Vocabulary
Plains Cree is one of several dialects of Cree-Montagnais. The following tables show words in Plains Cree and corresponding words in a selection of other Cree dialects. A number of similarities and some differences can be seen. In some cases the differences are only in orthography. Plains Cree has some regular sound correspondences with other Cree-Montagnais dialects, and in some cases the differences between Plains Cree and other dialects exemplify these regular correspondences. Note that in terms of linguistic classification, the East Cree dialect which appears in these tables is a dialect of Montagnais.
In the following table, each noun is given in its singular form. All forms are either specifically proximate, or can be either proximate or obviate. If a noun is possessed, the possessor is first person singular.
| Plains Cree | Woods Cree | Swampy Cree, eastern | East Cree, southern inland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "axe" | ᒌᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ cīkahikan | ᒉᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ cīkahikan | ᒌᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ cīkahikan | ᐅᓯᑖᔅᒄ usitaaskw |
| "bear" | ᒪᐢᑿ maskwa | ᒪᐢᑿ maskwa | ᒪᐢᑾ (western ᒪᐢᑿ) maskwa | ᒋᔐᔮᒄ chisheyaakw, ᑳᑰᔥ kaakuush |
| "book" | ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑲᐣ masinahikan | ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑲᐣ masinahikan | ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑲᐣ masinahikan | ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐄᑲᓂᔥ masinahiikanish |
| "car" | ᓭᐦᑫᐤ sēhkēw | ᐅᑖᐹᓈᐢᐠ otāpānāsk | ᐅᑖᐹᓂᔥ utaapaanish | |
| "clock" | ᐲᓯᒧᐦᑳᐣ pīsimohkān | ᐯᓯᒧᐦᑳᐣ pīsimohkān | ᐲᓯᒧᐦᑳᓐ piisimuhkaan | |
| "dog" | ᐊᑎᒼ atim | ᐊᑎᒼ atim | ᐊᑎᒼ atim | ᐊᑎᒻ atim |
| "fire" | ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ iskotēw | ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ iskotīw | ᐃᐡᑯᑌᐤ iškotew | ᐃᔥᑯᑌᐤ ishkuteu |
| "fish" | ᑭᓄᓭᐤ kinosēw | ᑭᓄᓭᐤ kinosīw | ᓇᒣᔅ names | |
| "gun" | ᐹᐢᑭᓯᑲᐣ pāskisikan | ᐹᐢᑭᓯᑲᐣ pāskisikan | ᐹᐢᑭᓯᑲᐣ pāskisikan | ᐹᔅᒋᓯᑲᓐ paaschisikan |
| "horse" | ᒥᐢᑕᑎᒼ mistatim | ᒥᐢᑕᑎᒼ mistatim, ᒥᓴᑎᒼ misatim | (western ᒥᓴᑎᒼ misatim) | ᑳᐸᓚᔅᑴᐤ kaapalaskweu |
| "hospital" | ᐋᐦᑯᓰᐏᑲᒥᐠ āhkosīwikamik | ᐋᐦᑯᓭᐏᑲᒥᐠ āhkosīwikamik | ᐋᐦᑯᓰᐎᑲᒥᐠ āhkosīwikamik | ᐋᐦᑯᓰᐅᑲᒥᒄ aahkusiiukamikw |
| "knife" | ᒨᐦᑯᒫᐣ mōhkomān | ᒧᐦᑯᒫᐣ mohkomān | ᒨᐦᑯᒫᐣ mōhkomān | ᒨᐦᑯᒫᓐ muuhkomaan |
| "man (male adult)" | ᓈᐯᐤ nāpēw | ᓈᐯᐤ nāpīw | ᓈᐯᐤ nāpew | ᓈᐯᐤ naapeu |
| "money" | ᓲᓂᔮᐤ sōniyāw | ᔔᓂᔮᐤ šōniyāw | ᔔᓕᔮᐤ shuuliyaau | |
| "moose" | ᒨᔁ mōswa | ᒨᔁ mōswa | ᒨᐢ mōs (western ᒨᔁ mōswa) | ᒨᔅ muus |
| "my father" | ᓅᐦᑖᐏᕀ (ᓅᐦᑖᐃ᛬) nōhtāwiy, ᓂᐹᐹ nipāpā | ᓂᐹᐹ nipāpā, ᓄᐦᑖᐏᕀ nōhtāwiy | ᓅᐦᑖᐎᕀ (western ᓅᐦᑖᐏᕀ) nōhtāwiy | ᓅᐦᑖᐐ nuuhtaawii |
| "my mother" | ᓂᑳᐏᕀ (ᓂᑳᐃ᛬) nikāwiy, ᓂᐹᐹ nimāmā | ᓂᒫᒫ nimāmā, ᓂᑳᐏᕀ nikāwiy | (western ᓂᑳᐏᕀ nikāwiy) | ᓂᑳᐐ nikaawii |
| "my older brother" | ᓂᐢᑌᐢ nistēs | ᓂᐢᑌᐢ nistīs | ᓂᐢᑌᐢ nistes (western nistēs) | ᓂᔅᑌᔅ nistes |
| "my older sister" | ᓂᒥᐢ nimis | ᓂᒥᐢ nimis | ᓂᒥᐢ nimis (also western) | ᓂᒥᔅ nimis |
| "my younger brother/sister" | ᓂᓰᒥᐢ nisīmis | ᓂᓭᒥᐢ nisīmis | (western ᓂᓰᒥᐢ nisīmis) | ᓂᔒᒻ nishiim |
| "shoe" | ᒪᐢᑭᓯᐣ maskisin | ᒪᐢᑭᓯᐣ maskisin | ᒪᐢᑭᓯᐣ maskisin | ᒪᔅᒋᓯᓐ maschisin |
| "sugar" | ᓲᑳᐤ sōkāw, ᓰᐏᓂᑲᐣ sīwinikan | ᓲᑳᐤ sōkāw | ᔔᑳᐤ shuukaau | |
| "town" | ᐆᑌᓈᐤ ōtēnāw | ᐃᐦᑖᐎᐣ ihtāwin | ᐃᐦᑖᐎᓐ ihtaawin, ᐅᑌᓈᐤ utenaau | |
| "tree" | ᒥᐢᑎᐠ mistik | ᒥᐢᑎᐠ mistik | ᒥᐢᑎᐠ mistik | ᒥᔥᑎᒄ mishtikw |
| "woman" | ᐃᐢᑵᐤ iskwēw | ᐃᐢᑵᐤ iskwīw | ᐃᐢᑶᐤ iskwew | ᐃᔅᑶᐤ iskweu |
In the following table, each verb is given with a third person singular subject, and if a verb is transitive, with a third person object or objects (primary and secondary). The pronouns used in the English translations are imprecise due to an imprecise correspondence of Cree categories with English categories. “He/she” in a subject and “him/her” in an object refer to Cree animate gender even when “it” might be a better English translation. So for example the verb “he/she kills him/her/them”, might describe a bear killing a moose, in which case "it kills it" would be a better English translation. In the table, “it” in a subject or an object refers to Cree inanimate gender. The presence of “they” or “them” indicates that the subject or object could be either singular or plural. And finally, the designation “him/her/it/them” indicates that the object could be either animate or inanimate and either singular or plural.
| Plains Cree | Woods Cree | Swampy Cree, eastern | East Cree, southern inland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "he/she arrives" | ᑕᑯᓯᐣ takosin | ᑕᑯᔑᐣ takošin | ᑕᑯᔑᓐ takushin | |
| "he/she can see enough of it/them" | ᑌᐹᐸᐦᑕᒼ tēpāpahtam | ᑌᐹᐸᐦᑕᒼ tepāpahtam | ᑌᐹᐸᐦᑕᒻ tepaapahtam | |
| "he/she coughs" | ᐅᐢᑐᐢᑐᑕᒼ ostostotam | ᐅᐢᑐᐢᑐᑕᒼ ostostotam | ᐅᔥᑐᑕᒻ ushtutam | |
| "he/she dies, ceases to live" | ᓂᐱᐤ nipiw, ᐴᓂᐱᒫᑎᓯᐤ pōnipimātisiw | ᓂᐱᐤ nipiw | ᐴᓂᐱᒫᑎᓰᐤ puunipimaatisiiu | |
| "he/she embarks" | ᐴᓯᐤ pōsiw | ᐴᓯᐤ pōsiw | ᐴᓲ puusuu | |
| "he/she gives him/her/it/them to him/her/them" | ᒥᔦᐤ miyēw | ᒣᖧᐤ mīthīw | ᒦᓀᐤ mīnew | ᒦᔦᐤ miiyeu |
| "he/she is sleeping" | ᓂᐹᐤ nipāw | ᓂᐹᐤ nipāw | ᓂᐹᐤ nipaau | |
| "he/she kills him/her/them" | ᓂᐸᐦᐁᐤ nipahēw | ᓂᐸᐦᐁᐤ nipahew | ᓂᐸᐦᐁᐤ nipaheu | |
| "he/she knows him/her/them" | ᑭᐢᑫᔨᒣᐤ kiskēyimēw | ᑭᐢᑫᓂᒣᐤ kiskenimew | ᒋᔅᒉᔨᒣᐤ chischeyimeu | |
| "he/she laughs" | ᐹᐦᐱᐤ pāhpiw | ᐹᐦᐱᐤ pāhpiw | ᐹᐦᐱᐤ pāhpiw | ᐹᐦᐴ paahpuu |
| "he/she lives" | ᐱᒫᑎᓯᐤ pimātisiw | ᐱᒫᑎᓯᐤ pimātisiw | ᐱᒫᑎᓰᐤ pimaatisiiu | |
| "he/she plays" | ᒣᑕᐍᐤ mētawēw | ᒣᑕᐍᐤ mītawīw | ᒣᑕᐌᐤ metaweu | |
| "he/she sees him/her/them" | ᐚᐸᒣᐤ wāpamēw | ᐚᐸᒣᐤ wāpamīw | ᐙᐸᒣᐤ wāpamew | ᐙᐸᒣᐤ waapameu |
| "he/she sees it/them" | ᐚᐸᐦᑕᒼ wāpahtam | ᐚᐸᐦᑕᒼ wāpahtam | ᐙᐸᐦᑕᒼ wāpahtam | ᐙᐸᐦᑕᒼ waapahtam |
| "he/she shoots him/her/them" | ᐹᐢᑭᓷᐤ pāskiswēw | ᐹᐢᑭᓷᐤ pāskiswīw | ᐹᔅᒋᓷᐤ paaschisweu | |
| "he/she shoots it/them" | ᐹᐢᑭᓴᒼ pāskisam | ᐹᐢᑭᓴᒼ pāskisam | ᐹᔅᒋᓴᒻ paaschisam | |
| "he/she shoots" | ᐹᐢᑭᓯᑫᐤ pāskisikew | ᐹᐢᑭᓯᑫᐤ pāskisikew | ᐹᔅᒋᓯᒉᐤ paaschisicheu | |
| "he/she walks" | ᐱᒧᐦᑌᐤ pimohtēw | ᐱᒧᐦᑌᐤ pimohtīw | ᐱᒧᐦᑌᐤ pimohtew | ᐱᒧᐦᑌᐤ pimuhteu |
| "he/she works" | ᐊᑐᐢᑫᐤ atoskēw | ᐊᑐᐢᑫᐤ atoskīw | ᐊᑐᐢᑫᐤ atoskew | ᐊᑐᔅᒉᐤ atuscheu |
| "it is big" | ᒥᓵᐤ misāw | ᒥᔖᐤ mišāw | ᒥᔖᐤ mishaau | |
| "it is nice" | ᒥᔼᓯᐣ miywāsin | ᒥᓍᔑᐣ minwāšin | ᒥᔻᔔ miywaashuu | |
| "it is raining" | ᑭᒧᐘᐣ kimowan | ᑭᒧᐘᐣ kimowan | ᑭᒧᐗᐣ kimowan | ᒋᒧᐎᓐ chimuwin |
| "it is snowing" | ᒥᐢᐳᐣ mispon | ᒥᐢᐳᐣ mispon | ᒥᐢᐳᐣ mispon | ᒥᔅᐳᓐ mispun |
| "it is windy" | ᔫᑎᐣ yōtin | ᖫᑎᐣ thōtin | ᓅᑎᐣ nōtin | ᔫᑎᓐ yuutin |
| "it tastes good" | ᒥᔪᐢᐸᑿᐣ miyospakwan | ᒥᓄᐢᐸᑾᐣ minospakwan | ᒥᔪᔅᐳᑯᓐ miyuspukun |
| Plains Cree | Woods Cree | Swampy Cree, western | East Cree, southern inland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "in the morning" | ᑫᑭᓭᑊ kēkisēp, ᑮᑭᓭᑊ kīkisēp | (eastern ᑫᑭᔐᑊ kekišep) | ᒉᒋᔐᑉ chechishep | |
| "outside" | ᐘᔭᐑᑎᒥᕽ wayawītimihk | ᐘᖬᐍᑎᒥᕽ wathawītimihk | (eastern ᐗᓇᐐᑎᒥᕽ wanawītimihk) | ᐐᐐᑎᒥᐦᒡ wiiwiitimihch |
| "one" | ᐯᔭᐠ pēyak | ᐯᔭᐠ pīyak | ᐯᔭᐠ pēyak (eastern peyak) | ᐯᔭᒄ peyakw |
| "two" | ᓃᓱ nīso | ᓀᓱ nīso | ᓃᓱ nīso (eastern ᓃᔓ nīšo) | ᓃᔓ niishu |
| "three" | ᓂᐢᑐ nisto | ᓂᐢᑐ nisto | ᓂᐢᑐ nisto | ᓂᔥᑐ nishtu |
| "four" | ᓀᐓ nēwo | ᓀᔪ nīyo | ᓀᐓ nēwo | ᓀᐅ neu |
| "five" | ᓂᔮᓇᐣ niyānan | ᓂᔮᓇᐣ niyānan | ᓂᔮᓇᐣ niyānan | ᓂᔮᔨᓐ niyaayin |
| "six" | ᓂᑯᑤᓯᐠ nikotwāsik | ᓂᑯᑤᓯᐠ nikotwāsik | ᓂᑯᑤᓯᐠ nikotwāsik | ᓂᑯᑣᔥᒡ nikutwaashch |
| "seven" | ᑌᐸᑯᐦᑊ tēpakohp | ᑌᐸᑯᐦᑊ tīpakohp | ᑌᐸᑯᐦᑊ tēpakohp | ᓃᔣᔥᒡ niishwaashch |
| "eight" | ᐊᔨᓈᓀᐤ ayinānēw | ᐊᔨᓈᓀᐤ ayinānīw | ᐊᔨᓈᓀᐤ ayinānēw | ᓂᔮᓈᓀᐤ niyaanaaneu |
| "nine" | ᑫᑲ ᒥᑖᑕᐦᐟ kēka-mitātaht | ᑫᑲ ᒥᑖᑕᐦᐟ kīka-mitātaht | ᑫᑲ ᒥᑖᑕᐦᐟ kēka-mitātaht | ᐯᔭᑯᔥᑌᐤ peyakushteu |
| "ten" | ᒥᑖᑕᐦᐟ mitātaht | ᒥᑖᑕᐦᐟ mitātaht | ᒥᑖᑕᐦᐟ mitātaht | ᒥᑖᐦᑦ mitaaht |
Words sources for these tables are: Plains Cree, the Online Cree Dictionary website; Woods Cree, the Gift of Language and Culture website and the Saskatchewan Indian Languages website, western Swampy Cree, the Saskatchewan Indian Languages website; eastern Swampy Cree, Ontario Ministry of Education (2002), and East Cree, the Eastern James Bay Cree Language website. Note that where a table entry is blank, it is because the word was not found in these listed sources; without additional information this should not be interpreted to imply that the word does not exist for the dialect in question.
Read more about this topic: Plains Cree
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