Klamath(/ˈklæməθ/),[3]alsoKlamath–Modoc(/ˈklæməθˈmoʊdɒk/) and historicallyLutuamian(/ˌluːtuˈæmiən/), is aNative American languagespoken aroundKlamath Lakein what is now southernOregonand northernCalifornia.It is the traditional language of theKlamathandModocpeoples, each of whom spoke a dialect of the language. By 1998, only one native speaker remained,[4][5]and by 2003, this last fluent Klamath speaker who was living inChiloquin, Oregon,was 92 years old.[6]As of 2006 there were no fluent native speakers of either the Klamath or Modoc dialects;[7]however, as of 2019, revitalization efforts are underway with the goal of creating new speakers.[8]
Klamath is a member of thePlateau Penutianlanguage family,which is in turn a branch of the proposedPenutianlanguage family. Like other proposed Penutian languages, Plateau Penutian languages are rich inablaut,much likeIndo-EuropeanandAfro-Asiaticlanguages. Further evidence for this classification includes some consonant correspondences between Klamath and other alleged Penutian languages. For example, the Proto-Yokutsretroflexes*/ʈʈʼ/correspond to Klamath/tʃtʃʼ/,and the Proto-Yokutsdentals*/t̪t̪ʰt̪ʼ/correspond to the Klamathalveolars/ttʰtʼ/.
Most consonants can begeminated.The fricative/s/is an exception, and there is evidence suggesting this is a consequence of a recentsound change.[12]Albert Samuel Gatschetrecorded geminated/sː/in the late 19th century, but this sound was consistently recorded as degeminated/s/byM. A. R. Barkerin the 1960s. Sometime after Gatschet recorded the language and before Barker did the same,*/sː/may have degeminated into/s/.
Klamath word order is conditioned by pragmatics. There is no clearly defined verb phrase or noun phrase. Alignment is nominative–accusative, with nominal case marking also distinguishing adjectives from nouns. Many verbs obligatorily classify an absolutive case. There are directive andapplicativeconstructions.[13]
Dupris, Joseph (2019). "maqlaqsyalank hemyeega: Goals and expectations of Klamath-Modoc revitalization".Language Documentation & Conservation.13:155–196.hdl:10125/24851.ISSN1934-5275.
Rude, Noel (1988)."Semantic and pragmatic objects in Klamath".In William Shipley (ed.).In Honor of Mary Haas: From the Haas Festival Conference on Native American Linguistics.Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. pp. 651–73.
Rude, Noel (1991). "Verbs to promotional suffixes in Sahaptian and Klamath". In Elizabeth C. Traugott; Bernd Heine (eds.).Approaches to Grammaticalization.Typological Studies in Language. Vol. 19. New York and Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. pp. 185–199.doi:10.1075/tsl.19.2.10rud.
