salishan
Proper noun A family of indigenous languages spoken by Native American/First Nations peoples in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, primarily in the northwestern United States (e.g., Washington, Idaho, Montana) and western Canada (e.g., British Columbia).
The term "Salishan" is used almost exclusively as a linguistic classification. It refers to the language family as a whole, not to a single language. * The Salishan language family includes many distinct languages, such as Coast Salish and Interior Salish. * Linguists study the grammatical features common to all Salishan languages. * There is a concerted effort to revitalize several endangered Salishan languages.
- Salishan is often used attributively (as an adjective) to describe things related to this language family, such as "Salishan linguistics," "Salishan phonology," or "Salishan-speaking communities."
- In anthropological and historical contexts, it may be used to culturally group the peoples who speak these languages, e.g., "Salishan peoples" or "Salishan tribes."
- Salish: Often used interchangeably with "Salishan," though "Salish" can also refer specifically to a subgroup of languages (Coast Salish) or be used in the names of specific tribes (e.g., the Flathead Salish). In precise linguistic contexts, "Salishan" is the term for the language family.
- Mosan: A proposed, but not universally accepted, higher-level language family that groups the Salishan, Wakashan, and Chimakuan language families.
This term has a single, specific meaning as a proper noun referring to the North American language family. It does not have other general definitions.
- Salish language family: A more descriptive synonym.
- (There are no true single-word synonyms for this proper noun referring to a specific linguistic group.)
There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs associated with this proper noun.
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a family of Mosan language spoken in northwestern United States and western Canada
