Most of us are familiar with the alternation of y-, th-, and n- that characterize the main Western Cree dialects. In many cases, the changes between the Plains y-dialect, Woodlands (Rock Cree) th-dialect, and Swampy Cree n-dialect are fairly predictable, but not all of these dialect differences are tidy or predictable.
This post from Solomon Ratt, with input from Arok Wolvengrey (for y-dialect), and Cameron Adams (for n-dialect) outlines the changes that usually work, and a sampling of differences that aren’t really predictable at all.
Here are the general guidelines:
- Most (but not all) ys change to th or to n.
- These changing ys are marked with an acute accent over the ý in the print edition of nêhiyawêwin: itwêwina Cree: Words by Arok Wolvengrey. Regina: University of Regina Press (2001).
- There is no ê sound in the th-dialect.
- Most of the ê’s found in the y-dialect will change to î.
- When ê is followed by y, it changes to i.
- When an initial ê is followed by k, the ê usually changes to i.
- Verb forms with î in y-dialect third-person forms keep the î in the first and second person forms, but change to â in the third person form. For example: mâcîw – he/she hunts.
- In the y-dialect, this form keeps the î: in first and second person forms:
- nimâcîn – I hunt; kimâcîn – you hunt.
- In the th-dialect the î in mâcîw changes to â in the first and second person forms:
- nimâcân – I hunt; kimâcân – you hunt.
- All third person entries from the itwêwina dictionary that have the same ending as ‘mâcîw’ follow this change.
- In the y-dialect, this form keeps the î: in first and second person forms:
The following list shows that not all changes are predictable, nor do all words follow the same form from one dialect to another.
(Photo: Sol’s favourite Sasquatch espresso cup, a gift from his grandchildren)
Y- dialect | TH-dialect | N-Dialect | English |
---|---|---|---|
aýoskan | athôskan | anôskan | Raspberry |
-ýiwa | -thiwa | -niwa | The indicative VAI ending when the subject is 3 person obviative (her/his _____) |
âha | îhî | êhê | Yes |
âkaýâsîmow | âkathâsîmow | âkanâsîmow | S/he speaks English. |
âkaýâsîmowin | âkathâsîmowin | âkanâsîmowin | English language. |
âkaýâsîw | âkathâsîw | âkanâsîw | An Englishman. |
askipwâwi | napatâk | askipwâwi | Potato |
aýîkis | athîkis | anîkis | Frog |
ayiwinisa | ayânisa | ayiwinisa | Clothing |
cêskwa | cîskwa | cêskwa | Wait |
cihcipayapisikanis | kâ-wâskâwîpiskaht | nîsokâcês | Bicycle |
cîhkêýihtam | cîhkîthihtam | cîhkênihtam | S/he likes something; s/he is happy. |
êkosi | ikosi | êkosi | So, in that way |
êkospî | ikospî | êkospî | Then, at that time |
êkota | ikota | êkota | There |
êkwa | ikwa | êkwa | And, let's go |
êkwâni | ikwâni | êkwâni | That’s all |
êkwaýikohk | ikwathikohk | êkwanikohk | That is enough. |
êtikwê | îtokî | êtikwê | Apparently, I guess |
êwako | iyako (w changes to y here) | êwako | That one |
êwakonik | iyakonik (w changes to y here) | êwakonik | Those ones |
êýik | îthik | ênik | An ant |
isiýihkâsow | isithihkâsow | isinihkâsow | Her/his name is… |
iskwêsis | iskwîsis | iskwêsis | Girl |
iskwêw | iskwîw | iskwêw | Woman |
ispaýin | ispathin | ispanin | It happens. It comes about. |
ispîhk | ispî | ispîhk | When |
iýikohk | ithikohk | inikohk | So much, that much. |
iýinimin | ithinimin | ininîmin | Blueberry |
iýiniw | ithiniw | ininiw | A first nations person |
kâ-isiwêpahk | kâ-isi-kîsikâk | kâ-isi-wêpahk OR kâ-isi-kîsikâk | Weather |
kâsîýâkanêw | kâsîthâkanêw | kâsînâkanêw | S/he dries dishes. |
kaskitê-osâwâw | wîskwastîwinâkwan | osâwinâkwan | It is brown. (for NI) |
kaskitê-osâwâwisiw | wîskwastîwinâkosiw | osâwinâkosiw | It is brown. (for NA) |
kâwiýa | kâwitha | kâwina | Don’t |
kimiwan | kimowan | kimiwan | It’s raining. |
kimiwasin | kimowasin | kimiwasin | It’s drizzling |
kisîpêkinastêw | sîpîkinastîw | kisîpêkinastêw | S/he bathes. |
kisîpêkiýâkanêw | sîpîkithâkanîw | kisîpêkinâkanêw | S/he washes clothes. |
kîsitêpow | piminawasow | kîsitêpow | S/he cooks. |
kiýa | kîtha | kîna | You |
kiýânaw | kîthânaw | kînânaw | Us/we (inclusive) |
kiýawâw | kîthawâw | kînawâw | You (plural) |
maci-kîsikâw | maci-kîsikâw | maci-kîsikâw | It is bad weather; it is a bad day. |
mâýi-kîsikâw | mâthi-kîsikâw | mâni-kîsikâw | It’s a bad day. |
mihkosiw | mithkosiw | mihkosiw | It is red. (for NA) |
mihkwâw | mithkwâw | mihkwâw | It is red. (for NI) |
minihkwâcikan | othâkanis | minihkwâkan | Cup |
minôs | pôsîs | pôsîs | Cat |
miýo-kîsikâw | mitho-kîsikâw | mino-kîsikâw | It’s a good day. |
miýwêýihtam | mithwîthihtam | minwênihtam | S/he is happy; s/he likes something. |
namôýa | namôtha (namôwitha) | namôna | No, not |
nâpêsis | nâpîsis | nâpêsis | Boy |
nâpêw | nâpîw | nâpêw | Man |
nêhiýaw | nîhithaw | nêhinaw | A Cree person |
nêhiýawêw | nîhithowîw (note the change in the a to o before the w) | nêhinawêw | S/he speaks Cree |
nêhiýawêwin | nîhithowîwin | nêhinawêwin | Cree language |
nêwo | niyo | nêwo | Four |
nîpâmâýâtan | sîpihkomithkwâw | mihko-cîpêhtakwâw | It is purple. (for NI) |
nîpâmâýâtisiw | sîpihkomithkosiw | mihko-cîpêhtakosiw | It is purple. (for NA) |
nitisiýihkâson | nitisithihkâson | nitisinihkâson | My name is… |
niýa | nîtha | nîna | Me/I |
niýanân | nîthanân | nînanân | Us/we (exclusive) |
ôhi | ôho | ôhi | These (for NI) |
ôki | ôko | ôki | These (for NA) |
osâwâw | atôspîwinâkwan | mihkonâkwan | It is orange. (for NI) |
osâwisiw | atôspîwinâkosiw | mihkonâkosiw | It is orange. (for NA) |
oýakan | othâkan | onâkan | Dish/plate |
pahkisimotâhk | pahkisimonohk | nêkahpêhanohk | West |
pêyâhtak | piyâhtak | pêyâhtak | Carefully, quietly, slowly |
pêyak | piyak | pêyak | One |
pêyakwan | piyakwan | pêyakwan | The same |
pêyakwâw | piyakwâw | pêyakwâw | Once |
pîhtokwêw | pîhtokîw | pîhtikwêw | S/he enters. |
pimipaýiw | pimipathiw | pimipaniw | S/he drives |
piýêsîs | pithîsîs | pinêsîs | Bird |
piýisk | pîthisk | pînis | Eventually |
sâkâstênohk | mâci-kîsikanohk | wâpanohk | East |
sêhkêpayîs | otâpânâsk | otâpânâsk | Car |
sisonê | wâsakâm | wâsakâm | Along, around the edge (Th) |
sôhkiýowêw | sôhkithôwîw | sôhkinowêw | It’s very windy. |
tânimaýikohk | tânimathikohk | tânimanikohk | How much? |
tânispîhk | tânispî | tânispîhk | When? |
tâniýikohk | tânithikohk | tâninikohk | How much? |
wâhýaw | wâhthaw | wâhnaw | Far |
wâhýawês | wâhthawîs | wâhnawês | A bit of a ways |
wâposâwâw | osâwâw | osâwâw | It is yellow. (for NI) |
wâposâwisiw | osâwisiw | osâwisiw | It is yellow. (for NA) |
wâsênikan | wâsênamân | wâsênamâwin | Window |
wâýahcâw | wâthahcâw | wânahcâw | Valley |
waýawîtimihk | wathawîtimihk | wanawîtimihk | Outside |
waýawîw | wathawîw | wanawîw | S/he goes out. |
wiýa | wîtha | wîna | She/he |
wiýawâw | wîthawâw | wînawâw | They/them |
ýêkaw | thîkaw | nêkaw | Sand |
yîkatênam | îkatînam | wîkatênam (I have to look) | S/he takes something aside |
yîkowan | kaskawan | nikowan | It’s foggy |
ýîkwaskwan | thikwaskwan | nikwaskwan | It is cloudy |
ýôtin | thôtin | nôtin | It’s windy. |