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A World of Variety: Southwestern Ojibwe (Algonquian)
Posted Fri, March 6, 2009 - 8:26 PM
language, nativeamerica
Extent of the Algonquian language family
Southwestern Ojibwe, or "Anishinaabemowin", is a relatively vibrant language originally spoken in my home state of Minnesota, primarily in the north and east and extending both directions, into Ontario, Manitoba, Wisconsin, and Michigan. It's a member of the widely spread Algonquian (Algic) language family which has representatives all the way out to the East Coast. The very first language encountered by the occupants of the Mayflower was undoubtedly an Algonquian language.
While educating myself on Anishinaabemowin, I relied heavily on this really impressive site.
Here's a sample text in the Lac La Croix dialect. Although it's pretty contrived, it's the only one I have audio for. I'll be posting another story that more fully represents the language in a later post.
Giikanaapizigedaa
Wenesh dinowa gaa-ozhitooyan?
Giikanaapizigewigamig indoozhitoon.
Wenesh dinowa waa-kiikanapizaman?
Name gaa-tebibinag gii-kigizhebaawagak.
Ambe goda [boodaawedaa] boodaawaadandaa.
Akawe da-minokwane ge-izhi-aatawe'amang ge-izhi-maajii-giikanaapizigewing.
Mii ge-izhi-agoodoowing name-wiiyaas.
Let's Smoke Sturgeon
What kind of thing are you making?
I'm making a smokehouse.
What kind of thing do you want to smoke?
The sturgeon that I caught this morning.
Come on then, let's build a fire.
First, when the fire is burning good, then we'll put it out and then we can start to smoke.
And then we hang up the sturgeon meat.
(Geyshick, Melvin; Gresczyk, Rick. Giwii-nitaa-anishinaabem ina? Privately published, year unknown.)