Choynimni
RegionCalifornia
EthnicityChoinumni
Extinct2022 with the death of Jennie Irene Oliver
Language codes
ISO 639-3–

Choynimni (also spelled Choinumne) is a dialect of Kings River Yokuts historically spoken along the Kings River between Sanger and Mill Creek (near Piedra). The language is the best documented dialect of Kings River Yokuts.[1]

Information on Choynimni collected by A. L. Kroeber

Information on the language was collected by Clinton Hart Merriam and Stanley Newman.[1]

Fluent speakers

Jennie Irene Oliver, one of the last fully fluent speaker of Choynimni died in 2022 at the age of 83. Living members of the tribe retain knowledge of Choynimni including an estimated half dozen speakers.[2][3]

Revitalization effort

Efforts to revitalize the language have been organized through the California State University, Fresno Department of Linguistics.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Golla, Victor (2011-08-02). California Indian Languages. University of California Press. p. 151. ISBN 9780520266674.
  2. ^ Cites surviving children and family of Mrs. Oliver.
  3. ^ "Survey of California and Other Indian Languages". cla.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
  4. ^ "Indigenous Languages Group". www.fresnostate.edu. Retrieved 2019-08-30.


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