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International Conference on Salish and Neighbouring Languages

The Salish language family is a group of related languages spoken by the Pacific Northwest Coast Indigenous peoples, including British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The Salish language family consists of over thirty distinct languages, most of which are now considered endangered or critically endangered. The languages are divided into two main branches: Coast Salish and Interior Salish.

The Coast Salish languages are spoken by the Coast Salish people, who live in British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. The languages are further divided into two groups: Northern and Southern. The Northern Coast Salish languages include Halkomelem, Squamish, and Comox, while the Southern Coast Salish languages include Saanich, Lummi, and Nooksack.

The Interior Salish languages are spoken by the Interior Salish peoples, who live in British Columbia and Idaho. The languages are further divided into two groups: Northern and Southern. The Northern Interior Salish languages include Okanagan and Secwepemc, while the Southern Interior Salish languages include Shuswap and Flathead.

The Salish languages have been in contact with many other language families. The most prominent of these is the Chinookan family, spoken in Oregon and Washington. Other related languages include the Straits Salish languages, spoken in British Columbia and Washington, and the Wakashan languages, spoken in British Columbia and Washington.

The Salish languages are an essential part of the heritage of the Pacific Northwest Coast. They are also a reminder of the long history of the Indigenous peoples of the region and their unique culture. As such, many efforts have been made to preserve and revitalize the Salish languages, including and the creation of language-learning materials

The purpose for forming this group

Salish and Neighbouring Languages aim to promote the preservation, protection, and revitalization of Indigenous languages and cultures of the Salish and neighbouring language families in British Columbia, Canada. These languages include Salish, Nuu-chah-nulth, Wakashan, Carrier, Tsimshian, and Haida. The goal is to support the revitalization of Indigenous languages and contribute to developing language and culture-based educational materials and resources.

Salish and Neighbouring languages foster intercultural understanding, appreciation, and respect for Indigenous cultures and languages. The organization’s work is based on respect for diversity, language, and culture and understanding traditional knowledge systems.

Benefits that Salish and Neighbouring Languages has provided:

Preservation of cultural identity:

Salish and neighbouring languages are integral to the cultures, histories, and uniqueness of the Indigenous peoples who speak them. They are a key to understanding the culture, history, and worldview of the people who speak them, and they help to preserve the identity of the Indigenous peoples who speak them.

Improved communication:

Salish and neighbouring languages can help bridge the gap between Indigenous communities and their broader societies. By providing a common language, they can help to facilitate communication and understanding between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous people.

Shared understanding:

Salish and neighbouring languages can provide a common sense of the world and its workings. By using a shared language, Indigenous peoples can better understand each other and the cultures, histories, and worldviews of the Indigenous peoples who speak them.

Increased cultural appreciation:

Salish and neighbouring languages can deepen appreciation of the cultures, histories, and worldviews of the Indigenous peoples who speak them. By understanding their language, non-Indigenous people can better appreciate the cultures, records, and worldviews of the Indigenous peoples who speak them.

Improved education:

Salish and neighbouring languages can provide an essential tool for improving the teaching of the Indigenous peoples who speak them. By providing access to language instruction, Indigenous peoples can gain a deeper understanding of the cultures, histories, and worldviews of the Indigenous peoples who speak them.

Overall, Salish and neighbouring languages are essential to the cultures, histories, and identities of the Indigenous peoples who speak them. They provide numerous advantages, including preserving cultural identity, improved communication, shared understanding, increased cultural appreciation, and improved education. By understanding Salish and neighbouring languages, Indigenous and non-Indigenous people can better appreciate the cultures, histories, and worldviews of the Indigenous peoples who speak them.

The Salish language family is divided into two primary branches: the Coast Salish branch, which includes languages like Comox, Saanich, and Straits Salish, and the Interior Salish branch, which includes languages like Flathead, Kalispel, and Spokane. Neighboring languages from other families include Chinook, Haida, and Tsimshian.

Salish languages are generally tonal, meaning words can have multiple meanings based on pitch and intonation. They also have complex grammatical structures with many verbal and nominal forms.

Some First Nation tribes speak the languages in Canada and the United States, including the Nuxalk, Stl’atl’imx, and Squamish peoples of British Columbia, and the Kalispel, Coeur d’Alene, and Spokane tribes of the United States.

Salish languages have declined since contact with Europeans, and many speakers now prefer to speak English. However, the languages are still used in some areas, and efforts are being made to revitalize them. For example, the Squamish Nation in British Columbia is actively working to reintroduce the language to its members.