First Nations Languages of BC
 

Canada:  53+ languages
BC:        32+ languages
Canada: 10 genetically distinct language families
BC:         7 genetically distinct language families

Salish (11)

Pentlatch
Bella Coola: nuxalk
Halkomelem, həəmiə, Huumiu
Straits: Sooke , Songish , Semiahmoo , Saanich, Samish (Lummi)
Sliammon, Klahoose, Homalco, Comox
Klallam: nəxʷsaəucən
Sechelt: šašišaɬəm
Squamish: sqʷχʷuʔməš
Shuswap: səxwəpməxcin
Lillooet: sɛəmxəc
Thompson River Salish: Nɬɛʔkɛpmxcin
Okanagan-Colville: nsilxcin

 

 

Click the map for a bigger version.

denotes a language or a dialect for which there are no longer any fluent speakers who learned this as their first language.

Languages taught at UBC are highlighted in red. Click the word for more information.

The Flash introduction to this site provides greetings in some of BC's languages. Click here to see it again!

Would you like to see a greeting in your First Nations language? Please send us the phrase (and ideally a sound file), and we would be delighted to include it!
 

Athapaskan-Eyak-Tlingit: Athapaskan (8)

Tlingit
Tsetsaut
Nicola
Tagish
Tahltan
Kaska
Sekani
Beaver
Babine/Wets'uwet'en
Chilcotin
Carrier

Wakashan (6)

Kwakw'ala
Heiltsuk
Haisla    Xa'islak'ala, Xenaksialak'ala
Oowek'yala
Nuu-chah-nulth   [Nootka]
Ditidaht   [Nitinaht]

Tsimshian (3-4)

Nisga'a   [Nisgha]
Gitksan / Gitxsan
Coast Tsimshian
Southern Tsimshian

Algonquian (1)

Cree

Haida   (Isolate)

Ktunaxa [Kootenay] (Isolate)