Shoshoni language
| Shoshoni | |
|---|---|
| Sosoni' da̲i̲gwape, Neme ta̲i̲kwappeh | |
| Native to | United States |
| Region | Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Idaho |
| Ethnicity | Shoshoni people |
|
Native speakers
|
1,000 (2007) L2: 1,000 non-fluent speakers (2007) |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | |
| Glottolog | shos1248 |
Shoshoni, also written as Shoshoni-Gosiute, and Shoshone (/ʃoʊˈʃoʊni/; Shoshoni: Sosoni' da̲i̲gwape, newe da̲i̲gwape or neme ta̲i̲kwappeh) is a Native American language of the Uto-Aztecan family spoken by the Shoshone people. Shoshoni-speaking Native Americans occupy areas of Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and Idaho.
Principal dialects of Shoshoni include Western Shoshoni in Nevada, Gosiute in western Utah, Northern Shoshoni in southern Idaho and northern Utah, and Eastern Shoshoni in Wyoming.
The number of people who speak Shoshoni has been steadily dwindling since the late 20th century. In the early 21st century, fluent speakers number only several hundred to a few thousand people. An additional population of about 1,000 know it to some degree. The Duck Valley and Gusiute communities have established programs to teach it to their children. Ethnologue lists Shoshoni as "threatened" as it notes that many of the speakers are 50 and older.UNESCO has classified the Shoshoni language as "severely endangered" in Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. The language is still being taught to children in a small number of isolated locations. The tribes have a strong interest in revitalization but efforts to preserve the language are scattered, with little coordination. Literacy is increasing. Shoshoni dictionaries have been published and Bible portions translated in 1986.
As of 2012, Idaho State University offers elementary, intermediate, and conversational Shoshoni, in a 20-year project to preserve the language. Open-source Shosoni audio is available online to complement classroom instruction, as part of its long-standing Shoshoni Language Project.
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