SC’IȺNEW Nation Launches Digital Language Learning Initiative

SC’IȺNEW Nation is proud to announce the launch of a new, fully digitized resource for the preservation of the SENĆOŦEN language: the new “Speak” page on the SC’IȺNEW Nation website.

The new “Speak” page on SC’IȺNEW Nation’s recently revamped website is a digital hub where anyone with access to a computer and the internet can begin to learn the SENĆOŦEN language.

This new resource – which is available to all, 24 hours a day – features mini SENĆOŦEN vocabulary lessons in four categories of speech: animals, daily phrases, landscapes, and weather. Within each category is a list of words for site visitors to explore. Each word is accompanied by a picture illustrating the word, the written English version of the word, the written SENĆOŦEN version of the word, and a recording of the SENĆOŦEN version of the word. In this way, SC’IȺNEW is ensuring all types of learners are accommodated.

Examples of words and phrases one can learn on the website are X̱I,ÁM ĆEȽ or “tell us a story,” ÍY, SȻÁĆEL or “good morning,” and X̱EDÁ¸ŚEN or “rainbow.”

To increase engagement in SENĆOŦEN language learning among SC’IȺNEW Nation’s youth, SC’IȺNEW launched a parallel resource on social media. Utilizing SC’IȺNEW’s Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok platforms, SC’IȺNEW is creating and releasing short-form video content and graphic posts that teach viewers SENĆOŦEN words and phrases. These posts also provide important cultural context. For example, a recent graphic post teaches viewers the SENĆOŦEN word for “Pacific Crab Apple” — ḴÁ,EWIȽĆ – and explains when Pacific Crab Apples ripen. Another recent post taught viewers the SENĆOŦEN word for ocean: ṮÁȽSE ḰO.

The launch of the “Speak” page and the new social media-based language-learning series are particularly significant given the ongoing work to preserve and revitalize the SENĆOŦEN language. SC’IȺNEW looks forward to giving as many community members as possible the opportunity to connect with culture in this way.

To stay up to date on the many ways SC’IȺNEW is helping connect community to culture, including updates on language-learning initiatives, subscribe to the SC’IȺNEW newsletter.