East Cree

East Cree
ᐄᔨᔫ ᐊᔨᒨᓐ Īyiyū Ayimūn (crl) ᐄᓅ ᐊᔨᒨᓐ Īnū Ayimūn (crj)
Native to	Canada
Region	Eeyou Istchee, Quebec
Native speakers	400 (2016)[1]
Language family	Algic Algonquian Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi[2] Cree East Cree
Writing system	Canadian Aboriginal syllabics
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Either: crl – Northern crj – Southern
Glottolog	sout2978  southern nort1552  northern
ELP	East Cree
Linguasphere	62-ADA-af (northern) 62-ADA-ag (southern)
Northern East Cree is classified as Vulnerable by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger
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East Cree, also known as James Bay (Eastern) Cree, and East Main Cree, is a group of Cree dialects spoken in Quebec, Canada on the east coast of lower Hudson Bay and James Bay, and inland southeastward from James Bay. Cree is one of the most spoken non-official aboriginal languages of Canada. Four dialects have been tentatively identified including the Southern Inland dialect (Iyiniw-Ayamiwin) spoken in Mistissini, Oujé-Bougoumou, Waswanipi, and Nemaska; the Southern Coastal dialect (Iyiyiw-Ayamiwin) spoken in Nemaska, Waskaganish, and Eastmain; the Northern Coastal Dialects (Iyiyiw-Ayimiwin), one spoken in Wemindji and Chisasibi and the other spoken in Whapmagoostui. The dialects are mutually intelligible, though difficulty arises as the distance between communities increases.

East Cree is not considered an endangered language thanks to the large population of younger people who speak it (Mela S.; Mali A. 2009). There are estimated to be more than 18,000 first-language speakers.^[3]