Sahaptin
Classification: Sahaptian
·critically endangered
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Critically endangered
80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
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~125
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The principal surviving Sahaptin communities are on the Warm Springs Reservation in northern Oregon (about 50 speakers of Tenino); on the Umatilla Reservation in northeastern Oregon, near Pendleton (25 to 50 speakers of Umatilla and Walla Walla); and at Toppenish on the Yakima Reservation in south central Washington (about 25 fluent speakers and a larger number of less-fluent speakers of Yakima). There is also a small Wanapam-speaking community near Priest Rapids Dam on the Columbia River. A scattering of Sahaptin speakers can also be found among speakers of Okanagan and Nez Perce on the Colville Reservation in northeastern Washington.
- SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS
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- TRANSMISSION
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- PLACES
- USA, Oregon, Washington
- LOCATION DESCRIPTION
Sahaptin: marked dialectal diversity spoken along the Columbia River and adjacent Plateau in eastern Oregon and Washington. Southern Sahaptin (or “River”) varieties were originally spoken along the Columbia River from the Dalles to the Umatilla River, and included Tenino, Wayam, and Umatilla. Northwest Sahaptin varieties were spoken in the Yakima River drainage and included Klickitat, Taitnapam, Upper Nisqually, Yakima, and Kittitas. Northeast Sahaptin varieties were spoken on the Columbia River above Southern Sahaptin and along the lower Snake River, and included Walla Walla, Wanapam, and Palouse.