The Anishinabe language is part of the Algonquian language family. It is the most widespread of indigenous languages in the Americas. This family includes, among other languages, Innu, Ojibway, Atikamekw, Cree, Mi’kmaq and about twenty other groups. According to some versions of the Native American history of North America, the indigenous population first occupied the east along the Atlantic coast (New England, New Brunswick, Gaspésie), then they would have moved following the retreat of the ice which covered much of Canada. The above-mentioned nations kept the common root language that was once used along the coast. This means that although each nation has its own language/dialect, their members can still communicate.
Although the common language of the Algonquin people is Anishinabe, each community has its own dialect and expressions that are unique to them. The Anishinabe language has only 17 letters. It is unlike European languages, because the words express a clear and descriptive picture of what the speaker means. Whereas the Inuit have a thousand ways to talk about the snow, the Algonquins have a thousand and one words to describe water.
You will find on this website a page dedicated to the activities of the Mamiwinini Mamawotagoziwin Committee, who strive to continue the preservation of the language. The page includes a glossary and information.