Bodéwadmimwen
Potawatomi
Algic > Algonquian (Central Algonquian, Ojibwe-Potawatomi)
Potawatomi (Bodéwadmimwen, "fire-keeper language") is a Central Algonquian language closely related to Ojibwe but distinguished by systematic syncope — short unstressed vowels are deleted, producing dense consonant clusters absent in sister Anishinaabe languages. It is undergoing active revitalization by the Citizen, Prairie Band, Hannahville, Pokagon, and Walpole Island communities.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Potawatomi
Water
mbish
/mbɪʃ/
Fire
shkodé
/ʃkode/
Sun
gises
/ɡises/
Moon
dbëk-gises
/dbək‿ɡises/
Star
nuk
/nək/
Mother
nge
/ŋɡe/
Father
nos
/nos/
I
nin
/nin/
You
kin
/kin/
Name
zhnekaswen
/ʒnɛkaswən/
Eye
shkishek
/ʃkɪʃek/
Hand
nej
/netʃ/
Heart
déh
/deː/
Love
zhawéndan
/ʒaweːndan/
Tree
mtëg
/mtəɡ/
House
wigwam
/wiɡwam/
Dog
nemosh
/nemoʃ/
Cat
gazhag
/ɡaʒaɡ/
Eat
wisne
/wɪsne/
Drink
mnëkwé
/mnəkwe/
One
ngot
/ŋɡot/
Two
nish
/nɪʒ/
Hello
bozho
/boʒo/
Thank you
migwéch
/miɡwetʃ/
Good
mno
/mno/
Sources
- Hockett, Charles F. (1948) Potawatomi I-IV. International Journal of American Linguistics 14:1-10, 63-73, 139-149, 213-225.
- Lockwood, Hunter T. (2017) How the Potawatomi Language Lives: A Grammar of Potawatomi. PhD dissertation, U. Wisconsin-Madison.
- Glottolog: Potawatomi
Words compared
Compared with related Algic > Algonquian (Central Algonquian, Ojibwe-Potawatomi) languages
| Meaning | Potawatomi | Ojibwe | Algonquin | Western Abenaki | Menominee | Munsee | Atikamekw |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mbish /mbɪʃ/ | nibi /nibi/ | nibì /nɪbiː/ | nebi /nebi/ | nepāew /nəpaːew/ | mpíi /mbiː/ | nipi /nipi/ |
| Fire | shkodé /ʃkode/ | ishkode /iʃkode/ | ishkotè /ɪʃkɔteː/ | skuda /skuda/ | eskotēw /eskoteːw/ | lúhsuw /luhsuw/ | ickoteo /iʃkoteo/ |
| Sun | gises /ɡises/ | giizis /ɡiːzis/ | kìzis /kiːzɪs/ | kisos /kisos/ | kēsoq /keːsoʔ/ | kíishux /kiːʃux/ | pisim /pisim/ |
| Moon | dbëk-gises /dbək‿ɡises/ | dibik-giizis /dibik ɡiːzis/ | tibik-kìzis /tɪbɪkkiːzɪs/ | nanibossad /nanibossad/ | tepāhkēsoq /tepaːhkeːsoʔ/ | nipáhum /nipahum/ | tipikaw pisim /tipikaw pisim/ |
| Star | nuk /nək/ | anang /anaŋ/ | anang /aˈnaŋ/ | alakws /alakʷs/ | anaeq /anɛːʔ/ | alaánkw /alaːŋkʷ/ | atcakos /atʃakos/ |
| Mother | nge /ŋɡe/ | nimaamaa /nimaːmaː/ | ningà /nɪŋɡaː/ | nigueno /niɡweno/ | nekīah /nekiːah/ | nkáhees /ŋkaheːs/ | okawi /okawi/ |
| Father | nos /nos/ | indede /indede/ | nòs /nɔːs/ | mitôgwes /mitõɡwes/ | nōhnāeh /noːhnaːeh/ | nóoxw /noːxw/ | ohi /ohi/ |
| I | nin /nin/ | niin /niːn/ | niin /niːn/ | nia /nia/ | nenah /nɛnah/ | nii /niː/ | nir /niɾ/ |
| You | kin /kin/ | giin /ɡiːn/ | giin /ɡiːn/ | kia /kia/ | kenah /kɛnah/ | kii /kiː/ | kir /kiɾ/ |
| Name | zhnekaswen /ʒnɛkaswən/ | izhinikaazowin /ɪʒɪnɪkaːzowɪn/ | wiinzowin /wiːnzowin/ | wizôwôgan /wizɔ̃wɔ̃ɡan/ | -esian /ɛsian/ | wiinzuwaakan /wiːnzuwaːkan/ | wirowin /wiɾowin/ |
| Eye | shkishek /ʃkɪʃek/ | oshkiinzhig /oʃkiːnʒiɡ/ | oshkìnzhig /ɔʃkiːnʒɪɡ/ | seskaganno /seskaɡanno/ | oskēsek /oskeːsek/ | wíikšiit /wiːkʃiːt/ | mickisikw /mitʃkisikʷ/ |
| Hand | nej /netʃ/ | ninij /ninidʒ/ | ninj /nɪndʒ/ | nelidj /nelidʒ/ | onehkeh /onehkeh/ | mléelii /mleːliː/ | kicikon /kitʃikon/ |
| Heart | déh /deː/ | odeʼ /odeʔ/ | odè /ɔdeː/ | matagua /mataɡwa/ | otēh /oteːh/ | ulehyii /ulehjiː/ | mite /mite/ |
| Love | zhawéndan /ʒaweːndan/ | zaagiʼiwewin /zaːɡiʔiweːwin/ | sàgi'à /saːɡiʔaː/ | wadjawimaɔ /wadʒawimɔ̃/ | kesāenemāew /kesaːenemaːew/ | ahóoluw /ahoːluw/ | sakitewin /sakitewin/ |
| Tree | mtëg /mtəɡ/ | mitig /mitiɡ/ | mitig /mɪtɪɡ/ | abazi /abazi/ | metekoh /metekoh/ | hìttuk /hitːuk/ | mihtikw /mihtikw/ |
| House | wigwam /wiɡwam/ | wiigiwaam /wiːɡiwaːm/ | wàkàigan /waːkaːiɡan/ | wigwôm /wiɡwõm/ | wīkewam /wiːkewam/ | wíikwam /wiːkwam/ | miciwap /mitʃiwap/ |
| Dog | nemosh /nemoʃ/ | animosh /animoʃ/ | animosh /anɪmɔʃ/ | alemos /alemos/ | anēm /aneːm/ | mwáakaneew /mwaːkaneːw/ | atim /atim/ |
| Cat | gazhag /ɡaʒaɡ/ | gaazhagens /ɡaːʒaɡens/ | — /—/ | minasso /minasso/ | — /—/ | póshiis /poʃiːs/ | minoc /minotʃ/ |
| Eat | wisne /wɪsne/ | wiisini /wiːsini/ | wìsini /wiːsɪni/ | midjoda /midʒoda/ | mīcew /miːtʃew/ | mit /mit/ | mitikwa /mitikwa/ |
| Drink | mnëkwé /mnəkwe/ | minikwe /minikwe/ | minikwe /mɪnɪkwe/ | minoda /minoda/ | menew /menew/ | mneew /mneew/ | minikwa /minikwa/ |
| One | ngot /ŋɡot/ | bezhig /beʒiɡ/ | pejig /peʒɪɡ/ | ngwedi /ŋɡwedi/ | nekot /nekot/ | ngwútii /ŋɡwutiː/ | peikw /pejkʷ/ |
| Two | nish /nɪʒ/ | niizh /niːʒ/ | niizh /niːʒ/ | nis /nis/ | nīs /niːs/ | niisha /niːʃa/ | niso /niso/ |
| Hello | bozho /boʒo/ | boozhoo /boːʒoː/ | Kwe /kwe/ | kwai /kwai/ | posoh /posoh/ | hé /heː/ | kwei /kwej/ |
| Thank you | migwéch /miɡwetʃ/ | miigwech /miːɡʷetʃ/ | Migwech /mɪɡwetʃ/ | wliwni /wliwni/ | wāēwāēnen /wɛːwɛːnen/ | wanìshi /waniʃi/ | mikwetc /mikwetʃ/ |
| Good | mno /mno/ | mino /mino/ | mino /mɪnɔ/ | wlaha /wlaha/ | menwāewen /menwaːewen/ | weltóok /weltoːk/ | miloci /milotʃi/ |
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