Dene Zhatıé Resources

Overview

Dene Zhatıé is part of the Dene-Athabaskan language family and is the dialect of Dene spoken in the Dehcho region by the Dehcho Dene people. It is also spoken in Yukon, British Columbia, and Alberta.

In 2019, there were 1,400 speakers in the NWT.

Speakers may refer to Dene Zhatıé as South Slavey as it has long been officially known, or one of its variants:

  • Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ Dene Zhatıé (Fort Simpson)
  • Deh Gáh Got'ı̨ę (Fort Providence)
  • Echaot'ı̨ Kǫ́ę́ Dene Zhatıé (Fort Liard)
  • Katł’odeeche Dene Yatıé (Hay River/West Point)

Unlike Dene Kǝdǝ́ dialects, these variations have not significantly diverged to constitute their own dialects.

Dene Zhatıé is the primary Indigenous language spoken in:

  • Wrigley
  • Fort Simpson
  • Jean Marie River
  • Sambaa K’e
  • Nahanni Butte
  • Fort Liard
  • Fort Providence
  • Kakisa

There is also a significant number of people who speak Dene Zhatıé in:

  • Hay River

International Standards Organization (ISO) codes

  • Dene Athapascan (macrolanguage) – DEN
  • South Slavey – XSL

Orthographic conventions

Diacritics

  • Acute (high tone): ◌́
  • Ogonek (nasalization): ◌̨
  • No tittle (dot) on «i». Correct forms use «ı» as a base.

Consonants

ɂ

b

ch

ch’

d

dh

ddh

dl

dz

f

g

gh

h

j

k

k’

l

ł

m

mb

n

nd

p

p’

r

s

sh

t

t’

th

tth

tth’

tł

tł’

ts

ts’

v

w

x

y

z

zh

 

Vowels and diphthongs

a

á

ą

ą́

e

é

ę

ı

ı́

ı̨

ı̨́

o

ó

ǫ

ǫ́

u

ú

ų

ų́

aı

au

 

Words and Phrases

Hi, my name is ___

Negha dágǫndı́h, ___ súzhe
I live in ___ ___ náhnde
I work as/at/for ___ ___ gha eghálaehnda
Hello (i.e., how are you) Negha Dágǫndıh
Good morning Ehtł’ǫǫ Gonezų
Thank you Máhsı
Welcome Máhsı Ejǫh Nahxe Tah Anet’ı̨
Merry Christmas Tedhe Yıatı K’eh Nahxexéh Gonozų́
Happy Valentine's Day Edzee Dzęne Ghagų́ht’e T’áh Goı̨nı́é
Happy Indigenous People's Day! Dı Ndéh K’eh Dene Hóozhı̨́ı̨ Kádeɂa Dzę Negha Gonozų́!
Happy Indigenous Languages Month! Dene Zhatıe La, Nıhts’ı̨ Zaa K’éh Ǫt’é T’áh Goı̨nı́é!
Happy International Mother Language Day! Azhǫ Ndéh K’éh Gomǫ Ts’ęh K’éh Dene Zhatıe Dzę Ǫt’é T’áh Goı̨nı́é!

Resources