Alternate Names: Chimmezyan, Maritime Tsimshianic, Tsimpshean, Zimshian
Dialects: Coast Tsimshian (Sm’algyax), Southern Tsimshian (Old Klemtu, Sguxs).
Genealogy:
Demographics: 280 in Canada (2011 census). 1 speaker of Southern Tsimshian; the rest speak Coast Tsimshian (Golla 2007). Population total all countries: 350. Ethnic population: 6,780 (Golla 2007). L2 users: 50 in Canada (2000).
Language Use: Speakers 50 and older. Also use English [eng]. Used as L2 by Nisga’a [ncg].
Language Development: Taught in school programs and through University of Northern British Columbia (Golla 2007). Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 1885–1898.
Typology: SOV; prepositions; genitives, adjectives before noun heads.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Canada
Other Comments: Southern dialect very divergent.