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Micmac

A language of Canada

ISO 639-3: mic

Population	8,960 in Canada, decreasing. Population total all countries: 9,290. Ethnic population: 14,200 in Canada (1998 SIL). In Canada, 1,500 are in mainland Nova Scotia, 4,000 on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, 800 on Prince Edward Island and Lennox Island, 4,550 on the east coast of New Brunswick, 3,150 on the Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec, 200 in Newfoundland.
Region	Central and north Nova Scotia. 6 major villages and 1 small village on mainland: Afton, Pictou, Truro, Shubenagadie, Bear River, and Yarmouth, some small communities; 5 major villages on Cape Breton Island: Memberto, Eskasoni, Chapel Island, Wakmatkug, Waikoqomaq. Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick east coast: Fort Folly, Big Cove, Indian Island, Burnt Church, Eel Ground, Red Bank, Pabino Falls, and Eel River Bar; Quyebec, east Gaspe Peninsula, 3 villages: Gespe’q, Gesgapeqiaq, Listuguj; Newfoundland, at Conn River. Also in United States.
Language map	Canada
Alternate names	Mi’gmaq, Mi’kmaq, Miigmao, Restigouche
Dialects	Northern Micmac, Southern Micmac. Generally dialects are intelligible, but there are lexical, inflectional, word order, and spelling differences.
Classification	Algic, Algonquian, Eastern
Language use	Some communities only older adults. Virtually disappeared in 5 communities, 4 of which are in English areas (Shubenagadie, Truro, Eel River Bar, Pabineo Falls) and the 5th in French-speaking Gaspe, Quebec. In larger areas children tend to begin speaking some Micmac, except in Listuguj, where some families educate children in French. In communities such as Gesgapegiaq, use more vigorous. Prayers, songs, readings. Mainly adults. Express desire to maintain Micmac. No monolinguals. In Gesgapegiaq many also use English or French.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 1%–17%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75%. 800 or more readers of Micmac, 200 write it. Oral and written courses exist in most schools in the primary grades. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1874–1998.
Writing system	Latin script. Micmac Hieroglyphs (Kauder ideograms) script, no longer in use.
Comments	Fishermen; lumbermen. Christian, traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

United States

Language name	Micmac
Population	330 in United States (2000 census).
Region	North Maine near Fort Fairfield; Boston, Massachusetts, and scattered elsewhere in the USA.
Language map	Northeastern United States of America
Alternate names	Mi’gmaw, Mi’kmaw, Miigmao, Restigouche
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 1%–5%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75%.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

JEROME, John; WILLIAMS, Watson, authors. 1979. "Aspects of Micmac intransitive animate inflections."

Vernacular Publications

Migˀmewei ginaamasuti. n.d.