Tanacross

Tanacross is a language spoken by the Tanacross people, a Native American group residing in the Tanacross region of Alaska. It is a member of the Athabaskan language family, which is a group of languages spoken by indigenous peoples across North America.

Overview

Tanacross is considered an endangered language, with fewer than 65 speakers as of 2007. Efforts are being made to preserve the language, including the development of a Tanacross dictionary and the teaching of the language in local schools.

Phonology

Tanacross has a complex phonology, with a large number of consonants and vowels. It also features tone, a feature not common in many other Athabaskan languages.

Grammar

The grammar of Tanacross is characterized by a complex verb system, with verbs inflecting for aspect, mode, and voice. Nouns in Tanacross can take a number of case endings, and the language also has a system of pronouns.

Preservation Efforts

Efforts to preserve Tanacross include the development of a Tanacross dictionary, the teaching of the language in local schools, and the recording of Tanacross speakers for linguistic research.

See Also

• Athabaskan languages
• Endangered languages
• Tanacross, Alaska