Ottawa

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A language of Canada

ISO 639-3
otw
Alternate Names
Odawa, Ojibway, Ojibwe
Population

7,100 in Canada (1996 First Nations Language of Origin Map). Nishnaabemwin is an emergent language, fusion of Ottawa and Eastern Ojibwa [ojg], having a couple thousand speakers (Golla 2007). Ethnic population: 60,000.

Location

Islands, areas surrounding Lake Huron, from Manitoulin Island to southern Ontario north of Lake Erie. Walople Island Reserve. West of a north south line through base of Bruce Peninsula (Rhodes 1976). Also in United States.

Language Maps
Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Classification
Algic, Algonquian, Ojibwa-Potawatomi
Language Use

Dying out in many areas. Still vigorous on Manitoulin Island. Mainly adults. All also use English [eng], some use other Ojibwa varieties.

Language Development
Taught in primary schools. Dictionary. Bible portions: 1841–1844.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Ottawa
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Called Eastern Ojibwa in Bloomfield’s (1957) grammar. In southern Ontario also called Chippewa.

Also spoken in:

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