Based on field work done among the Metis  population of Lac La Biche (northeastern Alberta) during June-July 1979, the community setting, four cases of language interference, & an overview of the ethnolinguistic interaction are described. The traditional Metis  linguistic economy is a triad consisting of French, Cree, & Eng. Three types of current linguistic behavior can be distinguished: individuals over 50 are generally trilingual; those between 30 & 50 speak English & some Cree, & understand French well; while those under 30 speak only English & understand a limited amount of Cree or French. Examples of the influence of Cree on French, & to a lesser extent Eng, treat the aspects of: interference in dependence (the treatment of gender), interference in word order (possession), & phonic interference. The traditional triad is being replaced by a one-coded linguistic economy, causing a split between the older Metis who value their triadic economy & younger acculturated Metis who approximate the standards of Canadian Eng. 2 Tables, 3 Figures. I. Mielonen