Ahtna language

{{Infobox language

| name = Ahtna

| nativename = Koht’aene Kenaege', Atnakenaege’

| ethnicity = 500 Ahtna (1995)

| speakers = 15

| date = 2020

| ref = {{cite web |title=2020 Biennial Report to the Governor and Legislature |url=https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/Portals/4/pub/ANLPAC/ANLPAC%202020%20Report%20to%20the%20Governor%20and%20Legislature.pdf |publisher=The Alaska Native Language Preservation & Advisory Council |date=2020-01-01}}

| speakers2 = 30 (2011)Directional Reference, Discourse, and Landscape in Ahtna. Berez, Andrea L. (2011) "There are about thirty first-language speakers still alive today (all 60+ years of age)"

| familycolor = Dené-Yeniseian

| fam2 = Na-Dené

| fam3 = Athabaskan

| fam4 = Northern Athabaskan

| script = Latin (Ahtna alphabet)

| nation = {{flag|Alaska}}{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/04/21/305688602/alaska-oks-bill-making-native-languages-official |title = Alaska OKs Bill Making Native Languages Official : The Two-Way : NPR| website=NPR }}

| iso3 = aht

| glotto = ahte1237

| glottorefname = Ahtena

| coordinates = {{coord|62|10|N|143|49|W|type:landmark|display=inline}}

| map = Ahtna lang.png

| mapcaption = Pre-contact distribution of Ahtna

| map2 = Lang Status 20-CR.svg

| mapcaption2 = {{center|{{small|Ahtna is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger}}}}

| altname = Copper River, Mednovskiy

}}

Ahtna or Ahtena ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɑː|t|n|ə}}, from {{lang|aht|At Na}} "Copper River"){{Cite book|title=Ahtna Noun Dictionary and Pronunciation Guide 2nd Edition|last=Smelcer|first=John|publisher=The Ahtna Heritage Foundation|year=1998|isbn=0-9656310-2-8|location=United States of America}} is the Na-Dené language of the Ahtna ethnic group of the Copper River area of Alaska. The language is also known as Copper River or Mednovskiy.

The Ahtna language consists of four different dialects: Upper, Central, Lower, and Western. Three of the four are still spoken today. Ahtna is closely related to Dena'ina.

The similar name Atnah occurs in the journals of Simon Fraser and other early European diarists in what is now British Columbia as a reference to the Tsilhqot'in people, another Northern Athapaskan group.{{cn|date=August 2021}}

Classification

Ahtna is classified as belonging to the Northern Athabaskan languages, a subgrouping of the Athabaskan languages.{{e25|aht}}

History

Ahtna is one of the eleven Athabaskan languages native to Alaska. The Ahtna language comes from the proto-Athabaskan language, believed to have evolved 5,000 to 10,000 years ago when humans migrated from Eurasia to North America over the Bering land bridge (Beringia), when it was dried up and exposed creating a natural land bridge. Many indigenous Native American languages are to have derived from this proto-Athabaskan language. Ahtna and other Athabaskan languages, like Navajo, have many similarities, due to their common ancestry. The Ahtna language has changed very much and very often, and it is still changing today. Within the past century more than one hundred words have made their way into the Ahtna vocabulary mostly due to influence from English. Contact with Russians influenced the Ahtna language with many Russian loanwords being introduced. With contact from English speakers, especially recently, English words have also been introduced. Some words are also borrowed from the Alaskan Tlingit and Alutiiq native languages.

Geographic distribution

The Ahtna region consists of the Copper River Basin and the Wrangell Mountains. The Ahtna Region is bordered by the Nutzotin river in the Northeast and the Alaska Range in the North. The Talkeetna Mountains are to the Chugach Mountains are to the South.{{Cite web|url=http://ahtna-inc.com/lands/|title=Ahtna Land and Resource Department {{!}} Ahtna|website=ahtna-inc.com|access-date=2016-05-01}} The Upper Ahtna live on the upper portion of the Copper River, The Middle or Central Ahtna live slightly down river from there, The Lower Ahtna live near the mouth of the Copper River, which opens into the Gulf of Alaska, and the Western Ahtna live to the West of the River.

The Ahtna people live on and near traditional villages. There are eight villages within the Ahtna Region: Cantwell, Chistochina, Chitina, Copper Center, Gakona, Gulkana, Mentasta and Tazlina. They are all recognized federally.{{Cite web|url=http://ahtna-inc.com/about/region-map/|title=Ahtna Villages {{!}} Ahtna|website=ahtna-inc.com|access-date=2016-05-01}}

Use and revitalization efforts

There are 15 elderly speakers out of a population of 500, and the language is facing extinction.

The subsistence and fishing-rights activist Katie John (1915–2013) of Mentasta helped develop an Ahtna alphabet in the 1970s{{Cite news

| title = Fishing Rights, Language and Culture Advocate, Katie John, Walks On

| work = Indian Country Today Media Network

| access-date = 2013-07-07

| date = 2013-06-03

| url = http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/06/04/fishing-rights-language-and-culture-advocate-katie-john-walks-149712

}} and recorded a pronunciation guide of the Mentasta dialect.{{Cite web

|title = Ahtna Language, Mentasta Dialect, Recorded by Katie John

|work = Yukon Native Language Centre

|access-date = 2013-07-07

|date = 2008

|url = http://www.ynlc.ca/materials/lessons/johnk/index.html

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170520040730/http://www.ynlc.ca/materials/lessons/johnk/index.html

|archive-date = 2017-05-20

|url-status = dead

}}

Mary Beth Smetzer, [http://www.newsminer.com/news/alaska_news/athabascan-elder-katie-john-advocate-for-indigenous-rights-dies/article_a06c37a6-ca2a-11e2-873a-001a4bcf6878.html "Katie John, advocate for indigenous Rights, Dies"], Fairbanks News-Miner, May 31, 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2014.

In 2012 a facing-bilingual collection of poetry in Ahtna and English, The Indian Prophet, was published by poet John Smelcer.

In a revitalization program, the Ya Ne Dah Ah School in Sutton, Alaska teaches the Ahtna language as a part of its curriculum.{{Cite web

|title=Case Studies, The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development

|access-date=2012-09-09

|url=http://hpaied.org/honoring-nations/case-studies

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624045423/http://hpaied.org/honoring-nations/case-studies

|archive-date=2012-06-24

}}

{{Cite web

| title = Ahtna Athabascan Language Rejuvenation and Curriculum Program

| work = Chickaloon Village Traditional Council

| access-date = 2013-07-07

| url = http://www.chickaloon.org/departments/education/languagerejuvenation

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130530145541/http://www.chickaloon.org/departments/education/languagerejuvenation

| archive-date = 2013-05-30

| url-status = dead

}}

As of 2010, a digital archiving project of Ahtna was underway.{{Cite web

|title=Digital Archive Project

|work=Ahtna Heritage Foundation Cultural Center Projects

|access-date=2013-07-07

|url=http://ahtnaheritagefoundation.com/cultural_center_projects.html

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110324075949/http://www.ahtnaheritagefoundation.com/cultural_center_projects.html

|url-status=dead

|archive-date=2011-03-24

}}

Dialects and bands

There are four main dialect divisions and eight bands (tribal unions):{{Cite web |url=http://www.unm.edu/~bbmsl/naacm/subarcticarts.htm |title=Native American Tribal Arts & Architecture, SUBARCTIC ARTS |access-date=2011-03-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929073821/http://www.unm.edu/~bbmsl/naacm/subarcticarts.htm |archive-date=2012-09-29 |url-status=dead }}

Lower Ahtna (endonym {{lang|aht|Atnahwt'aene}})
Chitina/Taral Band
Tonsina/Klutina Band
Central Ahtna or Middle Ahtna (endonym {{lang|aht|Dan'ehwt'aene}})
Gulkona/Gakona Band
Western Ahtna (own name Tsaay Hwt'aene)
Tyone/Mendeltna Band
Cantwell/Denali Band
Upper Ahtna (endonym {{lang|aht|Tatl'ahwt'aene}})
Sanford River/Chistochina Band [http://www.ynlc.ca/materials/lessons/ah.html Ahtna language, Chistochina Dialect] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111213440/http://www.ynlc.ca/materials/lessons/ah.html |date=2012-11-11 }}
Slana/Batzulnetas Band
Mentasta Band

Vocabulary comparison

The comparison of some animal names in the three Athabaskan languages:[http://www.johnsmelcer.com/app/download/966501841/Ahtna+Dictionary.pdf "Ahtna Noun Dictionary"] by John E. Smelcer (2009)

class="wikitable"

!Ahtna

!Tanacross

!Lower Tanana

!meaning

|{{lang|tcb|wudzih}}

|{{lang|taa|bedzeyh}}

|caribou

|{{lang|tcb|gah}}

|{{lang|taa|gwx}}

|rabbit

|{{lang|tcb|tsá'}}

|{{lang|taa|tso'}}

|beaver

|{{lang|tcb|dzenh}}

|{{lang|taa|dzenh}}

|muskrat

|{{lang|tcb|niidûuy}}

|{{lang|taa|niduuy}}

|lynx

|{{lang|tcb|demee}}

|{{lang|taa|deba}}

|Dall sheep

|{{lang|tcb|shos}}

|{{lang|taa|sresr}}

|bear

|{{lang|tcb|dlêg}}

|{{lang|taa|dlega}}

|squirrel

|{{lang|tcb|łuk'a}}

|{{lang|taa|łuk'a}}

|salmon

Phonology

Athabaskan languages are primarily prefixing. Many prefixes are presented together. There is limited suffixation and often one word has as much meaning as an English language sentence. Verbs are very complex therefore creating many different meanings or analysis of verbs. Some verbs include syntactic principles in addition to and/or replacement of morphological principles when constructing a word.{{Cite journal|last=Tuttle|first=Siri G.|date=2008|title=Phonetics and Word Definition in Ahtna|journal=Linguistics|doi=10.1515/LING.2008.015|s2cid=144375935}}

= Consonants =

The consonants in Kari's IPA phonology and practical orthography are shown in the following table.{{Cite book|title=Ahtna Athabaskan Dictionary|last=Kari|first=James|publisher=Alaska Native Language Center|year=1990|isbn=1-55500-033-9|location=Fairbanks|pages=12}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" \| ! rowspan="2" \|Labial ! colspan="3" \|Alveolar ! rowspan="2" \|Velar ! rowspan="2" \|Uvular ! rowspan="2" \|Glottal
plain !sibilant !lateral
colspan="2" \|Nasals \|{{IPAlink\|m}} {{angbr\|m}} \|{{IPAlink\|n}} {{angbr\|n}} \| \| \|{{IPAlink\|ŋ}} {{angbr\|ng}} \| \|
rowspan="3" \|Plosive/ affricate !{{small\|plain}} \| {{IPAlink\|p}} {{angbr\|b}} \| {{IPAlink\|t}} {{angbr\|d}} \| {{IPAlink\|ts}} {{angbr\|dz}} \| {{IPAlink\|tɬ}} {{angbr\|dl}} \| {{IPAlink\|k}} {{angbr\|g}} \| {{IPAlink\|q}} {{angbr\|gg}} \| {{IPAlink\|ʔ}} {{angbr\|'}}
{{small\|aspirated}} \| {{IPA\|pʰ}} {{angbr\|p}} \| {{IPA\|tʰ}} {{angbr\|t}} \| {{IPA\|tsʰ}} {{angbr\|ts}} \| {{IPA\|tɬʰ}} {{angbr\|tl}} \| {{IPA\|kʰ}} {{angbr\|c}} \| {{IPA\|qʰ}} {{angbr\|k}} \|
{{small\|ejective}} \| \| {{IPAlink\|tʼ}} {{angbr\|t'}} \| {{IPAlink\|tsʼ}} {{angbr\|ts'}} \| {{IPAlink\|tɬʼ}} {{angbr\|tl'}} \| {{IPAlink\|kʼ}} {{angbr\|c'}} \| {{IPAlink\|qʼ}} {{angbr\|k'}} \|
rowspan="2" \|Fricatives !{{small\|voiceless}} \| {{IPAlink\|hʷ}} {{angbr\|hw}} \| \| {{IPAlink\|s}} {{angbr\|s}} \| {{IPAlink\|ɬ}} {{angbr\|ł}} \| {{IPAlink\|x}} {{angbr\|yh}} \| {{IPAlink\|χ}} {{angbr\|x}} \| {{IPAlink\|h}} {{angbr\|h}}
{{small\|voiced}} \|{{IPAlink\|v}} {{angbr\|v}} \| \|{{IPAlink\|z}} {{angbr\|z}} \|{{IPAlink\|l}} {{angbr\|l}} \|{{IPAlink\|ɣ}} {{angbr\|y}} \|{{IPAlink\|ʁ}} {{angbr\|gh}} \|

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |

! rowspan="2" |Labial

! colspan="3" |Alveolar

! rowspan="2" |Velar

! rowspan="2" |Uvular

! rowspan="2" |Glottal

plain

!sibilant

!lateral

colspan="2" |Nasals

|{{IPAlink|m}} {{angbr|m}}

|{{IPAlink|n}} {{angbr|n}}

|{{IPAlink|ŋ}} {{angbr|ng}}

rowspan="3" |Plosive/
affricate

!{{small|plain}}

| {{IPAlink|p}} {{angbr|b}}

| {{IPAlink|t}} {{angbr|d}}

| {{IPAlink|ts}} {{angbr|dz}}

| {{IPAlink|tɬ}} {{angbr|dl}}

| {{IPAlink|k}} {{angbr|g}}

| {{IPAlink|q}} {{angbr|gg}}

| {{IPAlink|ʔ}} {{angbr|'}}

| {{IPA|pʰ}} {{angbr|p}}

| {{IPA|tʰ}} {{angbr|t}}

| {{IPA|tsʰ}} {{angbr|ts}}

| {{IPA|tɬʰ}} {{angbr|tl}}

| {{IPA|kʰ}} {{angbr|c}}

| {{IPA|qʰ}} {{angbr|k}}

| {{IPAlink|tʼ}} {{angbr|t'}}

| {{IPAlink|tsʼ}} {{angbr|ts'}}

| {{IPAlink|tɬʼ}} {{angbr|tl'}}

| {{IPAlink|kʼ}} {{angbr|c'}}

| {{IPAlink|qʼ}} {{angbr|k'}}

rowspan="2" |Fricatives

!{{small|voiceless}}

| {{IPAlink|hʷ}} {{angbr|hw}}

| {{IPAlink|s}} {{angbr|s}}

| {{IPAlink|ɬ}} {{angbr|ł}}

| {{IPAlink|x}} {{angbr|yh}}

| {{IPAlink|χ}} {{angbr|x}}

| {{IPAlink|h}} {{angbr|h}}

|{{IPAlink|v}} {{angbr|v}}

|{{IPAlink|z}} {{angbr|z}}

|{{IPAlink|l}} {{angbr|l}}

|{{IPAlink|ɣ}} {{angbr|y}}

|{{IPAlink|ʁ}} {{angbr|gh}}

= Vowels =

The vowels in Kari's practical orthography and phonology are as follows.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! rowspan="2" \| ! colspan="2" \|Front ! colspan="2" \|Back
Short !Long !Short !Long
High \| {{IPAlink\|ɪ}} {{angbr\|i}} \| {{IPAlink\|iː}} {{angbr\|ii}} \| {{IPAlink\|ʊ}} {{angbr\|u}} \| {{IPAlink\|uː}} {{angbr\|uu}}
Mid \|{{IPAlink\|ɛ}} {{angbr\|e}} \| \| {{IPAlink\|ɔ}} {{angbr\|o}} \| {{IPAlink\|oː}} {{angbr\|oo}}
Low \| {{IPAlink\|ɐ}} {{angbr\|a}} \| {{IPAlink\|æ}} {{angbr\|ae}} \| \|{{IPAlink\|ɑː}} {{angbr\|aa}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" |Front

! colspan="2" |Back

| {{IPAlink|ɪ}} {{angbr|i}}

| {{IPAlink|iː}} {{angbr|ii}}

| {{IPAlink|ʊ}} {{angbr|u}}

| {{IPAlink|uː}} {{angbr|uu}}

Mid

|{{IPAlink|ɛ}} {{angbr|e}}

| {{IPAlink|ɔ}} {{angbr|o}}

| {{IPAlink|oː}} {{angbr|oo}}

Low

| {{IPAlink|ɐ}} {{angbr|a}}

| {{IPAlink|æ}} {{angbr|ae}}

|{{IPAlink|ɑː}} {{angbr|aa}}

There is some variation in pronunciation of words according to dialect.

Grammar

= Possessives =

Possession is indicated by prefixes such as {{lang|aht|s-}} "my", {{lang|aht|u-}} or {{lang|aht|yu'-}} "his/her", {{lang|aht|ne-}} "our"; as in {{lang|aht|snaan}} "my mother", {{lang|aht|unaan}} (or {{lang|aht|yu'naan}}) "his/her mother", {{lang|aht|nenaan}} "our mother".

= Verb themes =

Verbs are primarily prefixing. There are often six or more prefixes before the stem and then one or more suffixes. (1a) displays a surface form in Ahtna spelling while (1b) is the verb theme. Three prefixes are present that have to be listed with the stem to make up the form. Anything adjacent in a verb theme can be separated by morphemes in the forms surface. Verb themes display what elements should be listed in a dictionary for a speaker to be able to reconstruct the verb. '#' displays an important word-internal boundary known as a disjunct boundary. '+' indicates a morpheme boundary.

{{interlinear|lang=aht|number=(1)

|top= Tadeldlo'

|ta # d + l + dlok'

|{into water} # {{gcl|QUAL|qualifier}} + CL + laugh|c2= (lexical listing: verb theme)

|"Water is gurgling." (surface form)}}

In the Ahtna language the verb typically goes after the noun.

= Noun modification =

In the Ahtna language, modifiers usually go after the noun they modify. Examples of this include the name of the deity or trickster figure {{lang|aht|Saghani Ggaay}}, where {{lang|aht|saghani}} is the noun "raven" and {{lang|aht|ggaay}} the adjective "little, small" or in the term {{lang|aht|nen ten}} "permafrost", a combination of {{lang|aht|nen}} "land, ground" and {{lang|aht|ten}} "frozen". This word order is also seen in place names such as {{lang|aht|Dghelaay Ce'e}} "Denali/Mount McKinley", literally "Biggest Mountain", and {{lang|aht|Ben Ce'e}} "Lake Susitna", literally "Big Lake".

References

External links

[http://starling.rinet.ru/cgi-bin/response.cgi?root=new100&morpho=0&basename=new100\nde\pca&limit=-1 Ahtna basic lexicon at the Global Lexicostatistical Database]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170520040730/http://www.ynlc.ca/materials/lessons/johnk/index.html Ahtna Language, Mentasta Dialect]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121111213440/http://www.ynlc.ca/materials/lessons/ah.html Ahtna language, Chistochina Dialect]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110524122433/http://www.ynlc.ca/materials/stories/ah/charleylathome/index.html An Ahtna language story]
[http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/761 Endangered Language Project: Ahtna]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141214134754/http://www.johnsmelcer.com/resources/Ahtna%2BDictionary.pdf Ahtna Noun Dictionary and Pronunciation Guide (2nd Edition)]

Category:Ahtna

Category:Critically endangered languages

Category:Northern Athabaskan languages

Category:Indigenous languages of Alaska

Category:Indigenous languages of the North American Subarctic

Category:Endangered Dené–Yeniseian languages

Category:Native American language revitalization

Category:Official languages of Alaska