Editing Tlingit language (section)

==Geographic distribution==
The Tlingit language is distributed from near the mouth of the [[Copper River (Alaska)|Copper River]] down the open coast of the [[Gulf of Alaska]] and throughout almost all of the islands of the [[Alexander Archipelago]] in [[Southeast Alaska]]. It is characterized by four or five distinct dialects, but they are mostly mutually intelligible. Almost all of the area where the Tlingit language is endemic is contained within the modern borders of [[Alaska]].

The exception is an area known as "Inland Tlingit" that extends up the [[Taku River]] and into northern [[British Columbia]] and the [[Yukon]] around [[Atlin Lake]] (''Áa Tleen'' "Big Lake") and [[Teslin Lake]] (''Desleen'' < ''Tas Tleen'' "Big Thread") lake districts, as well as a concentration around [[Bennett Lake]] at the end of the [[Chilkoot Trail]] (''Jilkhoot''). Otherwise, Tlingit is not found in [[Canada]]. Tlingit legend tells that groups of Tlingit once inhabited the [[Stikine River|Stikine]], [[Nass River|Nass]], and [[Skeena River|Skeena]] river valleys during their migrations from the interior. There is a small group of speakers (some 85) in [[Washington (state)|Washington]] as well.<ref>[http://www.mla.org/map_data_states&mode=lang_tops&lang_id=866 "Tlingit territory"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070817053334/http://www.mla.org/map_data_states%26mode%3Dlang_tops%26lang_id%3D866 |date=2007-08-17 }}, Modern Language Association</ref>

=== Use and revitalization efforts ===
Golla (2007) reported a decreasing population of 500 speakers in Alaska. The [[First Peoples' Cultural Council]] (2014) reported 2 speakers in Canada out of an ethnic population of 400.<!--sourced from ethnologue-->

As of 2013, Tlingit courses are available at the [[University of Alaska Southeast]].<ref name = "ktoo201310">{{Cite episode
| publisher = KTOO, [[Juneau, Alaska]]
| credits = Lisa Phu (Director)
| title = UAS and Yukon College partnership advances Native language efforts
| access-date = 2013-10-24
| date = 2013-10-22
| minutes = 3:44
| url = http://www.ktoo.org/2013/10/22/uas-and-yukon-college-partnership-advances-native-language-efforts/
}}</ref> In April 2014, Alaska HB 216 recognized Tlingit as an official language of Alaska, lending support to [[language revitalization]].<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Twitchell
| first = Lance A
| title = HB 216 and the emotions of language revitalization
| work = Alaska Dispatch
| access-date = 2014-05-05
| date = 2014-04-23
| url = http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20140423/alaskas-official-indigenous-languages-and-emotions-revitalization
| archive-date = 2014-04-26
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140426125850/http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20140423/alaskas-official-indigenous-languages-and-emotions-revitalization
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>