Atikamekw Nehiromowin
Atikamekw
Algic
Atikamekw (Atikamekw Nehiromowin, "language of the Atikamekw") is a Cree-language R-dialect — within the Cree dialect continuum that also includes Plains Cree (crk), Woods Cree (cwd), Swampy Cree (csw), and Moose Cree (crm), Atikamekw represents the "R-dialect" pattern (preserving Proto-Algonquian *l as r) versus Plains Y-dialect (l→y). Spoken in three Mauricie Quebec communities (Manawan, Wemotaci, Opitciwan), Atikamekw has unusually strong intergenerational transmission for a Canadian Indigenous language: children grow up bilingual in Atikamekw and French. Notable for active language documentation and the Atikamekw Conseil de la Nation cultural-linguistic programs.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Atikamekw
Water
nipi
/nipi/
Fire
ickoteo
/iʃkoteo/
Sun
pisim
/pisim/
Moon
tipikaw pisim
/tipikaw pisim/
Mother
okawi
/okawi/
Father
ohi
/ohi/
Eat
mitikwa
/mitikwa/
Drink
minikwa
/minikwa/
Love
sakitewin
/sakitewin/
Heart
mite
/mite/
Tree
mihtikw
/mihtikw/
House
miciwap
/mitʃiwap/
Dog
atim
/atim/
Cat
minoc
/minotʃ/
Hand
kicikon
/kitʃikon/
Eye
mickisikw
/mitʃkisikʷ/
Hello
kwei
/kwej/
Thank you
mikwetc
/mikwetʃ/
One
peikw
/pejkʷ/
Good
miloci
/milotʃi/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Algic languages
| Meaning | Atikamekw | Cree (Plains) | Plains Cree | Ojibwe | Algonquin | Western Abenaki | Maliseet-Passamaquoddy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nipi /nipi/ | ᓂᐱᕀ /nipij/ | ᓂᐱᕀ /nipiː/ | nibi /nibi/ | nibì /nɪbiː/ | nebi /nebi/ | samaqan /samakʷan/ |
| Fire | ickoteo /iʃkoteo/ | ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ /iskoteːw/ | ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ /iskoteːw/ | ishkode /iʃkode/ | ishkotè /ɪʃkɔteː/ | skuda /skuda/ | skwut /skʷut/ |
| Sun | pisim /pisim/ | ᐲᓯᒼ /piːsim/ | ᐲᓯᒼ /piːsim/ | giizis /ɡiːzis/ | kìzis /kiːzɪs/ | kisos /kisos/ | kisuhs /kisuhs/ |
| Moon | tipikaw pisim /tipikaw pisim/ | ᑎᐱᐢᑳᐍᐲᓯᒼ /tipiskaːwi piːsim/ | ᑎᐱᐢᑳᐃᐧᐲᓯᒼ /tipiskaːwi piːsim/ | dibik-giizis /dibik ɡiːzis/ | tibik-kìzis /tɪbɪkkiːzɪs/ | nanibossad /nanibossad/ | nipawset /nipawset/ |
| Mother | okawi /okawi/ | ᓂᑲᐎᕀ /nikaːwij/ | ᓂᑳᐃᐧ /nikaːwiː/ | nimaamaa /nimaːmaː/ | ningà /nɪŋɡaː/ | nigueno /niɡweno/ | nikuwoss /nikuwoss/ |
| Father | ohi /ohi/ | ᓄᐦᑖᐎᕀ /noːhtaːwij/ | ᓅᐦᑖᐃᐧ /noːhtaːwiː/ | indede /indede/ | nòs /nɔːs/ | mitôgwes /mitõɡwes/ | mihtaqs /mihtaqs/ |
| Eat | mitikwa /mitikwa/ | ᒨᐍᐤ /moːweːw/ | ᒨᐍᐤ /moːweːw/ | wiisini /wiːsini/ | wìsini /wiːsɪni/ | midjoda /midʒoda/ | mititi /mititi/ |
| Drink | minikwa /minikwa/ | ᒥᓂᐦᐠᐌᐤ /minihkweːw/ | ᒥᓂᐦᑴᐤ /minihkweːw/ | minikwe /minikwe/ | minikwe /mɪnɪkwe/ | minoda /minoda/ | mun /mun/ |
| Love | sakitewin /sakitewin/ | ᓵᑭᐦᐃᐍᐏᐣ /saːkihiweːwin/ | ᓵᑭᐦᐃᐍᐃᐧᐣ /saːkihiweːwin/ | zaagiʼiwewin /zaːɡiʔiweːwin/ | sàgi'à /saːɡiʔaː/ | wadjawimaɔ /wadʒawimɔ̃/ | kosi /kosi/ |
| Heart | mite /mite/ | ᒥᑌᐦ /miteːh/ | ᒥᑌᐦ /miteːh/ | odeʼ /odeʔ/ | odè /ɔdeː/ | matagua /mataɡwa/ | utʼine /utinə/ |
| Tree | mihtikw /mihtikw/ | ᒥᐢᑎᐠ /mistik/ | ᒥᐢᑎᐠ /mistik/ | mitig /mitiɡ/ | mitig /mɪtɪɡ/ | abazi /abazi/ | ʼsupi /supi/ |
| House | miciwap /mitʃiwap/ | ᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ /waːskahikan/ | ᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ /waːskahikan/ | wiigiwaam /wiːɡiwaːm/ | wàkàigan /waːkaːiɡan/ | wigwôm /wiɡwõm/ | wikkihtit /wikːihtit/ |
| Dog | atim /atim/ | ᐊᑎᒼ /atim/ | ᐊᑎᒼ /atim/ | animosh /animoʃ/ | animosh /anɪmɔʃ/ | alemos /alemos/ | ʼmuʼs /muʔs/ |
| Cat | minoc /minotʃ/ | ᒥᓅᐢ /minoːs/ | ᒥᓅᐢ /minoːs/ | gaazhagens /ɡaːʒaɡens/ | — /—/ | minasso /minasso/ | mihtukomuhs /mihtukomuhs/ |
| Hand | kicikon /kitʃikon/ | ᒥᒋᒋᕀ /miciciːj/ | ᒥᒋᒋᕀ /micicij/ | ninij /ninidʒ/ | ninj /nɪntʃ/ | nelidj /nelidʒ/ | lukikʼn /lukikən/ |
| Eye | mickisikw /mitʃkisikʷ/ | ᒥᐢᑮᓯᐠ /miskiːsik/ | ᒥᐢᑮᓯᐠ /miskiːsik/ | oshkiinzhig /oʃkiːnʒiɡ/ | oshkìnzhig /ɔʃkiːnʒɪɡ/ | seskaganno /seskaɡanno/ | ʼskinekekutu /skinekekutu/ |
| Hello | kwei /kwej/ | ᑖᓂᓯ /taːnisi/ | ᑖᓂᓯ /taːnisi/ | boozhoo /boːʒoː/ | Kwe /kwe/ | kwai /kwai/ | kʼulasuwiyat /kulasuwijat/ |
| Thank you | mikwetc /mikwetʃ/ | ᑭᓇᓈᐢᑯᒥᑎᐣ /kinanaːskomitin/ | ᐦᐊᕀ ᐦᐊᕀ /haj haj/ | miigwech /miːɡʷetʃ/ | Migwech /mɪɡwetʃ/ | wliwni /wliwni/ | woliwon /woliwon/ |
| One | peikw /pejkʷ/ | ᐯᔭᐠ /peːjak/ | ᐯᔭᐠ /peːjak/ | bezhig /beʒiɡ/ | pejig /peʒɪɡ/ | ngwedi /ŋɡwedi/ | pesokul /pesokul/ |
| Good | miloci /milotʃi/ | ᒥᔫ /mijo/ | ᒥᔼᓯᐣ /mijwaːsin/ | mino /mino/ | mino /mɪnɔ/ | wlaha /wlaha/ | woli /woli/ |
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.