Moose Cree is an indigenous language of Canada

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Last Updated: 18 years

Region:

Southern tip of James Bay, Moosonee, Ontario. This community and surrounding area (Moose Factory, Ontario). Has speakers of Moose Cree, East Cree, and Swampy Cree in it.

Alternate names:

York Cree, West Shore Cree, West Main Cree

Dialects:

Nonpalatalized l-dialect within Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi language complex or dialect cluster.

Classification:

Algic -> Algonquian -> Central -> Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi -> Moose Cree

Population:

4,500. All Cree first-language speakers in Canada 87,555 (1998 Statistics Canada). Ethnic population: 5,000 (1982 SIL).

Language use:

Vigorous. Speakers also use English.

Language development:

Literacy rate in first language: 5% to 10%. Literacy rate in second language: 75% to 100%. Cree syllabary, eastern finals. Grammar. NT: 1876.