| Also Known As: Nuxalk language,Nuxalk
Description:
Nuxálk (also Bella Coola) is a Salishan language spoken in the vicinity of the Canadian town Bella Coola, British Columbia by approximately 20-30 elders. Until recently, the language was called Bella Coola, but the native designation Nuxálk is now preferred.
Though the number of truly fluent speakers has not increased, the language is now taught in both the provincial school system and the Nuxálk Nation's own school, Acwsalcta, which means "a place of learning". Nuxálk language classes, if taken to at least the Grade 11 level, are considered adequate second language qualifications for entry to the major B.C. universities.
The name Nuxálk derives from the native nuχalk 'Bella Coola (place)', while Bella Coola derives from Heiltsuk bḷ́xʷlá - "stranger".
Nuxálk is spoken in Bella Coola, British Columbia, surrounded by Wakashan- and Athabascan-speaking tribes. It was once spoken in over 100 settlements, with varying dialects, but in the present day most of these settlements have been abandoned and dialectual differences have largely disappeared.
Nuxálk forms its own subgroup of the Salish language family. Its lexicon is equidistant from Coast and Interior Salish, but it shares..... full article at Wikipedia |
