Charlotte Ross

Topic

Adult Silent Speakers: A nīhithaw Perspective

Department of Indigenous Education

Date & location

• Wednesday, July 30, 2025
• 9:30 A.M.
• MacLaurin Building, Room D282 & Virtual

Examining Committee

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Onowa McIvor, Department of Indigeous Education, University of Victoria (Supervisor)
• Dr. Jean-Paul Restoule, Department of Indigenous Education, UVic (Member)
• Dr. Sonya Bird, School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures, UVic (Outside Member)

External Examiner

• Dr. Christine Schreyer, Department of Community, Culture, and Global Studies, University of British

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Tracey Lindberg, Faculty of Law, UVic

Abstract

My doctoral research focuses on adults who were raised hearing and understanding their Indigenous language but are not speakers, commonly considered ‘silent speakers’ (Basham and Fatham, 2008; Elijah, 2020; First Peoples Cultural Council, 2016; Indigenous Languages Institute, 2021). Silent speakers are an untapped resource in the quest for Indigenous language revitalization and are poised to contribute in many ways as they possess a partial to a complete understanding of their Indigenous language including intonation, pitch and pronunciation. In my research, I sought to learn about the experiences of spoken language loss and language recovery for adult nīhithaw (Cree) silent speakers while exploring useful pedagogical methods that support silent speakers to reawaken their spoken language. I employed a mixed methods approach including an online survey, focus groups and interviews. I included two focus groups, one for silent speakers not actively engaged in language learning and the other for silent speakers engaged in language learning to become active speakers. This allowed me to compare their perspectives on activating their spoken language. One of the key messages across both groups was to create safety in language learning spaces to reawaken speaking the language. The first group emphasized the trauma experienced through shaming when trying to speak. The second group highlighted the critical need for access to proficient speakers. All participants loved to hear the language being spoken as it brought them a sense of healing. While the focus was on adult nīhithaw silent speakers, the findings can be generalized to other Indigenous language groups where silent speakers exist. This dissertation contributes to increasing our understanding of how best to support silent speakers to re-engage with speaking their language.