by Rick Revelle
Lake Superior
Guhn
Snow
Haudenosaunee (ho-de-no-sho-nee)
Iroquois Confederacy
Ininàtig (e-na-na-dig)
Maple
Ishkodewan
Blaze
Kabàsigan
Stew
Kàg (ka-hg)
Porcupine
Kànìkwe
No Hair
Kà-wàsadotòj (ka-wah-suh-koh-tooj)
April
Kekek (kay-kayk)
Hawk
Kìgònz (key-gounz)
Fish
Kije-Manidò
Great Spirit
Kìjik (key-jick)
Cedar
Kìnà
Sharp
Kìnà Odenan
Sharp Tongue
Kinebigokesì
Cricket
Kishkàbikedjiwan
Waterfall
Kitcisìpi Sìbì
Ottawa River
Kitcisìpiriniwak
People of the Great River
Lenepi
Delaware
Magotogoek Sìbì
Path That Walks (St. Lawrence River)
Magwàizibò Sìbì
Iroquois River (Richelieu River)
Mahingan (mah-in-gan)
Wolf
Makadewà (ma-ka-de-wa)
Black
Makadewà Wàban (ma-ka-de-wa wah-bun)
Black Dawn
Makon (mah-koon)
Bear cub
Makwa (mah-kwa)
Bear
Maliseet
Malècite
Mandàmin (man-dah-min)
Corn
Manidò
Spirit
Mazinaabikinigan
Lake Mazinaw
Me’hiken
Mahican
Michabo
The Great Hare, trickster god, inventor of fishing
Mìgàdinàn (mee-gah-dih-nahn)
War
Migiskan (mi-gi-skuhn)
Hook
Mikisesimik
Wampum belt
Mishigami
Lake Michigan
Mishi-pijiw (mih-she-pih-shoe)
Panther
Misi-zagging
Lake Huron
Miskomini-kìzis (mih-skoh-mih-nih-kee-zihs)
July
Mitig (mi-tig)
Tree
Mitigomij (mih-tih-go-mihzh)
Red Oak
Mònz (moans)
Moose
Nàbek
Male bear
Name (nu-me)
Sturgeon
Namebin (nu-me-bin)
Sucker
Namegosi-kizis (na-mi-go-si-key-sis)
October
Nasemà (na-sem-mah)
Tobacco
Nigig (neh-gig)
Otter
Nìj (neesh)
Two
Nìj Enàndeg
(neesh en-nahn-deg)
Two Colour
Nika
Goose
Nòjek (now-shek)
Female bear
Nukumi
(no-ko-miss)
Mother Earth/Grandmother
Odàbànàk (oh-dah-nahk)
Toboggan
Odawàjameg (oh-duh-wah-shaw-megg)
Salmon
Odenan
Tongue
Odìngwey
Face
Odjìbik
Root
Odjìshiziwin (oh-jee-sheen)
Scar
Ogà (oh-gah)
Pickerel, walleye
Omàmiwinini (oh-mam-ih-win-in-e)
Algonquin
Omìmì (oh-me-me)
Pigeon
Onagàgizidànibag
Plantain
Onigam
Portage
Ouendat
Huron
Pakìgino-makizinan (pa-kee-gun-no-muh-kih-zih-none)
Moccasins
Pangì (pung-gee)
Little
Pangì Mahingan
(pung-gee mah-in-gan)
Little Wolf
Pênâ-kuk
Pennacook
Pibòn (pi-bou)
Winter
Pikodjisi
Blackfly
Pikwàkogwewesì (pick-wa-go-gwes-e)
Jay
Piminàshkawà
Chaser
Pimizì (pim-me-zee)
Eel
Pine
Partridge
Pìsà (pee-shah)
Small
Pìsà Animosh
(pee-shah an-ney-mush)
Small Dog
Sagime (suh-gi-may)
Mosquito
Shangweshì (shan-gwe-she)
Mink
Shàwanong (shah-wuh-noong)
South
Shìbàskobidjige
Set a net under ice
Shigàg
Skunk
Shìshìb (she-sheeb)
Duck
Tendesì (ten-des-see)
Blue jay
Wàban (wah-bun)
Dawn
Wàbanaki
Abenaki
Wàbananang (wa-ba-na-nang)
Morning Star
Wàbek
Bear
Wàbidì (wah-bi-dee)
Elk
Wàbigon Kìzis
(wah-bi-gon key-zis)
May
Wàbìsì (wah-bee-see)
Swan
Wàbòz (wah-bose)
Rabbit
Wàginogàn
Lodge, home
Wàgosh (wa-gosh)
Fox
Wàwàshkeshi (wa-wash-ke-she)
Deer
Wàwonesì
Whippoorwill
Wegimindj
Mother
Wewebasinàbàn (way-way-buh-sih-nah-bahn)
Slingshot
Wìgwàs Chìmàn
(we-gwahs chee-mahn)
Birchbark canoe
Wolastoqiyik
Maliseet
Algonquin/Omàmiwinini Pronunciation Guide
See also www.native-languages.org/algonquin_guide.htm.
Vowels
Character We Use
Sometimes Also Used
IPA Symbol
How to Say It
a
Ʌ
Like the a in what.
à
á, aa
ɑː
Like the a in father.
e
e ~ ε
Like the a in gate or the e in red.
è
é, ee
eː
Like a in pay.
i
I
Like the i in pit.
ì
í, ii
iː
Like the ee in seed.
o
u
ʊ
Like the u input.
ò
ó, oo
oː
Like the o in lone.
Diphthongs
Character We Use
IPA Symbol
How to Say It
aw
aw
Like ow in cow.
ay
aj
Like eye.
ew
ew
This sound doesn’t really exist in English. It sounds a little like saying the AO from AOL quickly.
ey
ej
Like the ay in hay.
iw
iw
Like a child saying ew!
ow
ow
Like the ow in show.
Consonants
Character We Use
Sometimes Also Used
IPA Symbol
How to Say It
b
b
Like b in bill.
ch
č
ʧ
Like ch in chair.
d
d
Like d in die.
dj
ʤ
Like j in jar.
g
g
Like g in gate.
h
h~ʔ
Like h in hay, or like the glottal stop in the middle of uh-oh.
j
zh, ž
ʒ
Like the ge sound at the end of mirage.
k
kh~k
Like k in key or ski (see soft consonants below).
m
m
Like m in moon.
n
n
Like n in night.
p
ph~p
Like p in pin or spin (see soft consonants below).
s
s
Like s in see.
sh
c, š
ʃ
Like sh in shy.
t
th~t
Like t in take or stake (see soft consonants below).
w
w
Like w in way.
y
j
Like y in yes.
z
z
Like z in zoo.
Anishinaabe/Ojibwe Glossary
For an Ojibwe Talking Dictionary, please see http://ojibwe.lib.umn.edu.
Aabita-niibino-giizis (a-bi-ta-knee-bino-gee-sus)
July (Berry Moon)
Aandeg (on-deg)
Crow
Adik (a-dick)
Caribou
Adikameg (a-dik-a-meg)
Whitefish
Adiko-wiiyaas (a-day-ko-we-as)
Caribou meat
Animbiigoo-zaaga’igan
Dog Waters Lake (Lake Nipigon)
Animosh (an-eh-moosh)
Dog<
br />
Anishinaabewi-gichigami
Lake Superior
Apiitendang Makwa (a-pete-tan-den ma-kwa)
Proud Bear
Asemaa (as-say-ma)
Tobacco
Ashkaakamigokwe
Mother Earth
Baaga’adowewin
Lacrosse
Baapaase (baa-pa-say)
Woodpecker