# List of endangered languages in Canada

An endangered language is a language that is at risk of falling out of use, generally because it has few surviving speakers. If a language loses all of its native speakers, it becomes an extinct language. UNESCO defines four levels of language endangerment between "safe" (not endangered) and "extinct":
* Vulnerable
* Definitely endangered
* Severely endangered
* Critically endangered
Table of Languages:
| Language | Users | Status | Comments |
| Algonquin/Anishinàbemiwin | | Vulnerable | There are several dialects of the Algonquin language, generally grouped broadly as Northern Algonquin and Western Algonquin. |
| Aivilingmiutut/Aivilik | | Vulnerable | Inuktitut or Inuvialuktun dialect. |
| Assiniboine (Canada) | 150 | Critically endangered | Also in the United States. |
| Atikamekw | 6,165 | Vulnerable | Divergent R-dialect of Western Cree. Closely related to Eastern Cree and Innu. |
| Blackfoot/Siksiká (Canada) | 4,915 | Definitely endangered | Southern Alberta, CA and Northern Montana, USA. |
| Bungee | 0–500 | Critically endangered | Possibly extinct. Cree-Ojibwe-Scots-Gaelic creole language. |
| Cayuga (Canada) | 61 | Critically endangered | Split into 2 distinct groups, in Ontario and New York. |
| Central Ojibwe | 8,000 | Vulnerable | |
| Chilcotin/Tsilhqotʹin | 860 | Severely endangered | |
| Chinook Jargon | 1 | Critically endangered | |
| Chipewyan/Dene/Dënesųłiné | 11,325 | Vulnerable | Athapaskan language in Canadian Subarctic. Not to be confused with Chippewa (Ojibwe). |
| Comox-Sliammon/ʔayajuθəm | 47 | Critically endangered | Mainland and Island dialects. Island dialect is extinct. |
| Dakota (Canada) | 290 | Critically endangered | Also in the United States. |
| Dane-zaa/Beaver | 220 | Definitely endangered | |
| Dogrib/Tłı̨chǫ | 1,735 | Definitely Endangered | |
| Eastern Cree/James Bay Cree | 13,000 | Vulnerable | Divided into 4 dialects. |
| Eastern Ojibwe/Ojibwa | | Severely endangered | |
| Gitxsan | 1,020 | Severely endangered | |
| Gwich'in (Canada) | 560 | Severely endangered | Also spoken in Alaska. |
| Haisla | 240 | Critically endangered | |
| Halkomelem/Hul'qumi'num (Canada) | 100-260 | Severely endangered | Three distinct Dialects. Also in the United States. |
| Hän/Han (Canada) | 20 | Critically endangered | Also in Alaska. |
| Heiltsuk/Bella Bella | 60 | Critically endangered | |
| Innu/Eastern Montagnais | 10,075 | Vulnerable | Quebec and Labrador |
| Inuinnaqtun | 1,310 | Definitely endangered | Dialect of Inuvialuktun or Inuktitut. |
| Inuit Sign Language/Inuiuuk | 47 | Critically endangered | Also known as Inuit Uukturausingit (IUR). |
| Inupiaq/Alaskan Inuit (Canada) | 2,144 | Severely endangered | Also in Alaska. |
| Kaska | 240 | Severely endangered | British Columbia and Yukon |
| Kivallirmiutut/Kivalliq | | Vulnerable | Inuktitut or Inuvialuktun dialect. |
| Kutenai | 345 | Severely endangered | Also use Ktunaxa Sign Language. Also in the United States. |
| Kwak'wala | 450 | Critically endangered | 4-5 distinct dialects. Also in the United States. |
| Lakota (Canada) | | Critically endangered | 2,100 speakers in the United States. |
| Lillooet/St̓át̓imcets | 315 | Severely endangered | |
| Malecite-Passamaquoddy (Canada) | 355 | Definitely endangered | Composed of 2 dialects. Also in the United States. |
| Maritime Sign Language | | Critically endangered | |
| Maniwaki Algonquin/Southern Anishinàbemiwin | 3,330 | Severely endangered | Speakers at Maniwaki consider their language to be Southern Algonquin, though linguistically it is a dialect of Nipissing Ojibwa. |
| Michif | 730 | Critically endangered | Cree-French creole language. Also in the United States. |
| Mi'kmaq/Migmaw(Canada) | 7,140 | Vulnerable | Also in the United States. |
| Mohawk/Kanienʼkéha (Canada) | 3,875 | Definitely endangered | Also in the United States. |
| Moose Cree/Ililîmowin | 3,000 | Vulnerable | L-dialect of Western Cree. |
| Munsee/Munsee Lenape/Ontario Delaware (Canada) | 2 | Critically endangered | Unami language in the United States . |
| Naskapi/Iyuw Iyimuun | 1,230 | Vulnerable | Eastern Cree dialect that shares features with Innu. |
| Natsilingmiutut/Netsilik | | Vulnerable | Dialect of Inuvialuktun. |
| Nisga'a | 470-1,500 | Severely endangered | Nisga'a is very closely related to Gitxsan. |
| Nootka/Nuu-chah-nulth | 130 | Severely endangered | https://nuuchahnulth.org/ https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=nuu-chah-nulth http://www.hesquiahtlanguage.org/ |
| North Slavey | 800 | Definitely endangered | |
| Northern Haida | | Critically endangered | Divided into 2 dialects. Also in the United States. |
| Northern Tutchone | | Definitely endangered | |
| Northwestern Ojibwe | | Vulnerable | |
| Inuttitut/Nunatsiavummiutut/Nunatsiavut | | Vulnerable | Inuktitut dialect. |
| Nuxalk/Bella Coola | 17 | Critically endangered | |
| Oji-Cree/Severn Ojibwa | 13,630 | Vulnerable | |
| Okanagan | | Definitely endangered | 5 dialects. Also in the United States. |
| Oneida (Canada) | 47 | Critically endangered | Ontario, CA and Wisconsin, USA. |
| Onondaga (Canada) | 50 | Critically endangered | Also in the United States. |
| Odawa (Canada) | 360 | Severely endangered | Also in the United States. |
| Plains Cree | 34,000 | Vulnerable | Y-dialect of Western Cree. |
| Plains Indian Sign Language/Plains Sign Talk | | Critically Endangered | |
| Potawatomi (Canada) | | Critically endangered | Also in the United States. |
| Qikiqtaaluk Nigiani/South Baffin dialect | | Vulnerable | Inuktitut dialect. |
| Qikiqtaaluk Uannangani/North Baffin dialect | | Vulnerable | Inuktitut dialect. |
| Rigolet Inuktitut | 0-3 | Critically endangered | Inuktitut/Nunatsiavut/Inttitut dialect. |
| Sarcee/Tsuutʼina | 150 | Critically endangered | |
| Saulteaux/Nakawēmowin | 10,000 | Vulnerable | Also known as Western or Plains Ojibwe. |
| Sechelt | 7 | Critically endangered | |
| Sekani | 200 | Critically endangered | |
| Seneca (Canada) | | Critically endangered | Also in the United States. |
| Shuswap /Secwepemctsín | 200-1,190 | Definitely endangered | Divided into 2 dialects. |
| Siglit dialect | | Severely endangered | Inuvialuktun dialect. |
| South Slavey | 1,000 | Definitely endangered | |
| Southern Haida | | Critically endangered | Divided into 2 dialects: Skidegate and Ninstints(extinct). Also in Alaska. |
| Southern Tutchone | | Critically endangered | |
| Squamish/Sḵwx̱wú7mesh | 450 | Critically endangered | 1 native speaker left, 449 L2 learners. |
| Stoney/Nakota/Nakoda | 3,200 | Vulnerable | |
| North Straits Salish | 105 | Severely endangered | Also in the United States. Divided into 6 dialects. |
| Swampy Cree/Maskekon/Omaškêkowak | 1,805 | Vulnerable | N-dialect of Western Cree. |
| Tahltan | 45 | Critically endangered | |
| Thompson/Nlaka'pamuctsin | 130 | Severely endangered | |
| Tlingit (Canada) | 120 | Critically endangered | Also in the United States. |
| Coast Tsimshian/Sm'álgyax | 275 | Critically endangered | Also in Alaska. |
| Upper Tanana/Nabesna (Canada) | 100 | Critically endangered | Also in Alaska. |
| Western Abenaki/Wôbanakiôdwawôgan (Canada) | 14 | Critically endangered | Divided into 5 dialects. East Abenaki is extinct. Also in the United States. |
| Woods Cree/Bush Cree | 20,000 | Vulnerable | TH-dialect of Western Cree. Merged with Rock Cree. |

## Changes in Canadian Endangered Languages
### Oneida

* Critically Endangered
There is a "phonological process" in the Oneida language that has been passed down for generations. This process is described as the loss of voicing in the vowel of the last syllable of a word. It is vital to the preservation of the language, and has been changing among the speakers, such that some speakers have introduced a degree of voiced vowels in these final forms, which poses additional stress on the small population of speakers. The introduction of voicing the last syllable in words that typically are unvoiced changes the traditional morphology of the language, pushing the original dialect towards language death, especially since the majority of speakers are older in age. It is part of the Iroquoian language family.

### Blackfoot

* Definitely Endangered
The Blackfoot language features the loss of voicing in the last syllable of a word, which is typically inaudible. Certain inflections and the use of inaudible vowels has been identified as "old Blackfoot" (traditional), and are not in frequent use by younger speakers. Similarly, a minority of Blackfoot speakers use the "soundless" suffixes, which is pushing the traditional language towards more extreme language endangerment and potentially language death. It is part of the Algonquian language family.

### Chipewyan

* Definitely Endangered
The Chipewyan language exhibits morphological characteristics that are far more complex than the majority of European languages. This includes conditioning of tone and morphology of phonemes, as well as frequent contractions, elisions, metatheses, and consonantal substitutions. Chipewyan is mainly endangered due to its complex structure, which makes it difficult to decipher the morphological code, as well as the fact that the majority of the speakers are in their mid-late adulthood. It is part of the Athapaskan language family.

### Assiniboine

Also called Nakoda or Hohe
* Critically Endangered
Assinibone is one of the language divisions out of five main language divisions within the Dakotan group of the Siouan family. The sound of this language differs from the other languages in the group because it merges voiceless stops with voiced stops. There are reports that syllabaries have been used by Assinibone speakers. The Assiniboine language is spread over 2 communities in Canada, and is mainly used by older adults.

### Central Ojibwe

Also called Anishinaabemowin, Ojibway, and Chippewa
* Definitely Endangered
There are about 8,000 speakers of the Central Ojibwe language, and it is spread over 16 communities in Canada. The language is spoken from Ontario to Manitoba. It is also spoken in places from Michigan to Montana next to the Great Lakes which is the home of the Ojibwe people. The language today is spoken by people over the age of 70. The people of the Ojibwe language note that double vowels in their language are treated as standing for unit sounds, therefore they are alphabetized after corresponding single values.

### Lakota

* Critically Endangered
There are about 6,000 speakers in the Northern Plain States of North Dakota and South Dakota. Most native speakers are in their mid-50s. There is a growing interest to revitalize the language. At the Red Cloud Indian school, there are immersion classes for children to teach the language. However, at the moment, there are no children on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation that are fluent in the language. Within the next ten years, it is expected that there will be children fluent in Lakota. It is mutually intelligible with Dakota and part of the Siouan language family.

### Dakota

* Definitely Endangered
There are about 20,000 native speakers, primarily in the North Dakota and South Dakota area, and additionally a speaker community of about 4,000 in Minnesota. Dakota Wicohon is an after-school camp that helps children learn the language, since it is not taught in the government-run boarding schools for American Indian youth. To help preservation efforts, technology like phraselators come into play, allowing learners to type in the words they want or orally speak the word they want and the machine will find it for them. It is mutually intelligible with Lakota and part of the Siouan language family.

### Dogrib

Also called Tlinchon
* Vulnerable
There are about 2,640 speakers of the language in the Canadian Northwest Territories from the Great Slave Lake to the Great Bear Lake. Dogrib phonology is rather intricate and is organized into 5 levels. The first person to write a book in Dogrib was Herb Zimmerman, who translated the Bible into the language in 1981. Unlike many other Native American languages, there are children who are fluent in the language. It is part of the Northern Athabaskan language family.

### Kaska

* Severely Endangered
Kaska was typically a First Nations speaking language, and mainly lived in northern British Columbia and some from southeast Yukon in Canada. People who speak Kaska today still live within the British Columbia and Yukon Territory area. The speakers are elders, such as grandparents, and their children and grandchildren would speak English. First Nations have started work to re-create and preserve their heritage language. It is part of the Athabaskan language family.

### Ottawa

Also called Odawa
* Severely Endangered
The number of people who speak the Ottawa dialect is unknown, though it is predicted to be around 13,000. Native communities received $5 million a year for 7 years (2007–2014) to help them in their efforts to preserve their languages and teach it to their children. The language is written with Latin letters and is a dialect of the Ojibwe language. Many descendants of migrants now live in Kansas and Oklahoma.

### Stoney

Also called Nakoda or Alberta Assiniboine
* Vulnerable
There are roughly 3,200 people who speak Stoney in the Northern Plains and the Alberta province of Canada. Stoney uses the Latin alphabet. The stress is one of the harder aspects about the language. The Stoney Indian Language Project was created to help make a standard format of the Stoney language. The project created 6 books for adults and children, as well as a videotape for third graders. Stoney is part of the Siouan language family.

### Potawatomi

* Critically Endangered
The Potawatomi Language is critically endangered because there are only 52 fluent speakers left surrounding the Great Lakes region in Michigan. Within a decade, those who are fluent (the majority being the elderly) will soon be dead, causing the culture to die out with them, along with the knowledge of history that has been passed down from previous generations. English has become the predominant language spoken in homes due to the halt of parents speaking Potawatomi to children from 20 to more than 50 years ago. Currently there are no teachings of the language but there are revitalization efforts to bring back the language and the culture that could possibly be gone forever. Potawatomi is a Central Algonquian Language.

### Tuscarora

* Critically Endangered
Tuscarora entails complex morphology dealing with the copying of words, roots, stems, and affixes. Historically, the language was situated in North Carolina There was a time where the Tuscarora language was spoken 'as the mother tongue,' used for all situations, (formal and informal) but now there are approximately only four to five remaining elders who are fluent in the language. All of the elders are around the ages of seventy to eighty years old, where a possible result is the extinction of the Tuscarora language. It is a Northern Iroquoian Language.

### Cayuga

* Critically Endangered
The Native American Cayuga speaking people are located in Oklahoma and Ontario. With the splitting of the people into two geographical locations, they now begin to differ in terms of language usage, morphology and phonology. In the setting of Oklahoma, Cayuga has become influenced by other tribes and has, to a certain extent, lost its original vocabulary. Cayuga contains a pitch accent where the placement of it can be predicted by metrical structure and constraints on the structure of the syllables. It is a Northern Iroquoian Language.

### Upper Tanana Language

* Critically Endangered
The Upper Tanana Language originally was spoken in only five villages, each with a different dialect. Those villages were Beaver Creek, Scottie Creek, Northway, Nabesna, and Tetlin. Today, the language is only spoken by about 95 people, above the age of 50, in eastern interior Alaska. Depending on the dialect, the Upper Tanana Language has about six to seven phonemic vowels. The primary difference between the dialects is the pitch of the tone. Also a major factor in the split of different dialects is that different dialects have different vowel inventories.

### Nootka

Also called Nuu-chah-nulth language.
* Severely Endangered
Despite misinterpretation of studies which describe the phonetic inventory of Nootka, these studies do not suggest that its phonemic inventory is the main reason why the Nootka language may be severely endangered. A process known as glottalization is a key factor in being able to articulate certain sounds in the language, called ejective consonants. Though these sounds are not found in English, they are not linguistically rare. Many languages with large speaker communities, including Arabic and Amharic, contain these sounds, an observation which discredits this theory. It is clear that Nootka, like all Canadian aboriginal languages, is endangered due to social factors alone.