Coast Salish languages

The Coast Salish languages are spoken around most of the Georgia and Puget Sound Basins, an area that encompasses the sites of the modern-day cities of Vancouver, British Columbia, Seattle, Washington, and others. Archeological evidence indicates that Coast Salish peoples may have inhabited the area as far back as 9000 BCE. What is now Seattle, for example, has been inhabited since the end of the last glacial period (c. 8,000 BCE—10,000 years ago). In the past, the Nuxálk language (also known as Bella Coola) of British Columbia's Central Coast has also been considered Coast Salish. This language shares at least one phonological change with Coast Salish (the merger of the Proto-Salish pharyngeal approximants with the uvular fricatives), but it also displays certain similarities to the Interior Salish languages. If it is indeed a member of the Coast Salish branch, it was the first to split off from the rest. == Classification ==

The Coast Salish languages can be classified in anywhere from one to three branches. The Tsamosan and Tillamook languages are often considered by linguists to be independent branches under the Salishan language family, and not part of the Coast Salish branch. Overview Below is a list of the Coast Salish languages. '''''' • Northern Straits (also known as North Straits) • Saanich ('''') • T'Souke • Lekwungen (also known as Songhees) • Semiahmoo • Lummi ('''') • Samish ('''') • '''S'Klallam' (nəxʷsƛ̕áy̓emúcən; also known as Klallam) '''' • Lushootseed '''''' • Northern Lushootseed () '''''' • Southern Lushootseed (; also known as Twulshootseed or Whulshootseed) '''''' • Twana (; also known as Skokomish) '''''' • Tsamosan • Quinault () '''''' • Lower Chehalis () • Upper Chehalis () • Satsop • Cowlitz () '''''' • Tillamook/Oregon Salish • Tillamook () • Tillamook • Siletz == Notes ==