ALGONQUIN LANGUAGE

:''For the larger language family of which Algonquin is but one member, see Algonqu'ia'n.''
'Algonquin' (or 'Algonkin') is an Algonquian language closely related to Ojibwe, although many consider it to be instead a particularly divergent dialect of Ojibwe. It is spoken, alongside French and to some extent English, by the Algonquin First Nations of Quebec and Ontario. As of 1998, there were 2,275 Algonquin speakers, less than 10% of whom were monolingual. Algonquin is the language for which the entire Algonquian language subgroup is named. The similarity among the names often causes considerable confusion. Like many Native American languages, it is strongly verb based, with most meaning being inflected into verbs instead of using separate words for prepositions, tense, etc.

Contents
Classification
Dialects
Phonology
Consonants
Aspiration and Allophony
Vowels
Diphthongs
Nasal Vowels
Stress
Algonquin names for animals
References
External links

Classification


Algonquin is an Algonquian language, of the Algic family of languages, and is descended from Proto-Algonquian. It is considered a particularly divergent dialect of Ojibwe by many, acting as a transitional language between the Ojibwe languages and the Abenaki languages. However, though the speakers call themselves "Anicinâbe" like the Ojibwe, the speakers of this language are not identified as Ojibwe and are called ''Odishkwaagamii'' (those at the end of the lake) by the Ojibwe. Other languages considered particularly divergent dialects of Ojibwe include Mississauga (often called "Eastern Ojibwe") and Odawa. In addition, the Algonquin and the Mississaugas were not part of the Ojibwe-Odawa-Potawatomi alliance known as the Council of Three Fires. Among her sister languages are Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Cree, Fox, Menominee, Potawatomi, and Shawnee. The Algic family contains the Algonquian languages and the so-called "Ritwan" languages, Wiyot and Yurok. Ojibwe and its similar languages are frequently referred to as a "Central Algonquian" language; however, Central Algonquian is an areal grouping rather than a genetic one. Among Algonquian languages, only the Eastern Algonquian languages constitute a true genetic subgroup.
Dialects

There are several dialects of Algonquin. Speakers at Maniwaki consider their language to be Algonquin, though linguistically it is a dialect of Eastern Ojibwe.

Phonology


Consonants

The consonant phonemes and major allophones of Algonquin in one of several common orthographies are listed below (with IPA notation in brackets):
  Bilabial Alveolar Postalveolar Velar Glottal
'Stop''' voiced   'b'     'd'       'g'    
voiceless   'p'     't'       'k'    
vls. aspirated   'p'     't'       'k'    
'Affricate' voiced       'dj'      
voiceless       'tc'      
'Fricative' voiced     'z'     'j'      
voiceless     's'     'c'       'h'  
'Nasal'     'm'     'n'        
'Approximant'     'w'     'y'        

Aspiration and Allophony

The Algonquin consonants ''p'', ''t'' and ''k'' are unaspirated when they are pronounced between two vowels or after an ''m'' or ''n''; plain voiceless and voiceless aspirated stops in Algonquin are thus allophones. So 'kìjig' (day) is pronounced '', but 'anokì kìjig' (working day) is pronounced ''.[1]
'' can be pronounced as either '' or ''.
Vowels

:
★ ''short''
:

★ 'a'
:

★ 'e' or
:

★ 'i'
:

★ 'o' or 'u'
:
★ ''long''
:

★ 'à' (also 'á' or 'aa')
:

★ 'è' (also 'é' or 'ee')
:

★ 'ì' (also 'í' or 'ii')
:

★ 'ò' (also 'ó' or 'oo')
Diphthongs

:
★ 'aw'
:
★ 'ay'
:
★ 'ew'
:
★ 'ey'
:
★ 'iw'
:
★ 'ow'
Nasal Vowels

Algonquin does have nasal vowels, but they are allophonic variants (similar to how in English we nasalize vowels before ''m'' and ''n''). In Algonquin, vowels automatically become nasal before ''nd'', ''ng'', ''nj'' or ''nz''. For example, 'kìgònz' is pronounced '', not ''.1
Stress

Word stress in Algonquin is regular, but it's very complicated. If you divide each word into iambic feet, counting long vowels (''à'', ''è'', ''ì'', ''ò'') as an entire foot, then the stress is usually on the strong syllable of the third from last foot--which, in words that are five syllables long or less, usually translates in practical terms to the first syllable (if it has a long vowel) or the second syllable (if it doesn't.) Then the strong syllables of the other feet each have a secondary stress. For example: , , , .1
Algonquin names for animals


Adik - Caribou/Reindeer

Adjidamò - Squirrel

Amik - Beaver

Chàngwèchi - Mink

Chigosi - Weasel

Mahìgan - Wolf

Makwa - Bear

Mòz - Moose

Nigig - Otter

Pijiw - Lynx

Akokodjìch - Groundhog

Wàwàckèchi - Deer

Wajack - Muskrat

Wàbichèsè - Marten

Chigàg - Skunk

References


1. Algonquin Pronunciation and Spelling Guide Redish, Laura & Lewis, Orrin

External links



English-Algonquin word lists from the Algonquin Nation Tribal Council

Algonquins of Golden Lake word-list recordings

Eagle Village First Nation Algonquin Language page

Schoolnet Algonquin Language Recordings

Canadian Tribute to Human Rights - English and Algonquin

Hail Mary in Algonquin

Children Singing Peace Around the World in Algonquin

Ethnologue entry for Algonquin

Native Languages page for Algonquin

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