Lakota language
Lakota (Lakȟótiyapi [laˈkˣɔtɪjapɪ]), also referred to as Lakhota, Teton or Teton Sioux, is a Siouan language spoken by the Lakota people of the Sioux tribes. Lakota is mutually intelligible with the two dialects of the Dakota language, especially Western Dakota, and is one of the three major varieties of the Sioux language.
| Lakota | |
|---|---|
| Lakȟótiyapi | |
| Pronunciation | [laˈkˣɔtɪjapɪ] |
| Native to | United States, with some speakers in Canada |
| Region | Primarily North Dakota and South Dakota, but also northern Nebraska, southern Minnesota, and northern Montana |
| Ethnicity | Teton Sioux |
Native speakers | (2,100, 29% of ethnic population cited 1997–2016) |
Siouan
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | lkt |
| Glottolog | lako1247 |
| ELP | Lakota |
Map of core pre-contact Lakota territory | |
Lakota is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger | |
| Lakota "ally / friend" | |
|---|---|
| People | Lakȟóta Oyáte |
| Language | Lakȟótiyapi |
| Country | Lakȟóta Makóce, Očhéthi Šakówiŋ |
Speakers of the Lakota language make up one of the largest Native American language speech communities in the United States, with approximately 2,000 speakers, who live mostly in the northern plains states of North Dakota and South Dakota. Many communities have immersion programs for both children and adults.
The language was first put into written form by European American missionaries around 1840. The orthography has since evolved to reflect contemporary needs and usage.