montana Salish.Coeur D'Alene Tribe, also known as Schitsu'umsh or Skitswish (Coeur d'Alene language).Many speakers and students of these languages live near the city of Spokane and for the past three years have gathered at the Celebrating Salish Conference which is hosted by the Kalispel Tribe at the Northern Quest Resort & Casino.
