Carrier Linguistic Committee Explained

The Carrier Linguistic Society (CLS), formerly the Carrier Linguistic Committee, is a First Nations not-for-profit organization that works to preserve the Carrier language. It was incorporated under the Societies Act of British Columbia in 1973[1] and maintains both an online and physical presence in Fort St. James. Upon establishment, the Carrier Linguistic Society also included a list of the official aims of the CLS.[2]

  1. To promote literacy programs among the people of the Carrier Nation.
  2. To produce literacy materials, such as primers, readers, workbooks, teacher's guides, supplements, visual aids, maps songs, dictionaries, histories, legends, and culture.
  3. To train teachers and develop an ongoing program of teacher training, which could in time involve other language groups in B.C.
  4. To create professional positions through teacher training and creative workshops.
  5. To motivate Carrier young people towards higher education and profession.
  6. To preserve the Athabaskan culture evidenced among the Carrier people.
  7. To enrich the existing school systems by exposure to the study of the Carrier language and culture.
  8. To publish whenever funds are available, as much literature as possible, in the Carrier language.
  9. To provide information to the general public, concerning the programs in progress.
  10. To function as a regulating body in the area of seeking funds, and exercise authority over the distribution of any funds received by the CLC.
  11. To set quality standards for the literacy materials and teacher qualifications.

The Carrier Linguistics Society is credited with the creation and implementation of the Carrier Linguistic Committee writing system. This system is influenced by the Latin alphabet, and is widely regarded as the most popularly used Dakelh/Carrier writing system. Additionally, the CLS has published various Carrier and English-Carrier bilingual dictionaries and primers intended for both bilingual language learning and classroom language acquisition in several different Carrier dialects. They have also published multiple Carrier-translated short stories, texts, and oral transmissions meant to facilitate language learning that, like the dictionaries and primers, are available in several different Carrier dialects. Many of these texts are available for purchase at the CLS bookstore based in Fort St. James, which also includes multiple Carrier and English-Carrier bilingual workbooks, CDs and DVDs, songbooks, and storybooks.

The Carrier Linguistic Society also worked in collaboration with Nak'azdli Elders and the First Peoples' Cultural Council to establish an online Dakelh language archiving, teaching, and learning platform on the website FirstVoices. The CLS has also played a large role in the curriculum development and the implementation of Carrier language classes being taught at eight local schools and worked in collaboration with the University of Northern British Columbia to establish the Education Diploma in a First Nations Language and Culture (Dakelh / Carrier) at the University of Northern British Columbia.[3]

Notable Publications

Notes and References

  1. Book: Walker, Shirley. Historical Sketch of the Carrier Linguistic Society. Carrier Linguistic Society. 2007. Fort St. James, B.C.. 1–24.
  2. Web site: Carrier Linguistic Society. 2015-05-19. Nak'azdli Whut'en. en. 2019-11-13.
  3. Web site: Education (BEd Program) University of Northern British Columbia. University of Northern British Columbia. 2019-11-13.

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