Cheyenne | Ethnologue

A language of United States

ISO 639: chy
Alternate Names: Tsisinstsistots, Tsitsistas
Autonym: Tsėhesenėstsestȯtse
Population: 380 (2018 W. Leman), decreasing. Spoken by 350 in Montana, 30 in Oklahoma (2018 W. Leman). Ethnic population: 4,000 (Golla 2007). In Montana.
Location:: Montana: Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation; central Oklahoma.
Language Status: 8a (Moribund). Language of registered tribe: Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation.
Classification: Algic, Algonquian
Typology: Polysynthetic language; pragmatic word order; grammatical animacy; tonal.
Language Use: Conversation and prayer. Older adults only. Middle-aged or older. All shifted to English [eng].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 1%–5%. Literacy rate in L2: 100% in English [eng]. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible portions: 1902–2007. Summer camps for children in Montana where Cheyenne taught by fluent speakers. Taught in Dull Knife Memorial College and at reservation schools in Montana (2018 W. Leman).
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Cheyenne
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: ‘Tsitsistas’ is the ethnic autonym used by the Cheyenne. Christian, traditional religion.

Location: Montana: Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation; central Oklahoma.