Cree 100-S90 MIDTERM EXAMINATION

Department of Indigenous Languages, Arts and Culture

First Nations University of Canada

Name: Tanya Weller Student number: 185 301 861

Part A: Descriptions & Explanations

Provide descriptions and explanations for the following Cree concepts:

Standard Roman Orthography (p. 6-8 and teacher notes)

Fourteen letters of the Roman alphabet are used to represent the sounds of the
Cree language. These letters represent 17 sounds plus sounds of several combinations
of consonant clusters. The Cree Standard Roman Orthography is consistent: one letter
represents one sound. This is in contrast to English which may have one sound
represented by different letters or combinations of letters as is evident in the following
words: Caesar (ae), each (ea), amoeba (oe), people (eo), meet (ee), me (e), machine
(i), seize (ei), piece (ie), psychology (y). In Cree this same sound [ij] is always
represented in Cree SRO as .
 The Cree SRO has 10 consonants: c h k m n p s t w y. With the exception of c,
k, p and t the consonants are pronounced like their English counterparts.

Consonants:
The c in Cree is pronounced like the c in charge or sometimes, according to
dialect the ts in cats. Some words with the c sound in Cree cskwa, mciso, and c.
The k in Cree is pronounced like the k in skipper, without the puff of air.
Following h and k it has a softer sound. Some words with the words with the k sound in
Cree kiya, ksta, and kiyaww.
The p in Cree has no puff of air and is pronounced like the p in spot, following an
h it has a softer sound. Some words with the p sound in Cree pyak, pyakww,
psim, psimwasinahikan.
The t sound in Cree is pronounced with no puff of air, much like the t in Stan.
Some words with the t sound in Cree tnisi, takwkin, tniw, tniw.
Vowels:
Cree uses 7 vowels to write in the SRO three short vowels: a, i, o; and 4 long vowels
marked with a macron over each of the vowels , , , and .
Short vowels the short vowels include a, i, and o. These are spoken quickly.
The short a in Cree is pronounced like the a in appeal. Some words with the
short a sound in Cree apiss, api, awas, awna.
The short i in Cree is pronounced like the i in it. Some words with the short i
sound in Cree itta. itw, itwaha, isiyihksow.
The short o in Cree is pronounced like the oo in shook. Some words with the
short o sound in Cree otin, omisi, otina, pipon.
Long vowels the long vowels include , , , and . These are annunciated
slowly. They are written like the regular vowels but with a macron over the vowel. .
Without the macron one cannot distinguish sound differentiations. Also, leaving the
macron out would give you a different meaning for the word.
The long in Cree is pronounced like the a in apple. Some words with the long
sound in Cree tam, skaw, stamit, ha.
The long in Cree is pronounced like the ay in day. Some words with the long
sound in Cree kota, kot, nhiyaw, nhiyaw.
The long in Cree is pronounced like the e in me. Some words with the long
sound in Cree mna, skwan, npin, wpac.
The long in Cree is pronounced like the oe in toe. Some words with the long
sound in Cree ta, hp tikw, t, namya.
 Gender (teacher notes)
Noun Gender for nouns in Cree which are categorized into gender (living and non-
living): animate (NA) and inanimate (NI) nouns. Animate nouns include people, animals,
most plants/trees, reproduction body parts, some clothing, etc. Inanimate includes
household items, body parts, celestial bodies, moving machines, all liquids, some
clothing, etc.

Dialects (p. 5 and teacher notes)

There are five main dialects:
Plains Cree Y dialect southern Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Woodlands Cree Th dialect Northern Saskatchewan and in some areas of Manitoba.
Swampy Cree N dialect Northern Ontario and Saskatchewan and the interior of
Manitoba.
Moose Cree L dialect Moose Factory and Hudson Bay area.
Atihkamk Cree R dialect Quebec.
With very similar grammar patterns between most dialects there is a mutual
understanding between speakers of most of these dialects, with the exception of the
Atihkamk Cree (R dialect) which is radically different from the rest. In Saskatchewan
the N, Y and Th dialect are spoken. Although, the Y dialect is the most prolific. There is
fear among the elder Cree that the youth are not learning the Cree language. Efforts are
underway to encourage the revival of the language with some communities offering
Cree immersion programming. According to Statistics Canada figures of 1996 there are
approximately 87, 555 speakers of the Cree language.

Number (p. 29)

Number refers to whether a noun is singular or plural. All animate nouns in
their plural forms end in a k and all inanimate nouns in their plural end in an a.
Number agreement applies to all units except for transitive inanimate
(niwpahtn above) verbs, if one unit is singular then all units are singular; if
one unit is plural then all other units are plural.
Making the inflection from singular noun depends on the ending of the
singular noun as follows:
For inanimate plurals
- nouns ending in k add wa
- nouns ending in i drop the i then add a
- nouns ending in a none with these endings
- nouns ending in im none with these endings
- all other nouns not ending as those above add a
For animate plurals
- nouns ending in k add wak
- nouns ending in i none of these endings
- nouns ending in a add k
- nouns ending in im add wak
- all other nouns not ending as those above add ak
-

Diminutives (teachers notes)

Are forms which indicate that something is smaller than the norm. They are a
smaller or miniature version form of the root word meaning or a younger version.
E.g. puppy - dog, stick tree, girl - woman

Rules for diminutive nouns (p.54 and teacher notes):

- If the noun contains a t, all are changed to c, plus adding the suffix is
- nouns ending in k add os
- nouns ending in i add sis
- nouns ending in wa drop w then add osis
- nouns ending in w drop w then add sis
- nouns ending in aw, ay, w drop the endings aw, ay, w then add s
- nouns ending in iy and iw drop the endings iy and iw then add s or sis
- nouns ending in oy drop the ending oy then add s
- nouns ending in im add osis
- for all other nouns not ending in the above add is

Locatives (p. 55 and teacher notes)

Indicate place and location of the noun.
- nouns ending in k add ohk
- nouns ending in i and ih drop the endings i and ih then add ihk
- nouns ending in wa drop wa then add ohk
- nouns ending in aw, ay, w drop the endings aw, ay, w then add hk
- nouns ending in iy drop the ending iy then add hk
- nouns ending in oy drop the ending oy then add hk
- nouns ending in im add ohk
- for all other nouns not ending in the above add ihk

k-k-itiht (kaa-key-i-teet) (teacher notes) when used with kinship

 This is always used after the given name of someone who has passed on and
translates as she/he was called/named. Due respect is given when the given name is
followed by k-k-itiht, not to do so is a sign of disrespect.

Personal Pronouns (p.76)

There are seven personal pronouns in Cree:
1. niya I/me
2. kiya you
3. wiya he/she
4. first person niyann us/we (excludes the one spoken to)
5. second person kiynaw us/we (includes the one spoken to)
6. second person kiyaww you (plural)
7. third person wiyaww they

Demonstrative Pronouns (p. 66)

These nouns show location of nouns. The correct usage of some of these
pronouns depends on the animacy and number of the nouns as well as the
distance the noun under discussion is from the speaker.
Demonstrative nouns for use with animate nouns:
That over there (far away) nha Those over there nki
That there (close by) ana Those there aniki
This [speaker] awa These [speakers] ki

Demonstrative nouns for use with inanimate nouns:

That over there (far away) nma Those over there nhi
That there (close by) anima Those there anihi
This [speaker] ma These [speakers] - hi

Part B: Answer the following: (awna who is?)

Tnisi how are you?
Namya nnitaw.

tnit niwkin where do you live?

Regina niwkin.

tnisi isiyihksow kohtwiy

Norman k-k-itiht ki-isiyihksow nohtwiy

tnisi isiyihksow kikwiy

Merle isiyihksow nikwiy
 tnisi isiyihksow kists
Namoya, nists

tnisi isiyihksow kimis

Namoya, nimis

tnisi isiyihksow kismis

Lincoln, Pandora, Kia k-k-itiht, Nadine isiyihksowak nismisak

tnisi isiyihksowak kimosm kwa khkom

Herman k-k-itiht k-isiyihksowak nimosm nohtwiy ohci.
Elsie k-k-itiht k-isiyihksowak nhkom nohtwiy ohci.

tnisi isiyihksow
Tanya nisiyihksow.

tnit kik-nihtwikin
Regina mkwc niwkin.

tnit ohci kiya

kayaht Toronto ochi niya.

tnkohk kitahtopiponn
niynomitanaw-niynan nitahtopiponn.

Part C: Multiple Choice Questions

a. My fathers name is James Okemaysim
James Okemaysim isyihksow nohtwiy.

b. Bradley isiyihksow nists

Bradley is my older brother.

c. Pamela isiyihksow nimis.

My older sisters name is Pamela.

d. Mary Ann k-isiyihksow nhkom

Mary Ann is the name of my grandmother.
 e. Arthur was my late grandfather
Arthur k-k-itiht k-isiyihksow nimosm.

f. ninkihikwak
My parents

g. nisto nikosisak
My three sons

h. nitawsimis kwa nsisim

My child and grandchild

i. niwcwkanak kwa niwhtapimkanak

My family and my friends.

j. Three moose
nisto mswak

k. Those little chairs

nki chcapiwinis

Part D: True or False Questions

a. nikwiy is mother and nikws is aunt

False nikwiy is my mother, nikws is my aunt

b. nismis and nohcws are my uncles

False nismis is my younger sibling, nohcws is my uncle

c. shkpayisis kwa chcapiwinis are examples of Noun locatives

False shkpayisis and chcapiwinis are examples of noun diminutives

d. Amongst the bears is maskonhk

False locative rule for the animate plural of bears (maskwak) is
maskwak is to add ohk maskwakohk is the answer.

e. A flower is animate in gender.

True
 f. Owlets are hwak
False this is the plural ending for owls. Owlets are hwisak.

g. papskomin is a mass noun

True it is pepper which is a substance with small particles which cannot
be counted and usually cannot be pluralized.

h. All nouns are masculine, feminine and neuter in Cree

False all nouns in Cree are either alive (animate) or not alive
(inanimate). All nouns are seen as either possessing a life force or lacking a life
force.

i. A demonstrative pronoun demonstrates the location of a noun

True demonstrative pronouns point to specific things: that, this, these,
and those as in this is an apple, those are boys, or take these to the clerk, etc.
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/demonstrative-pronouns

j. Personal pronouns include nouns

False no personal pronouns exist for inanimate referents, nor for the
special animate distinction of the obviative.

k. Only animate nouns are pluralized with a /k/ or /ak/ or /wak/

True the endings for inanimate nouns are wa or a

l. A diminutive is a smaller version of only inanimate nouns

False - diminutives include animate nouns as well. E.g. hwisak is the
diminutive form of hwak; piss is the diminutive form of pisiw.

m. Locatives show location that translate as at on the left/on the

right/on top/upon arrival
False locative nouns can be translated as in the, to the, at the, or on
the depending on the situation. Noun locatives indicate place and location of
the noun. These are prepositions (left/right/on top/arrival, etc.) are also used
with the locative nouns and these prepositions are placed before the noun with
its locative ending. P. 55,62

n. To pluralize animate nouns, change ts to cs and add ending

False this is a rule for diminutive nouns.
 o. okiskinwahamkw kiya
False Namoya, okiskinwahamkan niya. (No, I am a student)

Part E: Based on the rules and examples provided from text and files,
provide the diminutive and locative for the following nouns (English
translation and phonetic transcription for nouns provided). For
further reference please go to www.creedictionary.com:

Noun Diminutive Locative

sikk siks sikohk

[si.kaak]
(skunk)

mnis mnisis mnisihk

[mee.nis]
(berry)

psimohkn psimohknis psimohknihk

[pee.si.mooh.kaan]
(clock)

cikstpayicikan cikscpayicikanis cikstpayicikanihk

[chi.kaas.teyh.peye.chi.kun]
(television)

mihkwn mihkwnis mihkwnihk

[ey.meeh.kwaan]
(spoon)

mtos mcosis mtosihk

[mee.tos]
(tree)

akohp akohpis akohpihk

[u.kohp]
(blanket)

minihkwcikan minihkwcikanis minihkwcikanihk

[mi.neeh.kwaa.chi.kun]
(cup)

wpamon wpamonis wpamonihk

[waa.pu.mon]
(mirror)

mtypisk mcypiskos mtypiskohk

[moe.te.yaa.pisk]
(jar)

nhiyaw nhiys nhiyhk

[ney.hi.yoe]
(a Cree)

nahkawiyiniw nahkawiyins nahkawiyinhk

[naah.ku.wee.yi.noo]
(a Saulteaux)

pwta pwcis pwtinhk

[pwaa.tu]
(a Sioux)

asinwipwta asinwipwcis asinwipwtinhk

[u.si.ney.wi.pwaa.tu]
(an Assinaboine)

cpwiyiniw cpwiyins cpwiyinhk

[chee.pi.wee.noo]
(a Dene)

pihtawikosisn pihcawikosisnis pihtawikosisnihk

[aa.peeh.toe.wi.ko.si.saan]
(a Mtis)