ABSTRACT
Five or six dozen indigenous languages are spoken or signed in Canada, representing over a dozen language families. Their status is briefly described in this chapter after some important context. The first major section sketches the geopolitical and historical context of indigenous languages in Canada, their importance to indigenous peoples and efforts at documenting and revitalizing them. The second major section lists the many families of indigenous languages in Canada. The smallest families – those with a single member – are listed first. The larger families are then listed in ascending order of speakers or signers. Mixed indigenous languages – those belonging to more than one family – are described last.
