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
20 core words in Potawatomi
Water
mbish
/mbɪʃ/
Fire
shkodé
/ʃkode/
Sun
gises
/ɡises/
Moon
dbëk-gises
/dbək‿ɡises/
Mother
nge
/ŋɡe/
Father
nos
/nos/
Eat
wisne
/wɪsne/
Drink
mnëkwé
/mnəkwe/
Love
zhawéndan
/ʒaweːndan/
Heart
déh
/deː/
Tree
mtëg
/mtəɡ/
House
wigwam
/wiɡwam/
Dog
nemosh
/nemoʃ/
Cat
gazhag
/ɡaʒaɡ/
Hand
nej
/net͡ʃ/
Eye
shkishek
/ʃkɪʃek/
Hello
bozho
/boʒo/
Thank you
migwéch
/miɡwet͡ʃ/
One
ngot
/ŋɡot/
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 | Menominee | Munsee | Western Abenaki | Atikamekw |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mbish /mbɪʃ/ | nibi /nibi/ | nibì /nɪbiː/ | nepāew /nəpaːew/ | mpíi /mbiː/ | nebi /nebi/ | nipi /nipi/ |
| Fire | shkodé /ʃkode/ | ishkode /iʃkode/ | ishkotè /ɪʃkɔteː/ | eskotēw /eskoteːw/ | lúhsuw /luhsuw/ | skuda /skuda/ | ickoteo /iʃkoteo/ |
| Sun | gises /ɡises/ | giizis /ɡiːzis/ | kìzis /kiːzɪs/ | kēsoq /keːsoʔ/ | kíishux /kiːʃux/ | kisos /kisos/ | pisim /pisim/ |
| Moon | dbëk-gises /dbək‿ɡises/ | dibik-giizis /dibik ɡiːzis/ | tibik-kìzis /tɪbɪkkiːzɪs/ | tepāhkēsoq /tepaːhkeːsoʔ/ | nipáhum /nipahum/ | nanibossad /nanibossad/ | tipikaw pisim /tipikaw pisim/ |
| Mother | nge /ŋɡe/ | nimaamaa /nimaːmaː/ | ningà /nɪŋɡaː/ | nekīah /nekiːah/ | nkáhees /ŋkahees/ | nigueno /niɡweno/ | okawi /okawi/ |
| Father | nos /nos/ | indede /indede/ | nòs /nɔːs/ | nōhnāeh /noːhnaːeh/ | nóoxw /noːxw/ | mitôgwes /mitõɡwes/ | ohi /ohi/ |
| Eat | wisne /wɪsne/ | wiisini /wiːsini/ | wìsini /wiːsɪni/ | mīcew /miːtʃew/ | mit /mit/ | midjoda /midʒoda/ | mitikwa /mitikwa/ |
| Drink | mnëkwé /mnəkwe/ | minikwe /minikwe/ | minikwe /mɪnɪkwe/ | menew /menew/ | mneew /mneew/ | minoda /minoda/ | minikwa /minikwa/ |
| Love | zhawéndan /ʒaweːndan/ | zaagiʼiwewin /zaːɡiʔiweːwin/ | sàgi'à /saːɡiʔaː/ | kesāenemāew /kesaːenemaːew/ | ahóoluw /ahoːluw/ | wadjawimaɔ /wadʒawimɔ̃/ | sakitewin /sakitewin/ |
| Heart | déh /deː/ | odeʼ /odeʔ/ | odè /ɔdeː/ | otēh /oteːh/ | ulehyii /ulehjiː/ | matagua /mataɡwa/ | mite /mite/ |
| Tree | mtëg /mtəɡ/ | mitig /mitiɡ/ | mitig /mɪtɪɡ/ | metekoh /metekoh/ | hìttuk /hitːuk/ | abazi /abazi/ | mihtikw /mihtikw/ |
| House | wigwam /wiɡwam/ | wiigiwaam /wiːɡiwaːm/ | wàkàigan /waːkaːiɡan/ | wīkewam /wiːkewam/ | wíikwam /wiːkwam/ | wigwôm /wiɡwõm/ | miciwap /mitʃiwap/ |
| Dog | nemosh /nemoʃ/ | animosh /animoʃ/ | animosh /anɪmɔʃ/ | anēm /aneːm/ | mwáakaneew /mwaːkaneːw/ | alemos /alemos/ | atim /atim/ |
| Cat | gazhag /ɡaʒaɡ/ | gaazhagens /ɡaːʒaɡens/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | póshiis /poʃiːs/ | minasso /minasso/ | minoc /minotʃ/ |
| Hand | nej /net͡ʃ/ | ninij /ninidʒ/ | ninj /nɪntʃ/ | onehkeh /onehkeh/ | mléelii /mleːliː/ | nelidj /nelidʒ/ | kicikon /kitʃikon/ |
| Eye | shkishek /ʃkɪʃek/ | oshkiinzhig /oʃkiːnʒiɡ/ | oshkìnzhig /ɔʃkiːnʒɪɡ/ | oskēsek /oskeːsek/ | wíikšiit /wiːkʃiːt/ | seskaganno /seskaɡanno/ | mickisikw /mitʃkisikʷ/ |
| Hello | bozho /boʒo/ | boozhoo /boːʒoː/ | Kwe /kwe/ | posoh /posoh/ | hé /heː/ | kwai /kwai/ | kwei /kwej/ |
| Thank you | migwéch /miɡwet͡ʃ/ | miigwech /miːɡʷetʃ/ | Migwech /mɪɡwetʃ/ | wāēwāēnen /wɛːwɛːnen/ | wanìshi /waniʃi/ | wliwni /wliwni/ | mikwetc /mikwetʃ/ |
| One | ngot /ŋɡot/ | bezhig /beʒiɡ/ | pejig /peʒɪɡ/ | nekot /nekot/ | ngwútii /ŋɡwutiː/ | ngwedi /ŋɡwedi/ | peikw /pejkʷ/ |
| Good | mno /mno/ | mino /mino/ | mino /mɪnɔ/ | menwāewen /menwaːewen/ | weltóok /weltoːk/ | wlaha /wlaha/ | miloci /milotʃi/ |
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