MultiTree:

Name: Micmac Type: Language Alternate Names: Mi'gmaq; Mi'gmaw; Mi'kmaw; Miigmao; Mi'kmaq; Restigouche; Mi'kmag Spoken in: USA, Canada Number of speakers: 8,960 in Canada, decreasing. Population total all countries: 9,290. Ethnic population: 14,200 in Canada (1998 SIL). In Canada, 1,500 are in mainland Nova Scotia, 4,000 on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, 800 on Prince Edward Island and Lennox Island, 4,550 on the east coast of New Brunswick, 3,150 on the Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec, 200 in Newfoundland (Ethnologue) Number of speakers: 14995 (UNESCO) Number of speakers: 8510 (World Oral Literature Project) Code: mic Code Standard: ISO 639-3 Documentation: SIL Families: Algic (Algonquian-Wiyot-Yurok, Algonquian-Ritwan) Parent Subgroup: Micmac (mcmc) Brief Description: "Micmac (Mi'kmaq, Mi'gmaq, Miikmaq) is an Eastern Algonquian language spoken in over 26 reserves scattered across the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec, as well as in the United States. There are 8,145 first-language speakers in a total Micmac population of about 20,000, the most important speech communities being at Restigouche, Quebec; Big Cove, New Brunswick; and Eskasoni, on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. There is also a large expatriate community of Micmacs in the United States, primarily in Boston, where perhaps a quarter of all first-language speakers reside. A distinctive pictographic script ('Micmac Hieroglyphs') devised by seventeenth century missionaries, and apparently based on indigenous mnemonic designs, is still used in the Catholic liturgy on the Eskasoni Reserve and in a few other places. The standard orthography now in use has its origins in nineteenth century missionary work." Victor Golla, Atlas of the World's Languages 2007 pg. 18

Endangerment Status

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UNESCO Status: Definitely endangered Ethnologue Status: Not listed Sutherland's Red List: Not listed