Slavey, South

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A language of Canada

ISO 639-3
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Alternate Names
Dene, Dené, Denetha, Mackenzian, “Slave” , “Slavi”
Population

530 (2011 census). 1,260 in Northwest Territories, 500 in northern British Columbia, 1,500 in Alberta (Golla 2007). Ethnic population: 3,600 (1995 M. Krauss).

Location

Northwest Alberta, Great Slave Lake, upper Mackenzie River and drainage in Mackenzie District; northeast British Columbia in Fort Liard, Fort Providence, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Hay River, Hay River Dene (reserve), Jean Marie River, Nahanni Butte, Trout Lake, Wrigley and Yellowknife.

Language Maps
Language Status

7 (Shifting). Statutory language of provincial identity in NWT (1988, NWT Official Languages Act, Chapter 56(Supplemented), Section 4), restricted official use.

Classification
Eyak-Athabaskan, Athabaskan, Northern Athabaskan, Slavey-Hare
Dialects

In North [scs] and South Slavey dialect continuum which includes Hare, Bear Lake, Mountain, South Slavey, northern Alberta Slavey and Fort Nelson Slavey.

Language Use

Older people still use South Slavey in smaller, isolated communities; serious attrition among children and young people.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1891.
Writing
Latin script. Unified Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics script, no longer in use.