East Cree, Southern: native american language of Canada

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Last Updated: 18 years

Region:

Quebec, southeastward from James Bay, inland to the height of land (watershed) east of Lake Mistissini. Coastal communities of Waskaganish, some speakers in Eastmain. Inland, in Mistissini, Waswanipi, Nemaska, and Ouje-Bougoumo.

Alternate names:

James Bay Cree Southern Dialect, Eastern James Bay Cree Southern Dialect

Dialects:

Palatalized y-dialect within Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi language complex or dialect cluster. Sometimes classified as Montagnais.

Classification:

Algic -> Algonquian -> Central -> Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi -> East Cree, Southern

Population:

7,306 (1997 Quebec Ministere de la Sante et des Services Sociaux).

Language use:

Vigorous. All domains. Speakers also use English.

Language development:

Literacy rate in first language: 15% to 20%. Literacy rate in second language: 50%. Language of instruction in lower grades, taught as a subject in upper grades.