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Naskapi

A language of Canada

ISO 639-3: nsk

Population	1,180. Ethnic population: 1,177 (1996).
Region	Quebec and Labrador. 2 communities. Kawawachikamach about 10 km northeast of Schefferville in northeastern Quebec at watershed. On December 15, 2002 most of the Mushuau Innu moved from Utshimassits (Davis Inlet) to Natuashish on the mainland, an isolated community in Labrador.
Language map	Canada
Alternate names	Innu Aimun, Iyuw Iyimuuun
Dialects	Western Naskapi (Kawawachikamach), Eastern Naskapi (Natuashish).
Classification	Algic, Algonquian, Central, Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi
Language use	Vigorous in both dialects. Slow shift occurring to English.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: Western Naskapi: 1%–5%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%. Taught in primary schools. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 2007.
Writing system	Unified Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics script.
Comments	Naskapi culture was nomadic and completely dependent on the migratory habits of caribou. Caribou hunting and land use still seen as important. Innu Aimun refers to both Eastern Naskapi dialect and Montagnais [moe] but not Western Naskapi. Some linguists have referred to dialect spoken at Natuashish as Eastern Naskapi but currently refer to it as Innu Aimun or Mushuau Innu Aimun. Hunting in the bush in watersheds north from Schefferville, west from Davis Inlet.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

BLACKSMITH, Louise, author; NABINICABOO, Silas, translator; JANCEWICZ, Bill, editor. 2006. Naskapi conversation manual = Manuel de conversation Naskapie.

CHASE, Carol; MARTENS, Lana, authors. 1983. A practical grammar of the Naskapi Indian language.

GUANISH, George; JANCEWICZ, Bill; MACKENZIE, Marguerite; NABINICABOO, Silas, authors. 2002. "Building a community language development team with Québec Naskapi."

JANCEWICZ, Bill, author. 1998. "Developing language programs with the Naskapi of Québec."

JANCEWICZ, Bill, author. 1998. "Nominalizations in Naskapi: production and inflection."

JANCEWICZ, Bill, author. 2000. "Naskapi discourse: analysis of a contemporary text."

JANCEWICZ, Bill; MACKENZIE, Marguerite, authors. 1998. "Preverbs in Naskapi: function and distribution."

JANCEWICZ, Bill; MACKENZIE, Marguerite, authors. 2002. "Applied computer technology in Cree and Naskapi language programs."  

JANCEWICZ, Bill; MACKENZIE, Marguerite, editors. 1994. Naaskaapii iyuw iyimuuun misinaaikin = Naskapi lexicon = Lexique Naskapi.