Michif is the indigenous
language of the
Métis people of
Canada. Michif (also spelled Mechif) emerged over two hundred years ago as a
pidgin language, combining
Cree and
French, with some additional borrowing from
English and First Nation languages such as
Ojibway and
Assiniboine[?]. Michif has two dialects: Michif-Cree and Michif-
Saulteaux. In general, Michif-Cree nouns (and their associated grammar) are French, while verbs (and their associated grammar) are Cree.
Once widely spoken, the language is on the verge of extinction, with only about 1,000 native speakers left.