n-dialect Cree · Maskēkowīhew
The Cree of the Hudson Bay lowlands across northern Manitoba and Ontario. Distinguished from Plains Cree by the use of /n/ where Plains Cree has /j/.
Plains Cree
Also known as: Nēhiyawēwin, y-dialect Cree
The westernmost Cree variety, spoken across Saskatchewan and Alberta. The most populous Cree dialect and the basis of much published Cree literature.
Shareable facts
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Frequently asked questions
What language is Plains Cree?
Plains Cree is a dialect of the Cree language.
Where is Plains Cree spoken?
Plains Cree is primarily spoken in Canada.
Which region is Plains Cree associated with?
Plains Cree is part of the North America region on DialectAtlas.
Is Plains Cree known by other names?
Yes — Plains Cree is also referred to as Nēhiyawēwin, y-dialect Cree.
What are the other dialects of Cree?
Cree also includes Swampy Cree, Eastern Cree. Each variety has its own vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural context.
Other Cree dialects
See on the atlas →Iyiyiw-Iyimiwin · James Bay Cree
The Cree varieties of Quebec and Labrador, including the James Bay and Atikamekw communities. The Cree dialect cluster with the most active language-revitalisation infrastructure.
Nearby dialects
See on the atlas →581 km away
A highly divergent Siouan language of the upper Missouri River, latterly spoken on the Fort Berthold reservation in North Dakota. Died with Edwin Benson in 2016, after Indrek Park's multi-year documentation with him; heritage teaching continues within the MHA Nation.
600 km away
A Plains Algonquian language of the Blackfoot Confederacy across southern Alberta and northern Montana. Around 5,000 speakers; one of the most divergent Algonquian languages.
702 km away
The Cree of the Hudson Bay lowlands across northern Manitoba and Ontario. Distinguished from Plains Cree by the use of /n/ where Plains Cree has /j/.
711 km away
The French variety of the Métis Nation of the Canadian Prairies. Distinct from Quebec and Acadian French; not to be confused with Michif, the mixed Cree-French language of the same communities.
724 km away
A Plains Algonquian language of the Northern and Southern Cheyenne tribes, in Montana and Oklahoma. Around 1,700 speakers; subject of substantial linguistic documentation since the 19th century.
1,004 km away
The eastern Siouan language closely related to Lakota. Spoken by the Santee, Sisseton-Wahpeton, and Yankton communities across Minnesota, the Dakotas, and southern Manitoba.