Indigenous Languages

Indigenous languages of the NWT

Learn more about each of the 9 official Indigenous languages spoken in the NWT.

Dene Kǝdǝ́

Dene Kǝdǝ́ is part of the Dene-Athabaskan language family. It is spoken in the north-central Sahtú region of the NWT by the Sahtú Dene people.

Dëne Sųłıné is a prominent member of the Dene-Athabaskan language family. While widely known as Chipewyan in northern parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, the NWT is the only province or territory where it has official status.

Dene Zhatıé

Dene Zhatıé is part of the Dene-Athabaskan language family and is the dialect of Dene spoken in the Dehcho region by the Dehcho Dene people. It is also spoken in Yukon, British Columbia, and Alberta.

Dinjii Zhuh Ginjik

Dinjii Zhuh Ginjik is part of the Dene-Athabaskan language family. It is also spoken in parts of Yukon and Alaska.

Inuinnaqtun

Inuinnaqtun is a member of the Inuit language family, considered the Central Arctic form of Inuktitut as spoken by the Inuinnait or Copper Inuit people.

Inuktitut

Inuktitut is a member of the Inuit language family. The term Inuktitut in the NWT now refers to Eastern Canadian Inuktitut.

Inuvialuktun

Inuvialuktun is part of the Inuit language family. It is the language of the Inuvialuit, the Inuit of the Western Canadian Arctic.

nēhiyawēwin

nēhiyawēwin or Cree is part of the Algonquian language family. It is also spoken in parts of British Columbia, Alberta, Montana, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the most widely spoken Indigenous language in Canada.

Tłı̨chǫ

Tłı̨chǫ is part of the Dene-Athabaskan language family, and its territorial extent lies entirely within the Northwest Territories, where it is also the most spoken Indigenous language.

Funding and financial assistance

Programs that provide funding, training support, and financial assistance for Indigenous language learning, revitalization, and interpreter development.

Indigenous Language Revitalization Scholarship

Awarded to Northwest Territories students enrolled in certificate, diploma, or degree programs that support Indigenous language revitalization.

Mentor-Apprentice Program

The Mentor-Apprentice Program is a way of learning an Indigenous language where a fluent speaker of the language teaches a committed language learner by doing everyday activities using only their Indigenous language.

Interpreter Career Pathway Program

A new pilot program that will train fluent Indigenous language speakers to become interpreters at the Northwest Territories (NT) Legislative Assembly.

Information and resources

Details on Indigenous languages month, how to find an Indigenous language interpreter and translator, and information on Indigenous alphabets, specialized letters, words, phrases, and dialects.