Osage

The Osage language is a Native American language of the Siouan family. It is spoken by the Osage people, who are primarily located in Oklahoma. The Osage language is closely related to the languages of the Kansa and Quapaw tribes. The Osage language is a polysynthetic language, meaning that words can be very long and complex. It is also a highly inflected language, with a large number of grammatical rules. The Osage language is written in a Latin-based alphabet. There are three dialects of the Osage language: the Osage Nation dialect, the Pawhuska dialect, and the Hominy dialect. The Osage language is in danger of extinction. There are estimated to be only about 200 speakers of the language, all of whom are over the age of 60. The Osage language is not being passed down to the younger generations, and it is not being taught in schools. The Osage Nation is working to preserve the language by recording it and creating teaching materials. The Osage Language and Culture Center was established in 2006 to help with these efforts.