Algonquin Sunset
Page 23
Many Elk
Pȟáŋžela Napé (pohn-zah-lah nah’pay)
Soft Hand
Pispíza (peace-piza)
Prairie dog
Psáloka (sa-ah-loo-ka)
Crow
Ptesáŋ Wí (tay-san wee)
White Buffalo Calf Woman
Pteyáȟpaya (pa-tay-pay-ah)
Cowbird
SápA Maȟpíya (sah’-pah maii-hoh’-pee-ah)
Black Sky
SápA Ziŋtkála (sah’-pah zint’-kah-lah)
Black Bird
SnázA (snee’-zhay)
Scar
Sotkàyuha (shoh-dkah-yue-hah)
Bare Lance Owners’ Society
Šuŋgmánitu Tȟáŋka (shoon-gur’-mah-nee-tee tanka)
Wolf
Sutá Wičháša (soo-tah wee-chah’-shah)
Strong Man
Tȟáȟča Čiŋčá (tah-ka shin-sha)
Deer Child
Tȟáȟčasaŋla (tah-kchah’-sohn-lah)
Antelope
Tȟahúka Čhaŋgléška
Na Wahúkheza (tah-ha-uka chan-glay-sh-ka na wa-hu-keza)
Hoop and spear game
Tȟamní
Placenta
Tȟatȟáŋka (tah-tohn’-kah)
Buffalo
Tȟatȟáŋka Kat’á (tah-tohn’-kah k’tay)
Buffalo Kill
Tȟawíŋyela (tah-win-yela)
Doe
Thíŋta (tin’-ta)
Prairie
Thíŋpsiŋla (timp-sila)
Turnip
Tȟokȟála (tah–koh-la)
Kit Fox Society
Waglékšuŋ (wal-gay-leck-shahn)
Turkey
Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka (wakhan thanka)
Great Mystery
Wakȟáŋheža (wak-han-hay-za)
Children, sacred ones
Wakhéya (wa-kay’-ah)
Lodges, teepees, dwellings
Wakpá Atkúku (wak-pa’ at-ku-ku)
Mississippi River
Wasná (wah-snah)
Pemmican
Wawátʼečala Iȟá (wah-wah’-tay-chah ee-’hah)
Gentle Smile
WičákȟA (wee-chah-kah)
Speak True
Wičháȟpi (wee-chalk-pee)
Star
Wípazukȟa-wašté-wí (wi-pa-zoo-ka-wash-tay-wi)
June (Moon When the Berries Are Good)
Wókpȟaŋ (who-kpah)
Parfleche-rawhide bags
Wóphiye
Medicine bag
Yapízapi Iyéčheča (ya-pee-zapi eye-che-ca)
Dandelion
Lakhˇóta Pronunciation Guide
Vowels
Character We Use
IPA Symbol
Lakȟóta Pronunciation
a
a
Like the a in father.
e
e
Similar to the a in gate.
i
i
Like the i in police.
o
o
Like the o in note.
u
u
Like the u in flute.
Nasal Vowels
Nasal vowels don’t exist in English, but readers might be familiar with them from French (or from hearing people speak English with a French accent). They are pronounced just like oral (“regular”) vowels, only using the nose as well as the mouth. To English speakers a nasal vowel often sounds like a vowel with a half-pronounced n at the end of it. You can hear examples of nasal vowels at the end of the French words bon and Jean, or in the middle of the word Français.
Note: The Sioux pronunciation of the nasal vowels on and un is exactly the same.
Character We Use:
Sometimes Also Used
IPA Symbol
an
an, ą, aη, aŋ, aN
ã
in
in, į, iη, iŋ, iN
ĩ
on
on, , oη, oŋ, oN
ũ
un
un, ų, uη, uŋ, uN
ũ
Consonants
Character We Use
Sometimes Also Used
IPA Symbol
Lakȟóta Pronunciation
b
b
Like b in bill.
c
č, ch, ć, , ċ, j
ʧ ~ ʤ
An unaspirated, “soft” ch sound like the ch in filching or the t in vulture. Sometimes it sounds more like the j in jar. This character is also used to represent the aspirated ch (see aspiration below).
c
č, ch, c’, ċ, c
ʧh
An aspirated, “hard” ch sound like the one in chair. This character is also used to represent the unaspirated ch (see aspiration below).
c’
c’, č’, ç, c’
ʧ’
Like ch in char but with a catch after it (like ch’ar).
d
d
Like d in die. Only used in Dakota pronunciation.
g
g
Like g in gate. Also used to represent the g in the Spanish word saguaro.
g
ġ, gh, ğ
ɣ
Like g in the Spanish word saguaro. Also used to represent the g in gate.
h
x
h~x
&nbs
p; Like h in hay. At the end of a word or before another consonant, it is pronounced like the ch in the German ach.
h’
h’
Like h in hay but with a catch after it (like h’ay).
j
zh, ž, ź
ʒ
Like a French j. In English you can hear this sound at the end of words like garage.
k
, , g
k
Like the unaspirated k in ski. Also used to represent the aspirated k in key.
k
kh, k’, , kx
kh~kx
Like the aspirated k in key. Sometimes it’s pronounced raspier. This character is also used to represent the unaspirated k in ski.
k’
k’, ķ
k’
Like k in key but with a catch after it (like k’ey).
l
l
Like l in light. Only used in Lakȟóta pronunciation.
m
m
Like m in moon.
n
n
Like n in night.
p
, , b
p
Like the unaspirated p in spin. Also used to represent the aspirated p in pin.
p
ph, p’, , px
ph~px
Like the aspirated p in pin. Sometimes it’s pronounced raspier. This character is also used to represent the unaspirated p in spin.
p’
p’
p’
Like p in pin but with a catch after it (like p’in).
s
s
Like s in so. Also used to represent the sh in show.
s
š, sh, ś, s’
ʃ
Like sh in show. Also used to represent the s in so.
s’
s’, ş
s’
Like s in so but with a catch after it (like s’o). Also used to represent sh with a catch after it.
s’
š’, sh’, ś’, s’
ʃ’
Like sh in show but with a catch after it (like sh’ow). Also used to represent s with a catch after it.
t
, , d
t
Like the unaspirated t in sty. Also used to represent the aspirated t in tie.
t
th, t’, , tx
th~tx
Like the aspirated t in tie. Sometimes it’s pronounced raspier. This character is also used to represent the unaspirated t in sty.
t’
t’, ţ
t’
Like t in tie but with a catch after it (like t’ie).
w
w
Like w in way.
x
, r
x
Guttural sound that doesn’t exist in English. Like ch in the German ach.
x’
’
x’
Like ch in the German ach but with a catch after it.
y
j
Like y in yes.
z
z
Like z in zoo.
z’
z’
Like z in zoo but with a catch after it (like z’oo).
’
ʔ
A pause sound like the one in the middle of the word uh-oh.
Stress
Word stress in the Lakȟóta languages is significant. For example, zica, with the stress on the second syllable, means “squirrel,” but zica, with the stress on the first syllable, means a kind of bird. Unfortunately, for language learners, native Lakȟóta speakers almost never mark where the accent falls in a word (any more than English speakers do). In texts written by linguists, sometimes we see a stressed syllable in a Lakȟóta word marked with an acute accent such as zicá.
Mi’kmaq Glossary
For the Mi’kmaq Talking Dictionary, please see www.mikmaqonline.org.
Apalqaqamej (a-bach-caw-a-mitch)
Chipmunk
Apistanéwj (a-bis-tan-ouch)
Marten
Bootup
Whale
Eli’tuat (el-e-do-what)
Men with Beards
Elue’wiet Ga’qaquj (el-away-we-it ga-ah-gooch)
Crazy Crow
E’s (s)
Clam
Gespe’g
Land’s End
Jilte’g (jil-teg)
Scar
Ki’kwa’ju
Wolverine
Midewiwin
Grand Medicine Society
Na’gweg (nah-quik)
Day
Natigòsteg
Forward Land (Anticosti Island)
Nukumi (no-ko-miss)
Mother Earth, Grandmother
Tepgig (dip-geek)
Night
Mi’kmaq
Pronunciation Guide
See also www.native-languages.org/mikmaq_guide.htm.
Vowels
Character We Use
Sometimes Also Used
IPA Symbol
How to Say It
a
ɑ
Like the a in father.
á
a’, a:
ɑː
Like a only held longer.
e
e
Like the e sound in Spanish. In English the Mi’kmaq pronunciation sounds like a cross between the vowel sounds in met and mate.
é
e’, e:
eː
Like e only held longer.
i
Midway between the vowel sounds in hit and heat.
í
i’, i:
iː
Like the i in police only held longer.
i
’, ê, ŭ
ə
Schwa sound like the e in roses.
o
ô
o
Like the o in note.
ó
o’, o:
oː
Like o only held longer.