Atikamekw language

language
name=Atikamekw
nativename=Atikamekw
familycolor=American
states=Canada
region=Quebec.
speakers=5,545 [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/topics/RetrieveProductTable.cfm?ALEVEL=3&APATH=3&CATNO=&DETAIL=0&DIM=&DS=99&FL=0&FREE=0&GAL=0&GC=99&GK=NA&GRP=1&IPS=&METH=0&ORDER=1&PID=89189&PTYPE=88971&RL=0&S=1&ShowAll=No&StartRow=1&SUB=705&Temporal=2006&Theme=70&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF=&GID=837928 Statistics Canada 2006] ]
fam1=Algic
fam2=Algonquian
fam3=Central
fam4=Cree-Montaignais-Naskapi
iso2=atj|iso3=atj

The Atikamekw language (also known as Attikamek, Tête de Boule, Attimewk, Atihkamekw, Atikamek) is an Algonquian language, and is a dialect of the Cree language complex. It is spoken in southwestern Quebec by nearly all the Atikamekw. It is notable for being the only modern Cree dialect to still retain the /r/ sound which has become /n/, /y/, /l/ or /ð/ in all other Cree-Montagnais dialects. The dialect is also notable for having numerous borrowings from Ojibwe.

Classification

Atikamekw is an Algonquian language, of the Algic family of languages, and is descended from Proto-Algonquian. It is part of the Cree dialect continuum, along with Montaignais and Naskapi.

Phonology

Consonants

The consonants of Atikamekw in the standard orthography are listed below (with IPA notation in brackets):

Vowels

Notes