painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
Most of the languages of the first nations are in trouble. Few people speak many of the 500+ languages. However many are trying to revive traditional languages and prevent thier exinction.
The most spoken native language is Dine or Navajo with 150,000 speakers,
Cherokee is spoken by 22,000 people out of a population of more than 350,000 and is the most published native language due to the early invention of the Cherokee sylabary.
Here are some begining resources for learning more about speaking the origional "american" language.
a good starting point with many links to individual languages and lessons.
http://www.native-languages.org/languages.htm
Native language is all around us especally in place names. Most states in the USA are based on First Nations names. All but 16 state names in fact.
check out: http://freespace.virgin.net/john.cletheroe/usa_can/nat_am/names.htm
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/aihmnames1.html
http://www.rootsweb.com/~rigenweb/IndianPlaceNames.html
IMHO there should be resources for children to learn native languages in public schools and in college. If we are going to require children learn a 'forign language' shouldn't we offer lerning 'native languages'?
wa:do
The most spoken native language is Dine or Navajo with 150,000 speakers,
Cherokee is spoken by 22,000 people out of a population of more than 350,000 and is the most published native language due to the early invention of the Cherokee sylabary.
Here are some begining resources for learning more about speaking the origional "american" language.
a good starting point with many links to individual languages and lessons.
http://www.native-languages.org/languages.htm
Native language is all around us especally in place names. Most states in the USA are based on First Nations names. All but 16 state names in fact.
check out: http://freespace.virgin.net/john.cletheroe/usa_can/nat_am/names.htm
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/aihmnames1.html
http://www.rootsweb.com/~rigenweb/IndianPlaceNames.html
IMHO there should be resources for children to learn native languages in public schools and in college. If we are going to require children learn a 'forign language' shouldn't we offer lerning 'native languages'?
wa:do