Gwich’in, also known as Dinjii Zhu’ Ginjik, is spoken by the Gwich’in people of the Northwest Territories and Yukon in Canada and Alaska in the United States. As a member of the Athabaskan language family, Gwich’in is one of the official languages of the Northwest Territories.

According to UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, Gwich’in is classified as severely endangered. The 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada indicates that Gwich’in had 290 speakers, and 235 of them reported it as their mother tongue.

Translating into Gwich’in is a meticulous and thoughtful approach distinct from other commonly spoken languages. Our team has the necessary experience and expertise to navigate these unique challenges. Here are some key considerations:

• Oral Language: Gwich’in, like many Indigenous languages in Canada, has its roots in oral tradition. Being an oral culture, the Gwich’in people have built their existence on stories and storytelling. Because the language evolved without a standardized written form, translation often requires extensive consultation with fluent speakers to ensure that the meaning and cultural context are preserved—adding time and complexity to the process.
• Writing System: There are two different writing systems for Gwich’in: one from the 1860s still used by some Elders, and a newer version adopted in the 1960s that is more commonly used today, especially in the Yukon Territory. This means that translators must be familiar with both systems and may need to adapt the translation based on the audience’s age or region.
• Two Dialects: Gwich’in has two main dialects, one spoken in Alaska and the other in Gwich’in territories in Canada. Within those dialects, there are further variations in pronunciation and spelling. This makes it essential to tailor translations to specific communities.
• Limited Speakers: Despite continuous efforts to preserve and revitalize Gwich’in, it remains one of Canada’s most endangered Indigenous languages and the rarest Athapaskan language in the Northwest Territories. Various sources show that the number of Gwich’in speakers is less than 300 in Canada. Due to the small number of speakers, translation projects may take longer to complete as available linguists are limited.
• Polysynthetic Language: Gwich’in is a polysynthetic language, which means that one word is made up of several smaller parts, or morphemes, each carrying a different meaning. For example, a Gwich’in verb can include multiple morphemes that show things like tense, the aspect of the action, and how many people are involved. Because of this structure, a single Gwich’in word may convey more information than a sentence in English, which could make the translated Gwich’in text shorter than the original English text.