Tlingit language

Tlingit (Lingít, pronounced [ɬɪ̀nkɪ́t]; English: , KLING-kit) is an endangered language indigenous to Southeast Alaska and Western Canada spoken by the Tlingit people. It is generally agreed to form an independent branch of the Na-Dene language family. Although the number of speakers is declining, there are several revitalization and second-language programs in Southeast Alaska. Missionaries of the Russian Orthodox Church were the first to develop a written version of Tlingit using the Cyrillic script. After the Alaska Purchase, Tlingit language use was suppressed by the United States government, though preservation programs were introduced beginning in the 20th century. Today, Tlingit is spoken natively by perhaps only 100 elders. Tlingit's placement in the Na-Dene family has provoked much debate over the last century, with most scholars now considering it to form a separate branch in the phylum, the other being Eyak–Athabaskan (including Eyak and the Athabaskan languages). Tlingit has also attracted interest due to its unusual phonology, especially compared to Indo-European languages, and its morphological complexity.