Penutian

Major American Indian language family of the southwest, Great Basin, California, and northwest coast regions of the USA and Canada. Its largest branch is Sahaptin, spoken by the Nez Percé, Yakama, and other peoples of the Great Basin. Speakers of the Tsimshian branch include the Nisga'a and Tsimshian of British Columbia, Canada. Many Penutian languages native to California and the northwest USA are now extinct or close to extinction, including those of the Maidu and Chinook, and the Lituamian dialects of the Modoc and Klamath.