Nsyilxcn Revitalization and Documentation

The Nsyilxcn (Syilx Okanagan Interior Salish) language is critically endangered; fewer than fifty Elder speakers remain, no young people are learning at home and no effective school programs. Syilx people are highly invested in creating language opportunities, including teaching positions in schools, daycares, and adult programs, however no young speakers exist to staff them. Questions arise: how can we make Nsyilxcn language transmission more effective? What are the barriers to success, including linguistic, methodological, organizational, and community capacity challenges? The Syilx Language House Association endeavors to train Syilx youth to become certified language teachers, using cutting edge language acquisition techniques. This research project is a continuation of the lead researcher’s PhD research in which five low-intermediate speakers were created through an intensive “Language House” model. This field is of great interest to First Nations Education research journals, applied linguistics, as well as deeply valuable to First Nation community.

Faculty Supervisor:

Marianne Ignace

Student:

Partner:

Penticton Indian Band Development Corporation

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Real estate and rental and leasing

University:

Simon Fraser University

Program: