Nowadays, English is the dominant language across the Canadian province of British Columbia. But it wasn’t always like that. Prior to the arrival of Europeans to the continent, the territory now known as British Columbia was home to a plethora of diverse ethnolinguistic peoples, comprising the most linguistically diverse part of modern-day Canada. Many of the indigenous languages that were once spoken widely in the region are still spoken today, but they are under serious threat of extinction after the years of repression their peoples have faced.
One of these languages is Dakelh, which may also be called “Carrier language.” Today, it is one of the indigenous languages of British Columbia with the most speakers at just 1,200. Indeed, the situation of British Columbian indigenous languages is precarious. That’s why you’d be hard-pressed to find many translation companies with a Dakelh translation team—it’s simply not profitable. TranslationServices.com understands that languages have more value than that, however. We’re proud to champion a Dakelh translation team because we realize the cultural and emotional value that the Dakelh people attach to their language.
Why not request a price quote for our Dakelh translation services? It’s free, so you have nothing to lose.
Exploring the complicated grammar of Dakelh
The Dakelh people live in the Central Interior of British Columbia, and a portion of them still speak their ancestral language despite the ubiquity of English in the region. The language is classified as “severely endangered,” however, which means that the majority of speakers are older. Fortunately, individuals and organizations are engaged in work to revitalize the language and teach it to more children, which can help Dakelh continue throughout the generations. Dakelh is an Athabaskan language, as are many others native to central and northern British Columbia.
Dakelh grammar is not simple—Athabaskan languages are known for their complexity. Dakelh uses a high degree of inflection, which allows it to sometimes use single verbs as standalone sentences, requiring no independent subjects or objects. Interestingly, only nouns referring to humans or dogs have plural forms—although some Dakelh dialects have no nouns with plural forms. Verbs exhibit more inflection, with hundreds of forms possible for a single verb—verbs are marked for tense, aspect, mood, and negation as well as the person and number of the subject, object, and indirect object.
If you think Dakelh sounds hard, well, most learners would agree. But our Dakelh translators are native speakers who can tackle the challenges of Dakelh effortlessly—and they’re eager to help you.
What do you need Dakelh translation services for?
There are many reasons why someone may require Dakelh translation services, and our team is ready to help. Our services included translation from Dakelh to English as well as translation from English to Dakelh, allowing us to accommodate a wide range of client needs. If you have a historical document written in Dakelh—even if it uses the now-defunct Carrier Syllabics writing system—let us translate it into English. We can also translate Dakelh stories and folklore so you can share your culture with the world. Simultaneously, we offer translation into Dakelh for all sorts of things—from governmental questionnaires to fun content like books, games, and apps. Such translation can help ensure the continued vitality of Dakelh.
It’s time for Dakelh translation—just reach out and tell us what kind of translation services you’re looking for.