The Pacific Northwest has long been a linguistically-rich area, yet few books are devoted its linguistic heritage. The essays collected in Northwest Voices examine the historical background of the Pacific Northwest, the contributions of Indigenous languages, the regional legacy of English, and the relationship between our perceptions of people and the languages they speak. The Pacific Northwest has had a surprising number of influences on the English language, and a great number of other languages have left their mark. Individual essays examine linguistic diversity, explore the origins and use of place names, and detail efforts to revive indigenous languages. --Publisher