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The Atikamekw language (also known as Attikamek, Tête de Boule, Attimewk, Atihkamekw, Atikamek) is an Algonquian language, and is a dialect of the Cree language complex. It is spoken in southwestern Quebec by nearly all the Atikamekw, and therefore it is among the indigenous languages least threatened with extinction according to some studies.^[2] It is notable for being the only modern Cree dialect to still retain the /r/ sound which has become /n/, /y/, /l/ or /ð/ in all other Cree-Montagnais dialects. The dialect is also notable for having numerous borrowings from the Anishinaabe language.

Classification

Atikamekw is an Algonquian language, of the Algic family of languages, and is descended from Proto-Algonquian. It is part of the Cree dialect continuum, along with Montaignais and Naskapi.

Phonology

Consonants

The consonants of Atikamekw in the standard orthography are listed below (with IPA notation in brackets):

Vowels

Front Back long short long short Close î /iː/ i /i/ Mid ê /eː/ ô /oː/ o /o/ Open â /aː/ a /a/ Vowel length (shown above with a circumflex accent) is typically not indicated in the written language. Notes ^ Statistics Canada 2006 ^ "Cultures et traditions" (in French). Conseil des Atikamekw d'Opitciwan. http://www.opitciwan.ca/index.php/menutourisme. Retrieved 2010-03-09.  References Béland, Jean-Pierre. 1978. Atikamekw Morphology & Lexicon. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of California, Berkeley. External links Atikamekw orthography and phonology (Languagegeek) Native Languages page for Atikamekw Ethnologue entry for Atikamekw Languages of Quebec French (official language) English · Algonquin · Atikamekw · Abenaki · Cree · Malecite-Passamaquoddy · Míkmaq · Mohawk · Innu-aimun · Inuktitut