Apache, Western Language

The Western Apache language is a Southern Athabaskan language spoken by over 12,000 of the Western Apache peoples living primarily in east central Arizona. Goodwin (1938) claims that Western Apache can be divided into five dialect groupings: Other researchers do not find any linguistic evidence for five groups, but rather three main varieties with several subgroupings: Western Apache is most closely related to other Southern Athabaskan languages ... more

The Western Apache language is a Southern Athabaskan language spoken by over 12,000 of the Western Apache peoples living primarily in east central Arizona. Goodwin (1938) claims that Western Apache can be divided into five dialect groupings: Other researchers do not find any linguistic evidence for five groups, but rather three main varieties with several subgroupings: Western Apache is most closely related to other Southern Athabaskan languages like Navajo, Chiricahua Apache, Mescalero Apache, Lipan Apache, Plains Apache, and Jicarilla Apache. For the references, see the subarticle: Western Apache/Bibliography. less