Shawnee language
| Shawnee | |
|---|---|
| saawanwaatoweewe, sâwanwâtowêwe | |
| Native to | United States |
| Region | Central and Northeast Oklahoma |
| Ethnicity | Shawnee |
Native speakers | 100–200 (2024) |
Algic
| |
| Latin script | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | sjw |
| Glottolog | shaw1249 |
| ELP | Shawnee |
Distribution of the Shawnee language around 1650 | |
Shawnee is classified as Severely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger | |
Shawnee (/ʃɔːˈni/ shaw-NEE) is a Central Algonquian language spoken in parts of central and northeastern Oklahoma by the Shawnee people. Historically, it was spoken across a wide region of the Eastern United States, primarily north of the Ohio River. This territory included areas within present-day Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.
Shawnee is closely related to other Algonquian languages, such as Mesquakie-Sauk (Sac and Fox) and Kickapoo. It has 260 speakers, according to a 2015 census, although the number is decreasing. It is a polysynthetic language that is described as having freedom in word ordering.