Mohawk

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A language of Canada

ISO 639-3
moh
Alternate Names
Kanien’kehaka
Autonym
Kanien’kéha
User Population

990 in Canada (2016 census). Ethnic population: 24,000 (1999 SIL). Total users in all countries: 3,040 (as L1: 2,940; as L2: 100).

Location

Ontario province: Six Nations Reserve, Tyendinaga Reserve on Bay of Quinte near Kingston, and a small settlement at Wahta Mohawk Territory east of Georgian Bay; Quebec province: Kahnawà:ke and Kanehsatà:ke (Oka) near Montreal.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened). Language of recognized indigenous peoples: Bay of Quinte Mohawk, Lower Mohawk, Mohawks of Akwesasne, Mohawks of Kahnawá:ke, Mohawks of Kanesatake, Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, Six Nations of the Grand River, Upper Mohawk, Wahta Mohawk, Walker Mohawk.

Classification
Iroquoian, Northern Iroquoian, Five Nations-Huronian-Susquehannock, Five Nations-Susquehannock, Mohawk-Oneida
Language Use

Some young people, all adults. Mostly older adults but a few children are native speakers (Golla 2007). Most also use English [eng].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 75%–100%. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 1880–2004. Immersion schools in Kahnawà:ke and Kanehsatà:ke (Oka), on the Six Nations Reserve (Golla 2007).

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Mohawk
Writing

Latin script [Latn], used since 1993.

Other Comments

Kanien’kehaka is name for Mohawk people.

Also spoken in:

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