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TheOjibwe language is spoken in a series ofdialects occupying adjacent territories, forming alanguage complex in whichmutual intelligibility between adjacent dialects may be comparatively high but declines between some non-adjacent dialects. Mutual intelligibility between some non-adjacent dialects, notablyOttawa,Severn Ojibwe, andAlgonquin, is low enough that they could be considered distinct languages. There is no single dialect that is considered the most prestigious or most prominent, and no standard writing system that covers all dialects. The relative autonomy of the regional dialects of Ojibwe is associated with an absence of linguistic or political unity amongOjibwe-speaking groups.

The general name for the language in Ojibwe is/anɪʃːɪnaːpeːmowɪn/, written in one common orthography asAnishinaabemowin and asᐊᓂᐦᔑᓈᐯᒧᐎᓐ in 'Eastern'syllabics, with local pronunciation and spelling variants, and in some cases distinctive local names for particular dialects. The dialects of Ojibwe are spoken inCanada from westernQuébec, throughOntario,Manitoba and parts ofSaskatchewan, with outlying communities in Alberta andBritish Columbia,^[1][2] and in theUnited States fromMichigan throughWisconsin andMinnesota, with a number of communities inNorth Dakota andMontana, as well as migrant groups inKansas andOklahoma.^[2][3] The dialects of Ojibwe are divided into distinctive northern and southern groups, with intervening transition dialects that have a mixture of features from the adjacent dialects.

This article lays out the general structure of Ojibwe dialectology, with links to separate articles on each dialect. ThePotawatomi language is closely related to Ojibwe; information is atOjibwe language: Relationship of Ojibwe and Potawatomi. An Ojibwepidgin language is discussed atBroken Oghibbeway, and the use of various dialects of Ojibwe aslingua franca is atOjibwe language: Lingua franca. Ojibweborrowed words are found inMenominee andMichif; for discussion seeOjibwe language: Ojibwe influence on other languages.

The recognized dialects of Ojibwe are spoken in the region surrounding theGreat Lakes, inOntario,Minnesota,Wisconsin, andMichigan, with other groups of speakers in westernQuébec in the area along the Québec-Ontario border,Manitoba,Saskatchewan, and a few communities inAlberta,North Dakota,Montana,British Columbia,Oklahoma andKansas.^[5] While there is some variation in the classification of Ojibwe dialects, at a minimum the following are recognized, proceeding west to east:Western Ojibwe (Saulteaux),Southwestern Ojibwe (Chippewa),Northwestern Ojibwe,Severn Ojibwe (Oji-Cree),Ottawa (Odawa),Eastern Ojibwe, andAlgonquin. Field research conducted in the 1980s and 1990s led to the recognition of several other dialects: (a) Berens Ojibwe along theBerens River in northwestern Ontario, to be distinguished from Northwestern Ojibwe; (b) Border Lakes Ojibwe, in western Ontario in the area bounded by the borders of Ontario, Manitoba, and Minnesota; (c) North of (Lake) Superior; and (d) Nipissing. Some sources recognize aCentral Ojibwe dialect,^[5][6] covering approximately the same territory as North of (Lake) Superior and Nipissing. In this article the analysis in which Central Ojibwe is not recognized is accepted.^[7]

Two analyses of the relationships between the Ojibwe dialects are in agreement on the assignment of the strongly differentiated Ottawa dialect to a separate subgroup, and the assignment of Severn Ojibwe and Algonquin to another subgroup, and differ primarily with respect to the relationships between the less strongly differentiated dialects. Rhodes and Todd recognize several different dialectal subgroupings within Ojibwe: (a) Ottawa; (b) Severn and Algonquin; (c) a third subgroup which is further divided into (i) a subgrouping of Northwestern Ojibwe and Saulteaux, and a subgrouping consisting of Eastern Ojibwe and a further subgrouping comprising Southwestern Ojibwe and Central Ojibwe (see figure, this section).^[8]

Valentine has proposed that Ojibwe dialects are divided into three groups: a northern tier consisting of Severn Ojibwe and Algonquin; a southern tier consisting of "Odawa, Chippewa, Eastern Ojibwe, the Ojibwe of the Border Lakes region between Minnesota and Ontario, and Saulteaux; and third, a transitional zone between these two polar groups, in which there is a mixture of northern and southern features."^[9] In this article the classification proposed by Valentine is utilized for the classification and subgrouping of Ojibwe dialects.

The distinction between the northern and southern dialect groupings is argued to "align to some extent with traditional subsistence patterns, in that the southern groups typically harvested maple sugar and wild rice, allowing for population aggregations that promoted such social institutions as medicine societies and totemic clan structures."^[10] Similarly, northern groups have made most extensive use of northern "waterways that flow into James and Hudson Bays, while southern groups were situated on the Great Lakes, Huron and Superior."^[10]

Ojibwe dialects are distinguished by features ofphonology,morphology,syntax, andlexicon. Some dialects, most notably Severn Ojibwe, Algonquin, and Ottawa are characterized by many distinct features; such extensive differentiation is associated with lengthy "periods of isolation from other varieties of Ojibwe".^[11] Dialects that are adjacent to strongly differentiated dialects may show a mixture of transitional features.^[12] For example, the Border Lakes dialect is not strongly distinguished from the adjacent Western Ojibwe (Saulteaux) and Southwestern Ojibwe (Chippewa) dialects, and is characterized by the "grading of a few minor features."^[13]

In some situations there is a mismatch between speakers' self-designations and what is supported by linguistic data.^[14] For example, the communities at Golden Lake, Ontario and Maniwaki, Quebec are described by speakers at those locations as members of the Algonquin dialect, although linguistically both are distinct from the clearly Algonquin communities north of those locations, and are assigned to the Nipissing dialect.^[15]

The degree of mutually intelligibility between nonadjacent dialects of Ojibwe varies considerably; recent research has helped to show the extent of the distance between Ottawa and the maximally different Severn Ojibwe dialect spoken in northwestern Ontario.^[16] Because the dialects of Ojibwe are at least partly mutually intelligible, Ojibwe is usually considered to be a single language with a number of dialects.^[17] However, the relatively low degrees of mutual intelligibility between some nonadjacent Ojibwe dialects led to the suggestion that Ojibwe "...could be said to consist of several languages...".^[18]

The Northern dialects of Ojibwe are Severn Ojibwe and Algonquin; they are strongly differentiated from other dialects of Ojibwe. A set of features characterise the northern dialects, and are found to varying degrees in adjacent transition dialects.^[16]

Ethnologue entry andISO 639-3 code:OJS (Severn Ojibwe)

Severn Ojibwe, also calledOji-Cree orNorthern Ojibwa, andAnihshininiimowin in the language itself, is spoken in northernOntario and northernManitoba. Although there is a significant increment of vocabulary borrowed from severalCree dialects, Severn Ojibwe is a dialect of Ojibwe.^[16] Two minor sub-dialects have been identified: Big Trout Lake, and Deer Lake, with Big Trout Lake being further subdivided into a Severn subgroup and a Winisk River subgroup.^[19] Severn Ojibwe is primarily written by its speakers using theCree syllabary.^[20]

Ethnologue entry andISO 639-3 code:ALQ (Algonquin)

TheAlgonquin dialect of Ojibwe is spoken in communities in northwesternQuebec and easternOntario (to be distinguished from the name of theAlgonquian language family). Algonquin is spoken along theOttawa River valley east of the Quebec-Ontario border, centered aroundLake Abitibi. Recognized Algonquin communities include:Amos (Pikogan), Cadillac, Grand Lac Victoria, Hunter's Point,Kipawa (Eagle Village),Notre Dame du Nord (Timiskaming), Rapid Lake (Barriere Lake), Rapid Sept,Lac Simon, Québec, Winneway (Long Point).^[21] The communities of Grand Lac Victoria (Kitcisakik) on Grand Lac Victoria and Lac Rapide onCabonga Reservoir are withinLa Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve, a provincial park in Québec.

Algonquin is sometimes referred to as 'Northern Algonquin' to distinguish it from the southern communities at Golden Lake, Ontario and Maniwaki, Québec which have traditionally been grouped with Algonquin, but are here classified as belonging to the Nipissing dialect.^[22]

Although speakers of Ojibwe in the community ofKitigan Zibi (also calledRiver Desert and formerly calledManiwaki) atManiwaki,Québec self-identify as Algonquin, the language spoken there is Nipissing; Maniwaki speakers were among those who migrated fromOka, Quebec.^[16] Similarly, the nineteenth-century missionaryGrammaire de la language algonquine ('Grammar of the Algonquin language') describes Nipissing speech.^[23]

Algonquin orthography is not standardized. Some older texts were written in a French-basedorthography in which the acute accent is used to indicate vowel length and the use of several consonant symbols accords with their general French values.^[24] Modern Algonquin-language resources tend to use a more English-based system, in which long vowels are marked with a grave accent (or alternatively by doubling the vowel).^[25]

The Nipissing dialect termomàmìwininì 'downriver people' refers to Algonquin speakers,^[26][27] with the term for the language beingomàmìwininìmowin.^[27] The general Algonquin self-designation isAnicinàbe^[28] or orthographic equivalentAnishinàbe.^[29]

There is support for a Western Algonquin subdialect, extending "…inland from Lake Huron and east of Lake Superior…" toward the Ontario-Québec border. Representative communities from this area includeTemagami, Ontario andBiscotasing, Ontario.^[30]

The southern dialects are presented east to west.

Ethnologue entry andISO 639-3 code:OTW (Ottawa)

The Ottawa dialect is spoken in southern Ontario and northern Michigan, with main communities onManitoulin Island, Ontario; atWalpole Island, Ontario; as well asSaugeen andCape Croker.^[31] Ottawa and the neighboringEastern Ojibwe dialect are characterized by extensive vowelSyncope, which deletes metrically weak short vowels.^[16]

The most general term for the Ottawa dialect isNishnaabemwin, which is also applied toEastern Ojibwe. The termDaawaamwin '(speaking the) Ottawa language' is also used to refer specifically to Ottawa.^[32]

Ottawa is generally written with a version of theDouble vowel writing system.^[33]

Ethnologue entry andISO 639-3 code:OJG (Eastern Ojibwe)

The Eastern Ojibwe dialect is spoken east ofGeorgian Bay,Ontario. The main Eastern Ojibwe communities areCurve Lake, Ontario andRama, Ontario. Eastern Ojibwe and the neighboringOttawa dialect are characterized by extensive vowelSyncope, which deletes metrically weak short vowels.

The most general term for the Eastern Ojibwe dialect isNishnaabemwin, which is also applied to Ottawa. The termJibwemwin '(speaking the) Ojibwe language' is not restricted to a specific dialect; a recent Eastern Ojibwe dictionary notes thatJibwemwin andNishnaabemwin are interchangeable.^[34]

Eastern Ojibwe is generally written with a version of theDouble vowel writing system.^[33][35]

Ethnologue entry andISO 639-3 code:CIW (Southwestern Ojibwe ("Chippewa"))

Southwestern Ojibwe is spoken inMinnesota andWisconsin.^[36][37] This dialect is also referred in English as "Chippewa". The general Ojibwe termAnishinaabemowin is applied to this dialect.^[38] Southwestern Ojibwe is most generally written using theDouble vowel writing system.^[39]

There is noEthnologue entry orISO 639-3 code for this dialect of Ojibwe.

Border Lakes Ojibwe is spoken in theLake of the Woods area of Ontario near the borders of Ontario, Minnesota, and Manitoba. Although communities within the Border Lakes area have been considered part of the Saulteaux dialect,^[40] current classification treats Border Lakes as a separate dialect in the Southern tier.^[16] Communities identified as Border Lakes includeLac La Croix,Emo (Rainy River First Nation), andWhitefish Bay, all in Ontario.^[41]

Ethnologue entry andISO 639-3 code:OJW (Plains Ojibwe/Saulteaux ("Western Ojibwe"))

Saulteaux Ojibwe (alsoWestern Ojibwe orPlains Ojibwe) is spoken in the Canadian provinces ofManitoba,Saskatchewan, andAlberta, with an outlying group inBritish Columbia. The language is referred to, as written in the local orthography,Anihšināpēmowin,Nahkawēwin,^[42] orNahkawēmowin (as written in the local system).

The writing system commonly used for Saulteaux incorporates theAmericanist phonetic symbols /š/ for/ʃ/ and /č/ for/tʃ/; marks long vowels with the macron; writes lenis consonants with voiceless symbols, and writes fortis consonants with /h/ before a lenis consonant, as in the name for the language,Anihšināpēmowin.

The transition dialects are listed east to west.

Nipissing communities have sometimes been classified as Eastern Ojibwe,^[43][44] but other research notes that several features distinguish the dialect documented atGitigan Zibi (Maniwaki) from Eastern Ojibwe material documented from the core Eastern Ojibwe communities ofCurve Lake andRama.^[45]

There is noEthnologue entry orISO 639-3 code for the Nipissing dialect of Ojibwe.

TheNipissing dialect of Ojibwe is spoken in the area ofLake Nipissing inOntario. A representative community in the Nipissing dialect area isGolden Lake, although the language is moribund at that location.^[46][47] Although speakers of Ojibwe in the community ofKitigan Zibi (also calledRiver Desert) atManiwaki,Québec self-identify as Algonquin,^[48] the language spoken there is Nipissing. Maniwaki speakers were among those who migrated fromOka, Quebec.^[16] Similarly, the nineteenth-century missionaryGrammaire de la language algonquine ('Grammar of the Algonquin language') describes Nipissing speech.^[23]

The termodishkwaagamii 'those at the end of the lake' is attributed to Algonquin speakers as a term for Nipissing dialect speakers, with relatedodishkwaagamiimowin 'Nipissing language'.^[49][50] It is also cited from Ojibwe dialects other than Nipissing or Algonquin with the meaning 'Algonquin Indian', for example from Southwestern Ojibwe;^[51] other sources ranging from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries cite the same form from several different Ojibwe dialects, including Ottawa.^[52]

Speakers of this dialect generally use a French-basedwriting system.^[48][53]

There is noEthnologue entry orISO 639-3 code for the North of Superior dialect of Ojibwe.

The North of Superior dialect is spoken on the north shore ofLake Superior in the area to the west and east ofLake Nipigon. Communities include (east to west) Pic Mobert, Pic Heron,Pays Plat,Long Lac,Aroland,Rocky Bay, andLake Helen, all in Ontario.^[54]

There is noEthnologue entry orISO 639-3 code for the Berens River dialect of Ojibwe.

Berens River Ojibwe is spoken along theBerens River in northern Ontario. Reported communities includePikangikum andPoplar Hill, both in Ontario.^[55]

Ethnologue entry andISO 639-3 code:OJB (Northwestern Ojibwe)

The Northwestern dialect of Ojibwe is spoken approximately from northwest ofLake Nipigon, north of theLake of the Woods area south of theBerens River to theManitoba border. Communities identified as Northwestern include (east to west)Armstrong,Osnaburgh House,Cat Lake,Lac Seul,Grassy Narrows, andRed Lake.^[41]

Ethnologue entry andISO 639-3 code:OJC (Central Ojibwe)

TheCentral Ojibwe dialect (also known as Central Ojibwe, Ojibway) is recognized in some analyses as a dialect of Ojibwe spoken in Ontario fromLake Nipigon in the west toLake Nipissing in the east.^[44][56] In the analysis accepted in this article Central Ojibwe is not recognized; it is divided into North of (Lake) Superior and Nipissing.^[16]

• Ojibwe language
  • Ojibwe phonology
  • Ojibwe grammar
  • Ojibwe writing systems

• Ojibwe Language Society
• Dr. J. Randolph Valentine's introduction to OjibweArchived 2006-02-09 at theWayback Machine
  • Ojibwe Dialect Relations : Lexical Maps by Dr. J. Randolph Valentine (1995) — a study in differences in vocabulary among different Anishinaabemowin-speaking communities, with accompanying dialectological maps.
• Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary – Freeware off-line dictionary, updated with additional entries yearly.
• Language Museum report for Ojibwe
• Aboriginal Languages of Canada – With data on speaker populations
• Language Geek Page on Ojibwe – Syllabary fonts and keyboard emulators are also available from this site.
• Our Languages: Nakawē (Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre)
• The Linguasphere Register. 1999 / 2000 edition. Algic sector.

• Anishinaabe languages
• Indigenous languages of the North American eastern woodlands
• Indigenous languages of the North American Subarctic
• First Nations languages in Canada
• Indigenous languages of the United States
• Ojibwe culture

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Pages with plain IPA
• Articles containing Ojibwe-language text
• Articles containing French-language text
• Articles containing Algonquin-language text
• All articles with self-published sources
• Articles with self-published sources from December 2017
• Webarchive template wayback links