Fox language

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Revision as of 22:21, 6 June 2025 by imported>Salmoonlight (added Category:Meskwaki using HotCat)
(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Script error: No such module "For". Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherTemplate:Main other

Fox (known by a variety of different names, including Mesquakie (Meskwaki), Mesquakie-Sauk, Mesquakie-Sauk-Kickapoo, Sauk-Fox, and Sac and Fox) is an Algonquian language, spoken by a thousand Meskwaki, Sauk, and Kickapoo in various locations in the Midwestern United States and in northern Mexico.

Dialects

The three distinct dialects are:

  • Fox or Script error: No such module "Lang". (Meskwaki language)[1] (also called Mesquakie, Meskwaki)
  • Sauk or Script error: No such module "Lang". (Thâkîwaki language) (also rendered Sac), and
  • Kickapoo or Kiikaapoa (also rendered Script error: No such module "Lang".; considered by some to be a closely related but distinct language[2]).

If Kickapoo is counted as a separate language rather than a dialect of Fox, then only between 200 and 300 speakers of Fox remain. Extinct Mascouten was most likely another dialect, though it is scarcely attested.

Revitalization

Most speakers are elderly or middle-aged, making it highly endangered. The tribal school at the Meskwaki Settlement in Iowa incorporates bilingual education for children.[3][4] In 2011, the Meskwaki Sewing Project was created, to bring mothers and girls together "with elder women in the Meskwaki Senior Center sewing traditional clothing and learning the Meskwaki language."[5]

Prominent scholars doing research on the language include Ives Goddard[6] and Lucy Thomason of the Smithsonian Institution and Amy Dahlstrom of the University of Chicago.

Phonology

The consonant phonemes of Fox are given in the table below. The eight vowel phonemes are: short Script error: No such module "IPA". and long Script error: No such module "IPA"..

Labial Alveolar Postalveolar
or palatal 		Velar Glottal
Nasal Template:IPA link Template:IPA link
Plosive plain Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link
preaspirated Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link
Fricative Template:IPA link Template:IPA link Template:IPA link
Approximant Template:IPA link Template:IPA link

Other than those involving a consonant plus Script error: No such module "IPA". or Script error: No such module "IPA"., the only possible consonant cluster is Script error: No such module "IPA"..

Until the early 1900s, Fox was a phonologically very conservative language and preserved many features of Proto-Algonquian; records from the decades immediately following 1900 are particularly useful to Algonquianists for this reason. By the 1960s, however, an extensive progression of phonological changes had taken place, resulting in the loss of intervocalic semivowels and certain other features.[7]

Grammar

According to A Concise Dictionary of the Sauk Language by Gordon Whittaker,[8] the language's nouns can be divided into animate and inanimate groups. Animate nouns end in -a (ex: tîtîwa /ˈti:.ti:.wa/, "blue jay (bird)"). To pluralise most animate nouns, the ending is transformed from -a to -aki (ex: tîtîwa -> tîtîwaki). The few exceptions that exist have specific forms, according to the Dictionary.

Inanimate nouns typically end in -i (ex: mâtethi /ˈma:.tet.hi/, "knife"). To pluralise most inanimate nouns, the ending is transformed from -i to -ani (ex: mâtethi -> mâtethani). Like the animate nouns, the few exceptions that exist also have specific forms, according to the Dictionary.[9]

Verbs can be divided into transitive and intransitive; transitive involves two parties (i.e "I give it to you!" / "Kemînêwene!"), while intransitive is one party (i.e "You're alive." / "Kepemâtethi.")

Animate intransitive (using "pemâtethiwa" as an example)
Subject Verb (Sauk) Translation
ne(t)- (I/me) nepemâtethi I am alive
ke(t)- (you) kepemâtethi you are alive
-wa (s/he) pemâtethiwa s/he is alive
ne(t)- ... -pena (we [exclusive]) nepemâtethipena we (exclusive; think "We, but not YOU.") are alive
ke(t)- ... -pena (we [inclusive]) kepemâtethipena we (inclusive; think "We and you.") are alive
ke(t)- ... -pwa (you [plural]) kepemâtethipwa you (plural) are alive; you all are alive
-waki (they) pemâtethiwaki they are alive
Inanimate intransitive (using "kehkyâhiwa" as an example)
Subject Verb (Sauk) Translation
-wi (it) kehkyêwi it is old
-wani (they [inanimate]) kehkyâhiwani they (inanim.) are old
Animate transitive (using "ahkawâpatamwa" as an example)
Subject Verb (Sauk) Translation
ke(t)- ... -ene (I -> you) netahkawâpatene I take care of you (ahkawâpatamwa can also mean to watch out [for] / look out [for])
ke(t)- ... -enepwa (I -> you [plural]) netahkawâpatenepwa I take care of you (plural); I take care of you all
ne(t)- ... -âwa (I -> him/her) netahkawâpatâwa I take care of him/her
ne(t)- ... -âwaki (I -> them) netahkawâpatâwaki I take care of them
ke(t)- ... -i (you -> me) ketahkawâpati you take care of me
ke(t)- ... -âwa (you -> him/her) ketahkawâpatâwa you take care of him/her
ke(t)- ... -ipena (you -> us) ketahkawâpatipena you take care of us
ke(t)- ... -enepena (we -> you) ketahkawâpatenepena we take care of you
ne(t)- ... -ekwa (s/he -> me) netahkawâpatekwa s/he takes care of me
ke(t)- ... -ekwa (s/he -> you) ketahkawâpatekwa s/he takes care of you
-êwa (s/he -> him/her/them) ahkawâpatêwa s/he takes care of him/her/them
ne(t)- ... -ekonâna (s/he -> us [exc.]) netahkawâpatekonâna s/he takes care of us (exc.)
ke(t)- ... -ekonâna (s/he -> us [inc.]) ketahkawâpatekonâna s/he takes care of us (inc.)
ke(t)- ... -ekowâwa (s/he -> you [plural]) ketahkawâpatekowâwa s/he takes care of you (plural); s/he takes care of you all
ne(t)- ... -âpena (we [exc.] -> him/her/them) netahkawâpatâpena we (exc.) take care of him/her/them
ke(t)- ... -âpena (we [inc.] -> him/her/them) ketahkawâpatâpena we (inc.) take care of him/her/them
ke(t)- ... -ipwa (you [plural] -> me) ketahkawâpatipwa you (plural) take care of me; you all take care of me
ke(t)- ... -âpwa (you [plural] -> him/her/them) ketahkawâpatâpwa you (plural) take care of him/her/them; you all take care of him/her/them
ne(t)- ... -ekôki (they -> me) netahkawâpatekôki they take care of me
ke(t)- ... -ekôki (they -> you) ketahkawâpatekôki they take care of you
-êwaki (they -> him/her/them) ahkawâpatêwaki they take care of him/her/them
ne(t)- ... -ekonânaki (they -> us [exc.]) netahkawâpatekonânaki they take care of us (exc.)
ke(t)- ... -ekonânaki (they -> us [inc.]) ketahkawâpatekonânaki they take care of us (inc.)
ke(t)- ... -ekowâwaki (they -> you [plural]) ketahkawâpatekowâwaki they take care of you (plural); they take care of you all
Inanimate transitive (using "ahkawâpatamwa" as an example)
Subject Verb (Sauk) Translation
ne(t)- ... -a (I -> it/them) netahkawâpata I take care of it/them (ahkawâpatamwa can also mean to watch out [for] / look out [for])
ke(t)- ... -a (You -> it/them) ketahkawâpata You take care of it/them
-amwa (S/He -> it/them) ahkawâpatamwa S/He takes care of it/them
ne(t)- ... -âpena (We [exc.] -> it/them) netahkawâpatâpena We (exc.) take care of it/them
ke(t)- ... -âpena (We [inc.] -> it/them) ketahkawâpatâpena We (inc.) take care of it/them
ke(t)- ... -âpwa (You [plural] -> it/them) ketahkawâpatâpwa You [plural] take care of it/them
-âmoki (They -> it/them) ahkawâpatamwâmoki They take care of it/them

This conjugation is only for verbs that end in -amwa; all other animate transitive verbs take the same conjugation as the animate intransitive verbs.[10]

Vocabulary

Meskwaki numerals are as follows:[11]

Script error: No such module "Lang". one
Script error: No such module "Lang". two
Script error: No such module "Lang". three
Script error: No such module "Lang". four
Script error: No such module "Lang". five
Script error: No such module "Lang". six
Script error: No such module "Lang". seven
Script error: No such module "Lang". eight
Script error: No such module "Lang". nine
Script error: No such module "Lang". ten

Writing systemsScript error: No such module "anchor".

File:Bis carta en lengua kikapu.pdf
Letter in the Kickapoo language written in Coahuila, Mexico in the 1950s

Besides the Latin script, Fox has been written in two indigenous scripts.[12]

Fox I

File:Great Lakes Algonquian Syllabics, Second Style.png
The Fox I script.[13]

"Fox I" is an abugida based on the cursive French alphabet (see Great Lakes Algonquian syllabics). Consonants written by themselves are understood to be syllables containing the vowel Script error: No such module "IPA".. They are:

Syllable
ℓTemplate:Efn Script error: No such module "IPA".
t Script error: No such module "IPA".
s Script error: No such module "IPA".
d Script error: No such module "IPA".Template:Efn
tt Script error: No such module "IPA".Template:Efn
ŋTemplate:Efn Script error: No such module "IPA".
w Script error: No such module "IPA".
m Script error: No such module "IPA".
n Script error: No such module "IPA".
K Script error: No such module "IPA".
gTemplate:Efn Script error: No such module "IPA".Template:Efn

Template:Notelist

Vowels are written by adding dots to the consonant:

ℓ Script error: No such module "IPA".
ℓ. Script error: No such module "IPA".
ℓ· Script error: No such module "IPA".
ℓ.. Script error: No such module "IPA".

Fox II

File:Great Lakes Algonquian Syllabary, Third Style.png
The Fox II script.[14]

"Fox II" is a consonant–vowel alphabet. According to Coulmas, Script error: No such module "IPA". is not written (as Script error: No such module "IPA". is not written in Fox I). Vowels (or Script error: No such module "IPA". plus a vowel) are written as cross-hatched tally marks.

Consonants (approximately)
+ Script error: No such module "IPA".
C Script error: No such module "IPA".
Q Script error: No such module "IPA".
ı Script error: No such module "IPA".
ñ Script error: No such module "IPA".Template:Efn
═ Script error: No such module "IPA".
ƧƧ Script error: No such module "IPA".
田 Script error: No such module "IPA".
# Script error: No such module "IPA".
C′ Script error: No such module "IPA".
ƧC Script error: No such module "IPA".
Vowels (approximately)
× Script error: No such module "IPA".
Template:Sc Script error: No such module "IPA".Template:Efn
Template:Sc Script error: No such module "IPA".Template:Efn
Template:Sc Script error: No such module "IPA".Template:Efn

Template:Notelist

See also

Script error: No such module "Portal".

Notes

Template:Reflist

References

  • Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  • Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

External links

Template:List of writing systems Template:Languages of Oklahoma Template:Algonquian languages Template:Authority control

  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Moctezuma Zamarrón, José Luis 2011, El sistema fonológico del Kickapoo de Coahuila analizado desde las metodologías distribucional y funcional Template:Webarchive. México: INALI
  3. ↑ Meskwaki Settlement School Website, Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Language change in the speech community: change by loss of a stylistic register, in Historical Linguistics: Toward a Twenty-First Century Reintegration (Template:ISBN), page 57
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Sauk Counting Worksheet (Sac and Fox). Retrieved 17 March 2019 from http://www.native-languages.org/numbers/sauk_numbers.htm Template:Webarchive
  12. ↑ Coulmas (1999: 153–155)
  13. ↑ Jones, William, 1906, p. 90
  14. ↑ Jones, William, 1906, pp. 90-91
Retrieved from "http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=Fox_language&oldid=2326831"