Language center publishes new Athabascan dictionary (fwd)

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Language center publishes new Athabascan dictionary

Published: July 15, 2007
Last Modified: July 15, 2007 at 03:52 AM
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/9135520p-9051666c.html

The Alaska Native Language Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has
published a new Athabascan dictionary.

The "Dena'ina Topical Dictionary" is an effort to document and preserve
Alaska's Native languages. The university said this is the most complete
topical dictionary for any of the 20 Alaska Native languages.

Dena'ina is also known as Tanaina and is a language spoken by Alaska's
Athabascans.

It was spoken by the original inhabitants of the Cook Inlet region in
Southcentral Alaska.

The university said that today about 75 of the 900 Dena'ina people in Alaska
speak their Native language.

Dictionary editor Tom Alton said public awareness and interest in the
Dena'ina people has recently increased throughout Southcentral Alaska.

James Kari, professor emeritus of Athabascan languages, is the dictionary's
author.

The university said Kari has worked with more than 100 Dena'ina speakers
since 1972.

-- The Associated Press