Gitxsan language

The Gitxsan language /ˈɡɪtsæn/, or Gitxsanimaax (also rendered Gitksan, Giatikshan, Gityskyan, Giklsan), is a First Nations language of northwestern British Columbia. It is a Tsimshianic language, closely related to the neighboring Nisga’a language. The two groups are, however, politically separate and prefer to refer to Gitxsan and Nisga'a as distinct languages. Gitxsanimx is an endangered language. According to the 2006 census there were 1,175 native speakers.

Gitxsan is the name of the people who speak this language. It means "People of the Skeena River" ("'Ksan" being the name of the Skeena in this language).

Phonology

The Gitxsan inventory is as follows:

The mid and high vowels are nearly in complementary distribution, suggesting that Gitxsan once had a three-vowel system. Short mid vowels are emerging. Schwa may not be phonemic.

The palatal obstruents become velar before /s/ and /l/.

References

Bibliography