Algonquin language

Algonquin (also spelled Algonkin; in Algonquin: or ) is either a distinct Algonquian language closely related to the Ojibwe language or a particularly divergent Ojibwe dialect. It is spoken, alongside French and to some extent English, by the Algonquin First Nations of Quebec and Ontario. As of 2006, there were 2,680 Algonquin speakers, less than 10% of whom were monolingual. Algonquin is the language for which the entire Algonquian language subgroup is named; the similarity among the names often causes considerable confusion. Like many Native American languages, it is strongly verb-based, with most meaning being incorporated into verbs instead of using separate words for prepositions, tense, etc.

Classification

File:Panneau algonquin.jpg

Sign at La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve in French, Algonquin and English. The Algonquin text "" literally translates to "Be gentle with all things of nature for everyone."

(Algonquin) is an Algonquian language, of the Algic family of languages, and is descended from Proto-Algonquian. It is considered a particularly divergent dialect of Ojibwe by many. But, although the speakers call themselves Omàmìwininì or , the Ojibwe call them ('those at the end of the lake'). Among (Algonquins), however, the Nipissing are called (the Algonquin orthography for the Ojibwe ) and their language as . The rest of the Omàmìwininìmowin (Algonquin) communities call themselves ('down-stream men'), and the language ('speech of the down-stream men').

Other than (Algonquin), languages considered as particularly divergent dialects of the Anishinaabe language include Mississauga (often called "Eastern Ojibwe") and Odawa. The Potawatomi language was considered a divergent dialect of Anishinaabemowin (the Anishinaabe language) but now is considered a separate language. Culturally, (Algonquin) and the Michi Saagiig (Mississaugas) were not part of the Ojibwe–Odawa–Potawatomi alliance known as the Council of Three Fires. The (Algonquins) maintained stronger cultural ties with the Abenaki, Atikamekw and Cree.

Among sister Algonquian languages are Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Cree, Fox, Menominee, Potawatomi, and Shawnee. The Algic family contains the Algonquian languages and the so-called "Ritwan" languages, Wiyot and Yurok. Ojibwe and its similar languages are frequently referred to as a "Central Algonquian" language; however, Central Algonquian is an areal grouping rather than a genetic one. Among Algonquian languages, only the Eastern Algonquian languages constitute a true genetic subgroup.

The northern (Algonquin language) dialect of Anishinabemowin as spoken at Winneway, Quebec (Long Point), and Timiskaming First Nation, Quebec, is a similar dialect to the Oji-Cree dialect (Severn/Anishininimowin) of northwestern Ontario, despite being geographically separated by .

Dialects

There are several dialects of (the Algonquin language), generally grouped broadly as Northern Algonquin and Western Algonquin. Speakers at Kitigan Zibi consider their language to be Southern Algonquin, though linguistically it is a dialect of Nipissing Ojibwa which, together with Mississauga Ojibwa and Odawa, form the Nishnaabemwin (Eastern Ojibwa) group of the Ojibwa dialect continuum.

Phonology

Consonants

The consonant phonemes and major allophones of Algonquin in Cuoq spelling, one of several common orthographies, and its common variants are listed below (with IPA notation in brackets):

		Bilabial	Alveolar	Post- alveolar	Velar	Glottal
Plosive/ Affricate	voiced	Template:IPA link Template:Angbr	Template:IPA link Template:Angbr	Template:IPA link Template:AngbrTemplate:Efn	Template:IPA link Template:Angbr
	voiceless	Template:IPA link Template:Angbr	Template:IPA link Template:Angbr	Template:IPA link Template:AngbrTemplate:Efn	Template:IPA link Template:Angbr	Template:IPA link Template:Angbr
	aspirated	Template:Angbr	Template:Angbr		Template:Angbr
Fricative	voiced		Template:IPA link Template:Angbr	Template:IPA link Template:AngbrTemplate:Efn
	voiceless		Template:IPA link Template:Angbr	Template:IPA link Template:AngbrTemplate:Efn		Template:IPA link Template:Angbr
Nasal		Template:IPA link Template:Angbr	Template:IPA link Template:Angbr
Approximant		Template:IPA link Template:AngbrTemplate:Efn		Template:IPA link Template:AngbrTemplate:Efn

In an older orthography still popular in some of the Algonquin communities, known as the Malhiot () spelling, which the above Cuoq spelling was based upon, are listed below (with IPA notation in brackets):

		Bilabial	Alveolar	Post- alveolar	Velar	Glottal
Plosive	voiced	Template:IPA link Template:Angbr Template:IPA link    Template:IPA link	Template:IPA link Template:Angbr Template:IPA link    Template:IPA link		Template:IPA link Template:Angbr Template:IPA link    Template:IPA link
	voiceless					Template:IPA link NONE
	aspirated
Affricate	voiced			Template:Angbr Template:IPA link    Template:IPA link
	voiceless
Fricative	voiced		Template:Angbr Template:IPA link    Template:IPA link	Template:Angbr Template:IPA link    Template:IPA link
	voiceless					Template:Angbr Template:IPA link
Nasal		Template:Angbr Template:IPA link	Template:Angbr Template:IPA link
Approximant		Template:AngbrTemplate:Efn Template:IPA link		Template:Angbr Template:IPA link

Aspiration and allophony

The Algonquin consonants p, t and k are unaspirated when they are pronounced between two vowels or after an m or n; plain voiceless and voiceless aspirated stops in Algonquin are thus allophones. So ('day') is pronounced , but ('working day') is pronounced .

Vowels

short and long Malhiot	short Cuoq	short IPA	long Cuoq	long IPA
ᴀ	a	~	à (also á or aa)
ɛ	e	~	è (also é or ee)
ı	i		ì (also í or ii)
o	o or u	~	ò (also ó or oo)	~

Diphthongs

Malhiot	Cuoq	IPA	Malhiot	Cuoq	IPA
ᴀȣ	aw		ᴀı	ai
ɛȣ	ew		ɛı	ei
ıȣ	iw
oȣ	ow

Nasal vowels

Algonquin does have nasal vowels, but they are allophonic variants (similar to how in English vowels are sometimes nasalized before m and n). In Algonquin, vowels automatically become nasal before nd, ndj, ng, nh, nhi, nj or nz. For example, ('fish') is pronounced , not .

Stress

Word stress in Algonquin is complex but regular. Words are divided into iambic feet (an iambic foot being a sequence of one "weak" syllable plus one "strong" syllable), counting long vowels (à, è, ì, ò) as a full foot (a foot consisting of a single "strong" syllable). The primary stress is then normally on the strong syllable of the third foot from the end of the word—which, in words that are five syllables long or less, usually translates in practical terms to the first syllable (if it has a long vowel) or the second syllable (if not). The strong syllables of the remaining iambic feet each carry secondary stress, as do any final weak syllables. For example: , , , .

See also

• Ojibwe dialects
• Algonquian Bible
• List of First Nations place names in Canada
• Algonquian–Basque pidgin

Further reading

• Template:Cite thesis
• Cuoq, Jean André. 1891? Grammaire de la Langue Algonquine. [S.l.: s.n.]

External links

• French - Algonquin dictionary from the Algonquin Nation Tribal Council
• Algonquins of Golden Lake word-list recordings
• Eagle Village First Nation Algonquin Language page
• Hail Mary in Algonquin
• Children Singing Peace Around the World in Algonquin
• Native Languages page for Algonquin
• Algonquin orthography and phonology
• OLAC resources in and about the Algonquin language