Old Cree is a proto-language, a postulated ancestral language reconstructed on the basis of a systematic comparison of a number of related languages thought to have descended from it. In the case of Cree, these so-called languages are referred to as dialects by convention and contemporary Cree as a whole is referred to as a dialect continuum.

A dialect continuum describes a sequence of varieties of what is considered one and the same language, each mutually intelligible with the next. However, speakers of widely separated varieties often do not understand each other’s speech. Varieties of Cree can therefore at times be considered distinct dialects when these are mutually intelligible, or distinct languages when they are not. Note, however, that certain neighbouring varieties of Cree, despite their geographic proximity, are not mutually intelligible.

As a proto-language, we use Old Cree as a more accessible and less technical term. Other names have been used in the linguistic literature, including “Common Cree” and “Pre-Cree.” We have rejected these terms as imprecise. The former lacks a clear reference to the past and evokes the notion of a lingua franca while the latter is suggestive of internal reconstruction rather than one based on the comparative method. In fact, Pre-Cree could appropriately be applied to an earlier state of the language situated between Proto-Algonquian and Old Cree that is based on an internal reconstruction of the latter.

As a theoretical reconstruction many may consider Old Cree interesting in and of itself. However, this work does have its uses. We expect historical linguists interested in the reconstruction of Proto-Algonquian to find this dictionary of lexical roots and the comparative data presented for each entry useful in the pursuit of their goal. Linguists who study Algonquian languages may also find the dictionary useful for comparative purposes. From a practical point of view, lexicographers and others working in the field of Cree literacy may find this dictionary useful in improving local orthographies and the quality of reference works.