Syllabics
There is another type of writing for Dene languages. It is called "syllabics" because each symbol represents a syllable, like: ba, de, ki, jo, instead of one sound like: a, t, k, o. Many Dene elders can read, and some can write, in this old syllabic writing system.

This writing was used mainly by the Churches in books of hymns and prayers. It was first devised by a Wesleyan minister, James Evans, in Northern Manitoba in the mid-1800's for Cree and Ojibway. It was easy to teach so it started to spread, and was eventually used for Dene languages - Chipewyan, Dogrib, North Slavey and South Slavey. As far as I know, it was never used for Gwich'in. It is also used for Inuktitut, the Inuit language, in what is now Nunavut.

In this newspaper, from time to time you will see "syllabics". These pieces have probably been written by a Dene elder. She or he is writing in Slavey, but using a different type of symbols. At this point in time, only some of the elders know this writing system, but a number of younger people are now learning it, so that it will not be forgotten.

These syllabics are not as good as the Roman writing system for representing Dene languages though, because some sounds are not even written and some symbols have two or three different pronunciations.

So, you see, there are actually more people who know how to read and write their Dene language than we may think. When we say that not many people are literate in Dene languages, we have to think about what the elders know. If we say that elders cannot read and write in their language, an important part of history is forgotten.

Syllabic Writing