Aggelos Rallatos English Project 2013-14 NATIVE AMERICAN
LANGUAGES
Slide 2
A common misunderstanding is that there were only a few Native
American languages. In fact it is estimated that until the 15 th
century in America more than 1500 languages were spoken by the
native population. This vast number of languages is the result of
the isolation of the tribes and the lack of communication between
them, which lead each particular tribe to develop its own unique
language. Of course due to certain needs (for example trade) tribes
had to communicate between each other which is why they came up
with a form of sign language used in specific areas.
Slide 3
Slide 4
Where were the languages spoken? In America until the arrival
of the Europeans in the late 15 th century. By whom? By the
population of the native American tribes until the 15 th
century.
Slide 5
How many people spoke them at their peak? Due to the huge
variety of native American languages and the lack of public records
it is almost impossible to find out exactly how many people were
using these languages back then. Some scientists support the idea
that before the European arrival 40 million people were actually
speaking 1,800 different languages. Others claim that approximately
15 million speakers used more than 2000 languages.It is estimated
that almost 1.5 million native Americans were using 300 different
languages in the north of Mexico, whereas in Mexico and in Central
America 300 separate tongues were native to 5 million people. In
addition to that 1,400 unique languages were spoken in South
America and in the West Indies by 9 million at that time.
Slide 6
How many people spoke the languages at their decline? In the
late 15 th century after the European conquest and their settlement
in America more than two thirds of the languages died out. The 20
th and 21 st centuries are thought to be the centuries of decline
for the American indigenous languages and it is estimated that
nowadays, only a couple of million people actually speak a native
American language in the USA and Canada, the majority of whom are
old people, with whom the languages will probably die out in future
decades.
Slide 7
Only a few languages have more than 25,000 speakers nowadays :
LanguageFamilyLocationsSpeakers NavajoAthabaskanAZ, NM, UT148,530
CreeAlgicMT, Canada60,000 OjibwaAlgic MN, ND, MT, MI, Canada 51,000
CherokeeIroquoianOK, NC22,500 DakotaSiouan NE, ND, SD, MN, MT,
Canada 20,000 ApacheAthabaskanNM, AZ, OK15,000 BlackfootAlgicMT,
Canada10,000 ChoctawMuskogeanOK, MS, LA9,211
Slide 8
Why did they disappear? /What were the events that lead to
their extinction? Native American languages started dying out in
the late 15 th century because of the European conquest and
colonization. During this particular time indigenous people were
forced to change their lifestyle and were obliged to learn and
speak European languages.This savage behavior by the Europeans in
combination with the proselytism of the native population lead
these unique languages to shrink and almost become extinct.
Slide 9
Another reason why these languages disappeared is the fact that
Europeans and other immigrants were suffering from diseases such as
typhus, when they arrived in America, diseases which were hitherto
unknown in America. These epidemics and diseases are estimated to
be the ones responsible for killing up to 95% (20 million) of the
indigenous population in the early years of European
colonization.
Slide 10
What were the potential repercussions of their loss? As can be
easily understood the extinction of such a variety of unique and
beautiful languages implies that the uniqueness, values and
traditional customs of each tribe will die out. This happens
because language contains not only letters and words but also
deeper meanings like the moral principles of a population or even
information about the culture, lifestyle and folklores of these
people.
Slide 11
Documents/ clues of the languages in their written or spoken
form Back then in America written literature as we think of it did
not exist but folk literature did. We are lucky that written texts
mainly from the Maya tribe have survived, the majority of which are
inscriptions on buildings, although we are not yet in the position
to decipher all of them. Furthermore, the written forms of
indigenous people contained symbols.
Slide 12
Maya and Aztecs both used a form called picture writing, to
write down their thoughts and ideas. They also used hieroglyphs or
symbols in their writings. We also have in our possession other
sources of nonlinguistic communication like sign languages, which
also contains gestures and other movements and were used to help
tribes communicate. Last but not least we also know that indigenous
people used smoke signals to transfer simple messages or to warn
neighboring tribes of approaching danger.
Slide 13
Maya and Aztecs both used a form called picture writing, to
write down their thoughts and ideas. They also used hieroglyphs or
symbols in their writings.
Slide 14
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/society/native-
american-languages.html
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/society/native-
american-languages.html
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/society/native-
american-languages-writing-sign-language.html
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/society/native-
american-languages-writing-sign-language.html
http://www.cogsci.indiana.edu/farg/rehling/nativeAm/ling.htm l
http://www.cogsci.indiana.edu/farg/rehling/nativeAm/ling.htm l
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/19790/American
-Indian-languages
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/19790/American
-Indian-languages