What languages were spoken by Plateau Indians?

The Plateau Indians are a diverse group of Indigenous peoples who inhabited the Plateau region of North America, which encompasses parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia. They spoke a variety of languages, mostly belonging to the Salishan, Wakashan, and Interior Salish language families.

Here are some of the major language families and their associated Plateau tribes:

Salishan:

* Coast Salish:

* Lushootseed: Spoken by the Duwamish, Snoqualmie, Suquamish, and other tribes in the Puget Sound region of Washington.

* Squamish: Spoken by the Squamish Nation in southwestern British Columbia.

* Halkomelem: Spoken by the Stó:lō, Katzie, and other tribes in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia.

* Interior Salish:

* Spokane-Columbia: Spoken by the Spokane, Coeur d'Alene, and Colville tribes in eastern Washington and northern Idaho.

* Okanagan-Colville: Spoken by the Okanagan, Colville, and other tribes in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia and Washington.

* Thompson: Spoken by the Nlaka'pamux Nation in the Thompson River region of British Columbia.

* Shuswap: Spoken by the Secwepemc Nation in the Shuswap region of British Columbia.

Wakashan:

* Kwakiutl: Spoken by the Kwakwaka'wakw Nation on the northern coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

* Haisla: Spoken by the Haisla Nation on the northern coast of British Columbia.

Other Languages:

* Chinook Jargon: A trade language spoken by various tribes in the Pacific Northwest, based on Chinook, English, French, and other languages.

* Nez Perce: Spoken by the Nez Perce tribe in the Wallowa Valley of Idaho and Oregon.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list, and there are many other languages spoken by Plateau Indians. The specific languages spoken by a particular tribe will depend on its geographic location and cultural affiliations.