“What does “even” even mean?” asks Janell Stick in this really useful lesson from nêhiyawêwin for the Soul.
Janell presents the phrase “nîsta mîna” – meaning “me, too” or “even me” – in forms that cover all of its many subjects and numbers – so you’ve got this really useful, colloquial phrase ready to roll out at any moment. Thanks, Janell!
Janell refers to “bracket translations” in presenting this lesson. What she really means is how much extra information is provided (and required) by Cree – that English doesn’t even recognize (so it tends to get added into translations in brackets). For example, English speakers are so accustomed to the word “you” meaning either “one of you” or “all of you” that we actually forget there’s a difference (though sometimes we say things like “y’all” or even “youse”). In Cree, you need to spell out every single time whether you’re speaking to one person, or to a group, and whether that group includes the speaker or not! Those brackets hold a lot of important detail! – Scroll down to watch the video.
Find more of Janell’s meticulous work:
- on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/creeforthesoul
- on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZgCX0D4K6Dg8xknRHSwP5w
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