Canadian Indigenous Languages

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At the time of European contact, some 82 languages belonging to 9 different families were spoken in what is now Canada. Of these languages, several have been lost (†) and many more are endangered. It is estimated that by the end of this century, only Inuktitut and one or two of the Cree and Ojibwa languages will have any remaining speakers.

Algonquian
Abnaki, Attikamek, Blackfoot, Central Southern Ojibwa, East Cree, Eastern Ojibwa, Eastern Swampy Cree, Gros Ventre, Maliseet, Micmac, Montagnais, Munsee, Naskapi, Northern Algonquin, Old Algonquin, Ottawa, Passamaquoddy, Plains Cree, Salteaux, Severn Ojibwa, Western Swampy Cree, Woods Cree

Beothuk† (isolate)

Haida (isolate)

Iroquoian
Huron, Laurentian †, Mohawk, Neutral †, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca
Kutenai (isolate)

Na-Dene
Ahtna†, Babine-Witsuwit’en, Bearlake, Chilcotin, Dakelh (Carrier), Dene Sunlhiné (Chipewyan), Dogrib, Dunneza (Beaver), Gwich’in (Kutchin), Han, Hare, Kaska, Mountain, Nicola†, Northern Tutchone, Sekani, Slavey, Southern Tutchone, Tagish, Tahltan, Tlingit, Tsetsaut†, Tsúut’ína (Sarcee, Sarsi), Upper Tanana

Salishan
Colville-Okanagan, Comox, Halkomelem, Nlaka’pamux (Thompson), Nooksack†, Northern Straits, Nuxalk (Bella Coola), Pentlatch†, Secwepemctsin (Shuswap), Shashishalhem (Sechelt), Skwxwú7esh (Squamish), St’at’imcets (Lillooet)

Siouan
Assiniboine, Crow, Lakhota, Nakoda (Stoney)

Tsimshianic
Coast Tsimshian (Sm’algyạx, Sm’algax), Gitskan (Gitxsan, Gitksaniṃx̣), Nisg’a (Nishga, Nass, Nishka), Southern Tsimshian (Sgüụ̈xs)

Wakashan
Haisla, Heiltsuk, Kʷakʷak’ʷala (Kwakiutl), Nitinaht (Dididaht), Nootka, Oowekyala

More information:

Classified list of BC languages
First Voices