The Micmac Language

Chris Piehler, September 23, 2003

 

 

The aboriginal language that I chose was Micmac, which belongs to the Algonquian language family.  I chose Micmac because I read that there are still several thousand speakers of the language and the language’s vitality was strong due to institutional support and a relatively large population.

 

Questions

1.  What kind of alphabet do the Micmac use?

2.  Are most speakers of Micmac bilingual or monolingual?

3.  Is there a dictionary of Micmac?

 

 

Jenness, Diamond.  1932.  The Indians of Canada.  7^th Edition.  Toronto: University of Toronto.

/NS/ON/QU/LMM/$D/$C/$G

 

            This language was part of the Algonquian language family.  Micmac was used in trading because it was similar to other languages in the family.  Explorers used this language from the Atlantic coast to the western prairies of Canada.

Available at Diamond Library, E78.C2.J28

 

Goddard, Ives.  1967.  Notes on the Genetic Classification of the Algonquian Languages.  Contributions to Anthropology: Linguistics I, Bulletin 214, 7-11; 100.

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            Much of the information here focuses on how the different languages in the Algonquian family have diverged.  It focuses on nasal attributes, the morphology of some words, as well as a table of a conjugated verb.

Available at Diamond Library, PM600.C6

 

Indians’ Captive in 1848 now 110.  August 16, 1949  The New York Times. 19.

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  This short article is about Jerimiah Campbellton who was captured by the Micmacs in 1848 where he learned the language of his captors.  The article goes on to say that because of his language skills in Micmac he was a great woodsman guide.