Also Known As:
Nishga, Niska', Nisk'a', Nass, Nisgha, Nass-Gitksan, Nisk'a, Nishka, Niska, Nasqa'
Dialects & Varieties
Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16th Edition (2009)
Lewis, M. Paul (ed.). 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16 edn. http://www.ethnologue.com/home.asp. (15 February, 2011.)
Severely Endangered
80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
920
Native Speakers Worldwide
Speaker Number Trends
Speaker Number Trend 4
Less than half of the community speaks the language, and speaker numbers are decreasing at an accelerated pace.
4
Transmission
Transmission 3
Some adults in the community are speakers, but the language is not spoken by children.
3
Speakers
Native or fluent speakers:
No results found.
Second-language speakers and learners
1,500
Semi-speakers or rememberers
No results found.
Children:
No results found.
Young adults
No results found.
Older adults
No results found.
Elders
No results found.
Ethnic or community population
5,400
Year information was gathered
No results found.
Comments on speakers
Taught in public school since 1976 and at local community college and the University of Northern British Columbia (Golla 2007). Speakers 30 and older.
Location and Context
Countries
Canada;
Location Description
British Columbia, Lower Nass River Valley, Aiyansh (Ay’ans), Canyon City (Gitwinksihlkw), Greenville (Laxtalts’ap or Gitxat’in), Kincolith (Gingolx) villages.
Government Support
No results found.
Institutional Support
No results found.
Speakers' Attitude
No results found.
Other Languages Used By The Community
English
Number of Other Language Speakers:
None
Domains of Other Languages:
None
Writing Systems
Standard orthography:
No results found.
Writing system:
No results found.
Other writing systems used:
No results text.
Comments on writing systems:
No results found.
Recent Resources
Nisga'a Elder Herbert Morven, retiring Vice Chair of the First Peoples' Cultural Council, expresses
This is an animated film created by Veselin Jungic (SFU), Mark MacLean (UBC), Simon Roy (Victoria, B