Page Type: languageAleut | Ethnologue

ALE ISO 639-3

Aleut

Unangam tunnu Autonym

A language of United States

ISO 639
ale
Alternate Names
Anangax, Unangax
Autonym
Unangam tunnu
Population
150 in United States (Krauss 2007). Ethnic population: 2,300 (Dorais 2010).
Location:
Alaskan peninsula, east Aleutian Islands, and Pribilofs (Eastern Aleut dialect); Aleutian chain, Atka island (Western Aleut dialect).
Language Status
8a (Moribund). Recognized language (2014, Official Languages of Alaska Law as amended, Alaska Statute 44.12.310). Language of registered tribe: Agdaagux Tribe of King Cove, King Salmon Tribe, Native Village of Akutan, Native Village of Atka, Native Village of Belkofski, Native Village of False Pass, Native Village of Nelson Lagoon, Native Village of Nikolski, Native Village of Unga, Ninilchik Village, Pauloff Harbor Village, Pribilof Islands Aleut Communities of St. Paul & St. George Islands, Qagan Tayagungin Tribe of Sand Point Village, Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska.
Classification
Eskimo-Aleut, Aleut
Dialects
Eastern Aleut (Pribilof Aleut, Unalaskan), Western Aleut (Atka, Atkan, Attuan, Unangan, Unangany).
Language Use
Most shifted to English [eng].
Language Development
Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 1840–1903.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Aleut
Writing
Cyrillic script, Old Church Slavonic variant [Cyrs], introduced in 1829. Latin script [Latn], introduced in 1870.
Other Comments
Different from Medny Aleut (Copper Island Aleut) [mud], spoken in the Russian Federation. Many school texts have been produced.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Aleut
User Population
No known L1 speakers in Russian Federation (2021 A. Ermanov). The last fluent speak of Aleut in the Russian Federation, Vera Timoshenko, died in 2021. Ethnic population: 200 (Dorais 2010).
Location
Kamchatka krai: Komandor Islands, Bering island, Nikolskoye settlement.
Dialects
Beringov (Atkan, Bering).
Language Status
9 (Dormant)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous. Different from Medny Aleut (Copper Island Aleut) [mud]. From 1820 to 1840 dozens of Aleut families were brought from other islands to Komandor Islands. Until 1960s, 2 villages on Bering and Medny islands. 1950s-1980s children sent to boarding schools by the state. Christian.
View other languages of Russian Federation

Map

Location: Alaskan peninsula, east Aleutian Islands, and Pribilofs (Eastern Aleut dialect); Aleutian chain, Atka island (Western Aleut dialect).