The Middle Sibling: Solomon Ratt (th-dialect; y-dialect)

A practice dialogue for students to describe the makeup of their family.

Th-dialect

tânitahtwasiyîk kiwîtisânîhitowinihk?How many of you are in your family?ᑖᓂᑕᐦᑢᓯᔩᐠ ᑭᐑᑎᓵᓃᐦᐃᑐᐏᓂᕽ?
kayahtî? mâmawi ayinânîw kayahtî nikî-ihtasinân.Originally? Altogether there were eight of us originally.ᑲᔭᐦᑏ? ᒫᒪᐏ ᐊᔨᓈᓃᐤ ᑲᔭᐦᑏ ᓂᑮ ᐃᐦᑕᓯᓈᐣ᙮
ostîsimâw cî kîtha?Are you the eldest brother?ᐅᐢᑏᓯᒫᐤ ᒌ ᑮᖬ?
namôtha, namôtha nîtha ostîsimâw.No, I am not the eldest brother.ᓇᒨᖬ, ᓇᒨᖬ ᓃᖬ ᐅᐢᑏᓯᒫᐤ᙮
osîmimâw cî kîtha?Are you the youngest sibling?ᐅᓰᒥᒫᐤ ᒌ ᑮᖬ?
namôtha, namôtha osîmimâw nîtha.No, I'm not the youngest.ᓇᒨᖬ, ᓇᒨᖬ ᐅᓰᒥᒫᐤ ᓃᖬ᙮
tânitahto kitostîsin?How many older brothers do you have?ᑖᓂᑕᐦᑐ ᑭᑐᐢᑏᓯᐣ?
nîso kayahtî nikî-ostîsin. ostîsimâw sâsay kayâs nikî-wanihânân.I originally had two older brothers, we lost the eldest brother long ago.ᓃᓱ ᑲᔭᐦᑏ ᓂᑮ ᐅᐢᑏᓯᐣ᙮ ᐅᐢᑏᓯᒫᐤ ᓵᓴᕀ ᑲᔮᐢ ᓂᑮ ᐘᓂᐦᐋᓈᐣ᙮
tânitahto kitomisin?How many older sisters? ᑖᓂᑕᐦᑐ ᑭᑐᒥᓯᐣ?
nîso kayahtî nikî-omisin, piyak nimisipan nikî-wanihânân anohcihkî.Originally I had two older sisters, we lost one of my older sisters just recently.ᓃᓱ ᑲᔭᐦᑏ ᓂᑮ ᐅᒥᓯᐣ, ᐱᔭᐠ ᓂᒥᓯᐸᐣ ᓂᑮ ᐘᓂᐦᐋᓈᐣ ᐊᓄᐦᒋᐦᑮ᙮
tânitahto kitosîmisin?How many younger siblings do you have?ᑖᓂᑕᐦᑐ ᑭᑐᓰᒥᓯᐣ?
kayahtî nisto nikî-osîmisin, piyak nisîmisipan nikî-wanihânân namôtha osâm kayâs.Originally I had three younger siblings, we lost one younger sibling not too long ago.ᑲᔭᐦᑏ ᓂᐢᑐ ᓂᑮ ᐅᓰᒥᓯᐣ, ᐱᔭᐠ ᓂᓰᒥᓯᐸᐣ ᓂᑮ ᐘᓂᐦᐋᓈᐣ ᓇᒨᖬ ᐅᓵᒼ ᑲᔮᐢ᙮
So you’re the middle child! How do you say middle child in Cree?
I don’t know. We tend to be overlooked, even in the Cree kinship system.
What would not be asked of me:
omisimâw cî kîtha?Are you the eldest sister? ᐅᒥᓯᒫᐤ ᒌ ᑮᖬ?
îhî, omisimâw nîtha.Yes, I am the eldest sister. ᐄᐦᐄ, ᐅᒥᓯᒫᐤ ᓃᖬ᙮

Y-dialect

ânitahtwasiyêk kiwîtisânîhitowinihk?How many of you are in your family?
kayahtê? mâmawi ayinânêw kayahtê nikî-ihtasinân.Originally? Altogether there were eight of us originally.
ostêsimâw cî kiya? (Ask only if the other person is male.)Are you the eldest brother?
namôya, namôya niya ostêsimâw.
Or:
âha, ostêsimâw niya.
No, I am not the eldest brother.
Or
Yes, I am the eldest brother.
omisimâw cî kiya? (Ask only if the other person is female.)Are you the eldest sister?
âha, omisimâw niya.
Or
namôya, namôya omisimâw niya.
Yes, I am the eldest sister.
Or
No, I am not the eldest sister.
osîmimâw cî kiya?Are you the youngest sibling?
namôya, namôya osîmimâw niya.
Or
âha, osîmimâw niya.
No, I am not the youngest sibling.
Or
Yes, I am the youngest sibling.
ânitahto kitostêsin?How many older brothers do you have?
nîso kayahtê nikî-ostêsin. ostêsimâw âsay kayâs nikî-wanihânân.I originally had two older brothers, we lost the eldest brother long ago.
tânitahto kitomisin?How many older sisters do you have?
nîso kayahtê nikî-omisin, pêyak nimisipan nikî-wanihânân anohcihkê.Originally I had two older sisters, we lost one of my older sisters just recently.
tânitahto kitosîmisin?How many younger siblings do you have?
kayahtê nisto nikî-osîmisin, pêyak nisîmisipan nikî-wanihânân kayâsês. Originally I had three younger siblings, we lost one younger sibling a while ago.

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