Tlingit

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A language of United States

ISO 639-3
tli
Alternate Names
Kolosch, Kolosh, Thlinget, Tlinkit
Autonym
Łingít
Population

1,240 in United States (2015 census), decreasing. 500 fluent speakers (Golla 2007). Ethnic population: 10,000 (1995 M. Krauss). Total users in all countries: 1,242.

Location

Alaska: Carcross-Tagish inland, Ketchikan south to Yakutat north.

Language Maps
Language Status

8a (Moribund). Recognized language (2014, Official Languages of Alaska Law as amended, Alaska Statute 44.12.310). Language of registered tribe: Angoon Community Association, Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes, Chilkat Indian Village (Klukwan), Chilkoot Indian Association (Haines), Craig Community Association, Douglas Indian Association, Hoonah Indian Association, Ketchikan Indian Corporation, Klawock Cooperative Association, Organized Village of Kake, Organized Village of Saxman, Petersburg Indian Association, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, Skagway Village, Wrangell Cooperative Association, Yakutat Tlingit Tribe.

Classification
Eyak-Athabaskan, Tlingit
Dialects

Northern Tlingit, Transitional Southern Tlingit, Sanya-Henya Tlingit, Tongass.

Typology

SOV.

Language Use

Older adults only. Also use English [eng], as L1 or L2.

Language Development
Practical writing system developed in the 1960s. Radio. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 1969.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Tlingit
Writing

Cyrillic script [Cyrl]. Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Rich documentation of Tlingit literature and oratory in publications by Nora and Richard Dauenhauer (Golla 2007).

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