Nez Perce language
| Nez Perce | |
|---|---|
| Niimiipuutímt | |
| Native to | United States |
| Region | Idaho |
| Ethnicity | 610 Nez Perce people (2000 census) |
|
Native speakers
|
a handful of elders on Nez Perce and Colville Reservations (2007) |
|
Plateau Penutian
|
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | |
| Glottolog | nezp1238 |
Nez Perce /ˌnɛzˈpɜːrs/, also spelled Nez Percé or called Niimi'ipuutímt, is a Sahaptian language related to the several dialects of Sahaptin (note the spellings, -ian vs. -in). Nez Perce comes from the French word, "pierced nose," although Nez Perce (who call themeselves Nimipu meaning "the people") did not practice nose piercing. This may have occurred as a result of confusion on behalf of the French, as it was surrounding tribes who practiced this act. The Sahaptian sub-family is one of the branches of the Plateau Penutian family (which, in turn, may be related to a larger Penutian grouping). It is spoken by the Nez Perce people of the Northwestern United States.
Nez Perce is a highly endangered language. While sources differ on the exact number of fluent speakers, it is almost definitely under 100. The Nez Perce tribe is endeavoring to reintroduce the language into native usage through a language revitalization program, though at present the future of the Nez Perce language is far from assured.
The grammar of Nez Perce has been described in a grammar ((Aoki 1973)) and a dictionary ((Aoki 1994)) with two dissertations (Rude 1985; Crook 1999).
The phonology of Nez Perce includes vowel harmony (which was mentioned in Noam Chomsky & Morris Halle's The Sound Pattern of English), as well as a complex stress system described by Crook (1999).
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