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Kwakiutl Language (Kwak'wala, Kwakwaka'wakw)

Language: Kwak'wala or Kwakiutl is a Wakashan language of the Northwest Coast, spoken by around 250 native people in British Columbia. The language has been in decline, but some young Kwakwakawakw people are working to keep their ancestral language alive.

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Names: The people's own name for their language is Kwak'wala (also spelled Kwak̕wala or Kwakwala), and their general name for themselves is Kwakwaka'wakw (also spelled Kwakwakawakw or Kwawkwakawakw,) which means "Kwak'wala speakers." The name "Kwakiutl" was originally the name of one of the major Kwakwaka'wakw subdivisions, also spelled Kwagu'ł, Kwaguł, Kwagulth, Kwagu'tl, and many other ways. Although many people do refer to themselves as Kwakiutl today, Kwakwaka'wakw is more inclusive and is preferred by some, particularly fluent speakers of Kwak'wala. Dialects of the Kwak'wala language include Liq'wala (or Liqwala,) Nak'wala (or Nakwala), Guc'ala (or Gucala), and Tłat'łasik'wala (or Tlatlasikwala.)

Kwakiutl Language

Kwakiutl language samples and resources.

Kwakiutl Nation Culture and History

Information and links about the Kwakiutl tribe past and present.

Kwakiutl Indians Fact Sheet

Our answers to common questions about the Kwakiutls.

Kwakiutl Legends

Introduction to Kwakiutl mythology.

Kwakiutl Language Resources

Our Kwakiutl Language Materials

Kwakiutl Vocabulary
Our list of vocabulary words in the Kwakiutl language, with comparison to words in other Wakashan languages.

Kwakiutl Animal Words:
Illustrated glossary of animal words in the Kwak'wala language.

Kwakiutl Dictionaries, Audio Tapes and Language Resources
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The Kwakiutl Indian Language
Old linguistics text on the Kwak'wala language.

Native Dictionaries:
Kwakwala and other Native American dictionaries and language materials for sale.

Kwakiutl Language Lessons and Linguistic Descriptions

Kwakwala Language
Kwak'wala alphabet, pronunciation guide, sample words, and audio clips.

First Voices: Kwak'wala
Database of wordlists, stories and songs from the U'mista Cultural Centre.

Kwakiutl Audio Samples:
Audio samples of the spoken Kwakiutl language.

First Nations Language Groups at the Time of European Contact:
Linguistic map of Canada showing where Kwagiulth and other indigenous languages have been spoken.

Kwak'wala Language
Kwakiutl language sample, pronunciation information, and bibliography (special font required.)

Kwakiutl Language, Alphabet and Pronunciation:
Phonological inventory of Kwakiutl, with a sample text.

Kwak'wala Place Names
Map labeled with traditional Kwakiutl names and their meanings.

Sketch of the Kwakiutl Language:
Scanned-in Kwak'wala language materials from the Rosetta Project.

Reversing Language Shift: Can Kwak'wala Be Revived?
Article on language revival efforts among the Kwakiutl Indians

British Columbia Placenames:
Canadian place names in Kwakiutl, Haida, and Nass-Gitksan.

Canadian Human Rights Tribute: Kwakwala:
Plaque written in the Kwakiutl Indian language.

Ethnologue: Kwakiutl:
Demographic information about the Kwakiutl language.

Kwakiutl Language Tree:
Theories about Kwakwala's language relationships compiled by Linguist List.

Kwakw'ala Language Structures:
Kwakiutl linguistic profile and academic bibliography.

Kwakiutl Comparative Vocabulary:
Early 20th-century wordlists of Qagyuhl, Koskimo and Tlatlasikoala.

Links, References, and Additional Information

Kwakiutl Language:
Encyclopedia articles on the Kwakiutl Indian language.
Lengua Kwakiutl:
Information about the Kwakiutl language in Spanish.
Kwakiutls

Kwakiutl Native Americans:
Kwakiutl links.
Learning Kwak'wala:
Bibliography of Kwak'wala language learning resources.

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