Mi'kmaq language

Mi'kmaq
Miꞌkmawiꞌsimk
Pronunciation[miːɡmax]
Native toMi'kma'ki,
   Wabankia
Canada
United States
RegionNova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Gaspé Peninsula, the island of Newfoundland, Anticosti Island, northern Maine, Boston, Massachusetts
Ethnicity168,420 Mi'kmaq (2016 census)
Native speakers
7,140, 4% of ethnic population (2016 census)
Official status
Official language in
Canada
Recognised minority
language in
Language codes
ISO 639-2mic
ISO 639-3mic
Glottologmikm1235
ELPMi'kmaq
PersonL'nu
PeopleLnu'k (Mi'kmaq)
LanguageMi'kmawi'simk
CountryMi'kma'ki
   Wapna'ki

The Miꞌkmaq language (/ˈmɪɡmɑː/ MIG-mah; Mi'kmaq: [miːɡmax]), or Miꞌkmawiꞌsimk, is an Eastern Algonquian language spoken by nearly 11,000 Miꞌkmaq in Canada and the United States; the total ethnic Miꞌkmaq population is roughly 20,000. The native name of the language is Lnuismk, Miꞌkmawiꞌsimk or Miꞌkmwei (in some dialects). The word Miꞌkmaq is a plural word meaning 'my friends' (singular miꞌkm); the adjectival form is Miꞌkmaw.