Michif is the indigenous language of the Métis people of Canada. Michif (also spelled Mechif), or Michif-Cree as it is sometimes called, emerged over two hundred years ago as a mixed language, combining Cree and French, with some additional borrowing from English and First Nation languages such as Ojibwe and Assiniboine. In general, Michif nouns (and their associated grammar) are French, while verbs (and their associated grammar) are Cree.
The Michif language is unusual among contact languages, in that, rather than choosing to simplify its grammar, it chose the most complex and demanding elements of the chief languages that went into it. French noun phrases retain lexical gender and adjective agreement; Cree verbs retain much of their polysynthetic structure. This suggests that, instead of haltingly using words from another's tongue, the people who devised Michif were fully fluent in both French and Cree.
Once widely spoken, the language is on the verge of extinction, with only about 1,000 native speakers left.
In general, Michifnoun phrase phonology, lexicon, morphology, and syntax are derived from Canadian French, while verb phrase phonology, lexicon, morphology, and syntax are from a southern variety of Plains Cree.
The Michif language is unusual (and possibly even unique) among contact languages, in that, rather than choosing to simplify its grammar, it chose the most complex and demanding elements of the chief languages that went into it.
Michif (also spelled Mechif), or Michif-Cree as it is sometimes called, emerged over two hundred years ago as a mixed language, combining Cree and French, with some additional borrowing from English and First Nation languages such as Ojibwe and Assiniboine.
In general, Michifnouns (and their associated grammar) are French, while verbs (and their associated grammar) are Cree.
The Michif language is unusual among contact languages, in that, rather than choosing to simplify its grammar, it chose the most complex and demanding elements of the chief languages that went into it.
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