Osage

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A language of United States

ISO 639-3
osa
Alternate Names
Wazhazhe
Autonym
Wazhazhe ie
User Population

No known L1 speakers, but emerging L2 speakers. The last L1 speaker, Lucille Roubedeaux, died in 2005. Ethnic population: 11,000 (Golla 2007).

Location

Oklahoma: north central.

Language Status

9 (Reawakening). Language of registered tribe: The Osage Nation.

Classification
Siouan-Catawban, Siouan, Mississippi Valley-Ohio Valley Siouan, Mississippi Valley Siouan, Dhegihan
Dialects

None known. Reportedly similar to Omaha [oma], Ponca [oma], Quapaw [qua], and Kansa [ksk].

Language Use

Shifted to English [eng].

Language Development

Dictionary. Grammar. Revitalization program since the 1970s (Golla 2007) The Osage Language Program was created in 2003, and its website has both audio and video learning materials. Geoffrey Standing Bear, the Osage Nation Chief, announced early in 2015 that he would make Osage language immersion a priority.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Osage
Writing

Latin script [Latn]. Osage script [Osge].