Table 2 For some Aboriginal languages, gains in second language speakers may be offsetting the decline in mother tongue populations

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Table 2 For some Aboriginal languages, gains in second language speakers may be offsetting the decline in mother tongue populations
	Mother Tongue	Continuity Index¹	Ability Index¹	% change 1996 to 2001 for languages with over 2,000 speakers	Viability status¹ in 1996 and 2001
Mother tongue	Ability
Total Aboriginal Languages	203,300	64	120	-3.3	-0.6
Algonquian Family	142,090	62	120			mostly viable
Cree	80,075	62	121	-6.2	-3.1	viable large
Ojibway	23,520	45	130	-10.1	-6.0	viable large
Montagnais-Naskapi	9,890	91	106	8.0	10.2	viable small
Micmac	7,650	65	117	2.3	8.2	viable small
Oji-Cree	9,875	73	106	4.1	2.4	viable small
Attikamek	4,725	95	105	18.6	21.1	viable small
Blackfoot	3,025	56	149	-27.1	-20.2	viable small /uncertain
Algonquin	1,860	30	130	-12.6	-8.4	viable small / uncertain
Malecite	825	33	133			viable small / uncertain
Algonquian, n.i.e. (includes Michif)	645	19	154			uncertain
Inuktitut	29,695	82	110	7.5	8.7	viable large
Athapaskan Family	18,530	63	121			mostly viable
Dene	9,595	81	110	6.8	10.8	viable small
South Slave	1,460	39	151			viable small/ uncertain
Dogrib	1,925	70	119	-7.7	-6.8	viable small
Carrier	1,445	34	142	-34.8	-29.3	viable small / uncertain
Chipewyan	655	27	144			viable small / uncertain
Athapaskan, n.i.e.	1,210	22	140			uncertain
Chilcotin	1,010	53	113			viable small
Kutchin-Gwich’in (Loucheux)	365	15	137			endangered
North Slave (Hare)	865	55	119			endangered
(Dakota)Siouan Family	4,310	66	115	0.2	3.5	viable small
Salish Family	3,210	20	156			endangered
Salish, n.i.e.	1,920	21	157	-5.2	17.1	endangered
Shuswap	815	19	154			endangered
Thompson	475	18	151			endangered
Tsimshian Family	2,030	26	135			mostly endangered
Gitksan	1,000	31	132			viable small / uncertain
Nishga	600	23	153			endangered
Tsimshian	430	21	117			endangered
Wakashan Family	1,445	14	123			endangered
Wakashan	980	18	130			endangered
Nootka	465	6	109			endangered
Iroquoian Family	670	8	150			uncertain
Mohawk	425	8	178			uncertain
Iroquoian, n.i.e.	245	8	102			uncertain
Haida Isolate	165	6	164			endangered
Kutenai Isolate	170	29	129			endangered
Tlingit Isolate	105	5	219			endangered
Aboriginal Languages, n.i.e.	880	24	159			endangered
n.i.e. Not included elsewhere.
See "What you should know about this study for concepts and definitions.
Notes: The indices are based on combined single and multiple responses for mother tongue and home language. Due to incomplete enumeration of reserves, special caution should be exercised when using data for the Iroquoian family of languages. Changes in coding procedures between 1996 and 2001 means that counts for North Slave and South Slave (Athapaskan family) are not comparable between censuses. Percentage changes calculated using data adjusted for differences in enumeration and reporting patterns in 1996 and 2001, particularly affecting Cree, Ojibway and Oji-Cree.
Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 and 2001 Censuses of Population. Catalogue 9660030XIE2001007, and Norris, "Aboriginal Languages in Canada. Canadian Social Trends No. 51 (Winter 1998).

Mother Tongue

Continuity Index¹

Ability Index¹

% change 1996 to 2001 for languages with over 2,000 speakers

Viability status¹ in 1996 and 2001

Mother tongue

Ability

Total Aboriginal Languages

203,300

120

-3.3

-0.6

Algonquian Family

142,090

120

mostly viable

Cree

80,075

121

-6.2

-3.1

viable large

Ojibway

23,520

130

-10.1

-6.0

viable large

Montagnais-Naskapi

9,890

106

8.0

10.2

viable small

Micmac

7,650

117

2.3

8.2

viable small

Oji-Cree

9,875

106

4.1

2.4

viable small

Attikamek

4,725

105

18.6

21.1

viable small

Blackfoot

3,025

149

-27.1

-20.2

viable small /uncertain

Algonquin

1,860

130

-12.6

-8.4

viable small / uncertain

Malecite

825

133

viable small / uncertain

Algonquian, n.i.e. (includes Michif)

645

154

uncertain

Inuktitut

29,695

110

7.5

8.7

viable large

Athapaskan Family

18,530

121

mostly viable

Dene

9,595

110

6.8

10.8

viable small

South Slave

1,460

151

viable small/ uncertain

Dogrib

1,925

119

-7.7

-6.8

viable small

Carrier

1,445

142

-34.8

-29.3

viable small / uncertain

Chipewyan

655

144

viable small / uncertain

Athapaskan, n.i.e.

1,210

140

uncertain

Chilcotin

1,010

113

viable small

Kutchin-Gwich’in (Loucheux)

365

137

endangered

North Slave (Hare)

865

119

endangered

(Dakota)Siouan Family

4,310

115

0.2

3.5

viable small

Salish Family

3,210

156

endangered

Salish, n.i.e.

1,920

157

-5.2

17.1

endangered

Shuswap

815

154

endangered

Thompson

475

151

endangered

Tsimshian Family

2,030

135

mostly endangered

Gitksan

1,000

132

viable small / uncertain

Nishga

600

153

endangered

Tsimshian

430

117

endangered

Wakashan Family

1,445

123

endangered

Wakashan

980

130

endangered

Nootka

465

109

endangered

Iroquoian Family

670

150

uncertain

Mohawk

425

178

uncertain

Iroquoian, n.i.e.

245

102

uncertain

Haida Isolate

165

164

endangered

Kutenai Isolate

170

129

endangered

Tlingit Isolate

105

219

endangered

Aboriginal Languages, n.i.e.

880

159

endangered

n.i.e. Not included elsewhere.

See "What you should know about this study for concepts and definitions.

Notes: The indices are based on combined single and multiple responses for mother tongue and home language. Due to incomplete enumeration of reserves, special caution should be exercised when using data for the Iroquoian family of languages. Changes in coding procedures between 1996 and 2001 means that counts for North Slave and South Slave (Athapaskan family) are not comparable between censuses. Percentage changes calculated using data adjusted for differences in enumeration and reporting patterns in 1996 and 2001, particularly affecting Cree, Ojibway and Oji-Cree.

Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 and 2001 Censuses of Population. Catalogue 9660030XIE2001007, and Norris, "Aboriginal Languages in Canada. Canadian Social Trends No. 51 (Winter 1998).