Seneca

The Seneca language is a member of the Iroquoian family of Native American languages. It is spoken by the Seneca people, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. The Seneca language is considered endangered, with only a handful of fluent speakers remaining. The Seneca language is polysynthetic, meaning that words can be very long and complex. It is also head-marking, meaning that words indicate whether they are the subject or object of a sentence. Seneca verbs are also unique in that they indicate the social status of the speaker and listener. The Seneca language is closely related to the other Iroquoian languages, such as Mohawk and Onondaga. However, it is not mutually intelligible with these languages. This is due in part to the fact that the Seneca people have been isolated from the other Iroquois peoples for many years. The Seneca language is currently being revitalized by a number of organizations and individuals. There is a growing body of Seneca language resources, including dictionaries, textbooks, and children's books. In addition, there are a number of Seneca language immersion programs that are helping to preserve and revitalize the language.