The Names of Economically Important or Conspicuous Mammals and Birds in the Indian Languages of the District of Mackenzie, N.W.T. and in Sarcee

Abstract

The lists of Indian animal names in this short paper are presented for two reasons. Until very recently most adult natives of the area, having had no formal education, spoke no English. It was therefore judged that the lists, with a simple code of pronounciation, could aid the work of game wardens, Indian agents, and others working with the natives. The more important reason is, however, that the native languages dealt with are almost certainly on the way to extinction, mainly because the schooling for the local Indians now provided by the Canadian Federal Government is in English only. ...