Numu
Northern Paiute
Uto-Aztecan (Numic, Western)
Northern Paiute (Numu "the people") is a Western Numic language of the Great Basin, spoken from eastern Oregon through Nevada into California and Idaho. It features vowel harmony, final-feature devoicing, and a complex system of stem-final consonant mutations (gradation) triggered by a preceding noun or prefix.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Northern Paiute
Water
paa
/paː/
Fire
kuna
/kuna/
Sun
tabe
/tape/
Moon
mua
/mu.a/
Mother
pia
/pi.a/
Father
naa
/naː/
Eat
tɨka
/tɨka/
Drink
hibi
/hipi/
Love
suabetɨ
/suapetɨ/
Heart
piwi
/piwi/
Tree
hupi
/hupi/
House
nobi
/nopi/
Dog
isha
/iʃa/
Cat
mosa
/mosa/
Hand
mai
/mai/
Eye
pui
/pui/
Hello
maikwa
/maikwa/
Thank you
pesa
/pesa/
One
simɨ
/simɨ/
Good
pesa
/pesa/
Sources
- Snapp, Allen, John Anderson & Joy Anderson (1982) Northern Paiute. In: Studies in Uto-Aztecan Grammar 3, SIL/UTA, pp. 1-92.
- Thornes, Tim (2003) A Northern Paiute Grammar with Texts. PhD diss., University of Oregon.
- Yerington Paiute Tribe (1987) Numu Yadooape: Northern Paiute Language Dictionary.
- Glottolog: Northern Paiute
Words compared
Compared with related Uto-Aztecan (Numic, Western) languages
| Meaning | Northern Paiute | Tarahumara | Cora | Wixarika | Sakizaya | Eastern Huasteca Nahuatl | Garo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | paa /paː/ | bawí /bawi/ | hapɨn /hapɨn/ | ha /ha/ | nanum /nanum/ | atl /atɬ/ | chi· /tʃi/ |
| Fire | kuna /kuna/ | nahí /nahi/ | ta'ai /taʔai/ | tai /tai/ | lamal /lamal/ | titl /titɬ/ | wa·al /waal/ |
| Sun | tabe /tape/ | rayó /ɾajo/ | tahaapuá /tahaːpwa/ | tau /tau/ | cidal /tʃidal/ | tonatih /tonatih/ | sal /sal/ |
| Moon | mua /mu.a/ | mecá /metʃa/ | mɨhka /mɨhka/ | metsa /metsa/ | ʔulalalalal /ʔulalal/ | metztli /metstɬi/ | ja·tong /dʒatoŋ/ |
| Mother | pia /pi.a/ | iyé /ije/ | naana /naːna/ | nana /nana/ | ina /ina/ | mama /mama/ | ama /ama/ |
| Father | naa /naː/ | onó /ono/ | hahuá /hahwa/ | yawe /jawe/ | ama /ama/ | tata /tata/ | apa /apa/ |
| Eat | tɨka /tɨka/ | koʼa /koʔa/ | kuá /kwa/ | kuye /kuje/ | hekal /hekal/ | tlacua /tɬakʷa/ | cha·a /tʃaa/ |
| Drink | hibi /hipi/ | bahí /bahi/ | hi'i /hiʔi/ | hi'eka /hiʔeka/ | mihecak /mihetʃak/ | atli /atɬi/ | ring·a /riŋa/ |
| Love | suabetɨ /suapetɨ/ | nakí /naki/ | ka'na /kaʔna/ | kanenki /kanenki/ | kapah /kapah/ | tlazohtla /tɬasoʔtɬa/ | katchea /katʃea/ |
| Heart | piwi /piwi/ | surí /suɾi/ | hɨurí /hɨuri/ | iyari /ijari/ | gawang /ɡawaŋ/ | yollotl /jolːotɬ/ | ja·rik /dʒarik/ |
| Tree | hupi /hupi/ | gokó /ɡoko/ | kɨré /kɨre/ | kiyé /kije/ | kilang /kilaŋ/ | cuahuitl /kʷawitɬ/ | bol /bol/ |
| House | nobi /nopi/ | kalí /kali/ | kíh /kih/ | ki /ki/ | luma /luma/ | calli /kalːi/ | nok /nok/ |
| Dog | isha /iʃa/ | kochí /kotʃi/ | tsɨ'ɨ /tsɨʔɨ/ | tsïkï /tsɨkɨ/ | waco /watʃo/ | itzcuintli /itskʷintli/ | atcha /atʃa/ |
| Cat | mosa /mosa/ | misí /misi/ | mistú /mistu/ | mitsu /mitsu/ | posi /posi/ | mizton /miston/ | menggo /meŋɡo/ |
| Hand | mai /mai/ | sekuá /sekwa/ | mam /mam/ | mama /mama/ | kamay /kamai/ | maitl /maitl/ | jak /dʒak/ |
| Eye | pui /pui/ | pusí /pusi/ | húi /hwi/ | tukite /tukite/ | mata /mata/ | ixtli /iʃtli/ | mikron /mikron/ |
| Hello | maikwa /maikwa/ | kuira /kuiɾa/ | ke'kuanenki /keʔkwanenki/ | kekuanenki /kekwanenki/ | marayas /maɾajas/ | nimitzpaca /nimitspaka/ | namaste /namaste/ |
| Thank you | pesa /pesa/ | matéterabá /mateteɾaba/ | atsipiraá /atsipiraː/ | pa'iwakaitsie /paʔiwakaitsje/ | lalumahan /lalumahan/ | tlazohcamati /tɬasoʔkamati/ | mittela /mitːela/ |
| One | simɨ /simɨ/ | bilé /bile/ | cei /tsei/ | xevi /ʃevi/ | cacay /tʃatʃai/ | ce /se/ | sa /sa/ |
| Good | pesa /pesa/ | galá /ɡala/ | huá'i /hwaʔi/ | waxa /waʃa/ | kapah /kapah/ | cualli /kʷalːi/ | nama /nama/ |
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