Dene is a language of relationships – relationships to the Creator, to others and to Mother Earth that encompasses all living things. Because of this interconnectedness, Dene is a rich and complex language that emphasizes kinship, nature and spirituality. The grammatical structure of Dene highlights the relationships between humans and their environment with its focus on animate and inanimate nouns. Many objects considered inanimate by non-Dene speakers are honoured with animate status by Dene speakers.

Languages that are used in an area for a long period of time develop regional differences in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Variations of Dene dialects were widely spoken in Canada therefore it is natural that regional variations in Dene are still more prevalent than in English. The type of language spoken in a certain area is called a dialect specific to that area.

For information on where Dene is spoken in Canada see https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/start

Dialects

Dialects are varieties of a language that differ in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. In addition, some Nakawē words are spelled differently from one group to another. People speaking different dialects of a language are usually able to communicate with each other because the dialects are similar enough that they can understand each other because there are still many common elements in the spoken language. Nakawē is a written language; its dialects can be written using Nakawē syllabics or the Standard Roman Orthography.

The following is an example of the two dialects used in Saskatchewan.

In Dene Language the ‘T’ dialect is spoken in various northern communities such as La Loche, Clearwater River Dene Nation, Descharme Lake, Black Point, Turnor Lake, Birch Narrows First Nations, Bear Creek, Garson Lake, St’George’s Hill, Michel Village, Buffalo River Dene Nation, English River Dene Nation, Stony Rapids, Black Lake and Wollaston Lake. The ‘K’ dialect is spoken in Fondu Lac located in the Athabasca Region.

Dene Language Alphabet Chart

Dene Language

The Dene language has an extensive inventory of speech sounds with 36 consonants and 20 vowels, including high tones and nasal sounds. Since the Dene language is also a tone language, some words may sound very similar depending on whether or not the vowels are pronounced with a tone or not.

Note: There is an additional vowel (ÿ) used in certain regions, this vowel is referred to as epsilon e.

The regular ‘e’ makes a long e sound whereas the epsilon e makes a short e sound.

Dene Alphabet

The following words are suggested as key words for the pronunciation of the Dene alphabet as used in the “t” dialect.

Instructional Strategies

Oral Communication

Dene 10, 20, 30 emphasizes the development of the oral communication skills learners need to understand and interact with others, to express themselves clearly and with confidence, and to use the various media to communicate their ideas. Development of oral language provides the foundation that enables learners to learn to read and write. Listening and speaking are inseparable in real-life situations, these skills are developed together in the classroom.

Learners perform more successfully when they have an adequate “listening period” before they are expected to communicate in Dene. Strategies such as (facial expression, body language, pictures, intonation, context, and familiar words) are developed to deduce the meaning of new words and to make sense of the spoken language.

Learners benefit from numerous opportunities to use Dene for real purposes and in real situations. For example, learners should be provided with opportunities:

• to listen to Dene spoken by live and recorded voices, and by people of different ages in a variety of contexts;
• discuss subject matter, reading materials, personal concerns and interests;
• prepare and archive oral presentations;
• role-play in dramatization and simulations;
• conduct surveys and interviews; and,
• develop an appreciation for all cultures.

“Indigenous storytelling is rooted in the earth. Years upon years of a kinship with the land, life, water and sky have produced a variety of narratives about intimate connections to the earth. In a call and response lasting through time, First Nations peoples have experienced a relationship of give and take with the natural world” (Circle of Stories, Many Voices. n.d.).

Oral tradition has been the most important method of passing on knowledge and information from one generation to the next. Oral tradition has been the means of communication by which First Nations cultures along with many other cultures have survived throughout the years. Each time the traditional Indigenous narratives of the Dene people are shared, the audiences learn something about the beliefs, values, cultures and the way of life practiced by a group of people in past generations. This is how cultural knowledge is passed on and shared with others. Narratives were used to help explain the creation of plant and animal life, and to help explain natural phenomenon that otherwise could not be explained. Many narratives were used to teach lessons, to entertain and to help listeners learn about the Dene way of life.