North Straits Salish language

Updated on Dec 09, 2024

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Native speakers 12 (2007–2014) Glottolog stra1244		ISO 639-3 str
Region Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada; Washington, United States Language family SalishanCoastCentralStraits SalishNorth Straits Salish Dialects LummiSaanichSamishSemiahmooSookeSonghees

North Straits Salish is a Salish language which includes the dialects of

Lummi (a.k.a. Xwlemiʼchosen, xʷləmiʔčósən) (†)

Saanich (a.k.a. SENĆOŦEN, sənčáθən, sénəčqən)

Samish (a.k.a. Siʔneməš) (†)

Semiahmoo (SEMYOME) (a.k.a. Tah-tu-lo) (†)

T'sou-ke or Sooke (a.k.a. Tʼsou-ke, c̓awk) (†)

Songhees (a.k.a. Lək̓ʷəŋín̓əŋ or Lekwungen or Songish), three speakers (2011)

Although they are mutually intelligible, each dialect is traditionally referred to as if it were a separate language, and there is no native term to encompass them all.

North Straits, along with Klallam, forms the Straits Salish branch of the Central Coast Salish languages. Klallam and North Straits are very closely related, but not mutually intelligible.

See Saanich dialect for the phonology.

References

North Straits Salish language Wikipedia

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