Dene

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A language of Canada

ISO 639-3
chp
Alternate Names
Dëne Súline, “Chipewyan” (pej.)
Autonym
Dënesųłıné
User Population

10,700 (2016 census).

Location

Northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, southeastern Northwest Territories (Snowdrift and Fort Resolution), Fort Smith, Fort Chipewyan, Wolliston Post, Buffalo Narrows, Brochet, and some communities in Reindeer Lake.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b* (Threatened). Recognized language (1988, NWT Official Languages Act, Chapter 56 (Supplemented), Section 4), restricted official use. Language of recognized indigenous peoples: Athabasca Chipewyan, Barren Lands, Birch Narrows, Black Lake, Buffalo River Dene, Chipewyan Prairie, Clearwater River Dene, Cold Lake, Deninu K’ue, English River, Fond du Lac, Fort McKay, Fort McMurray, Hatchet Lake, K’atlodeeche, Lutsel K’e Dene, Northlands Denesuline, Salt River, Sayisi Dene, Smith’s Landing, Yellowknives Dene.

Classification
Eyak-Athabaskan, Athabaskan, Northern Athabaskan
Dialects

Yellowknife.

Language Use

Very few readers of Dëne. In La Loche some children still learn Dëne. Proportion of speakers much higher in some remote areas where some children are more fluent in Dëne than English [eng]. All also use English [eng].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 1%–5%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. NT: 1881.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Dene
Writing

Latin script [Latn]. Unified Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics script [Cans], no longer in use.