Language Archive
Maliseet Sounds
Proto-Algonquian forms are taken from John Hewson, A computer-generated dictionary of Proto-Algonquian, Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1993. Forms in brackets ("[ ]") are general Algonquian and not likely to be the source of the Maliseet form given. Vowel length is given with a colon (":"); the esh symbol (for the initial sound of "shoot" or "sure") is replaced with "sh"; the theta symbol (initial sound of "thing") is replaced with "th"; and the glottal stop (as before the vowels in "uh-oh") is indicated with "?".
Each item is spoken several times. Click on each number (e.g., "#1") to hear a repetition.
| English Gloss | Maliseet Sound File Each # is a repetition | Maliseet Word | Proto-Algonquian Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| bear | 1 2 3 4 | mowin | *mathkwa |
| cat | 1 2 3 4 | psuwis | [*ka:shake:nsa] |
| a lot of cats | 1 2 3 4 5 | psuwisok | --- |
| chair | 1 2 3 4 | qotoput | --- |
| a lot of chairs | 1 2 3 4 | cayowiwilqotoputil | --- |
| cow | 1 2 3 4 | kohos | --- |
| a lot of cows | 1 2 3 4 | kohosok | --- |
| deer | 1 2 3 4 | atohk | [*wa:wa:shke:hshiwa] |
| a lot of deer | 1 2 3 4 | atohkok | [*wa:wa:shke:hshiwa] |
| dog | 1 2 3 4 | olomuss | *athemwa |
| a lot of dogs | 1 2 3 | olomussok | *athemwa |
| gun | 1 2 3 4 | phesqot | *pa:shkesikani |
| hand | 1 2 3 4 | pihtin | *pye:tene:wa (=verb) |
| my hand | 1 2 3 4 5 | npihtin | *pye:tene:wa (=verb) |
| horse | 1 2 3 4 | ahahs | --- |
| a lot of horses | 1 2 3 4 | ahahsok | --- |
| house | 1 2 3 4 5 | wikuwam | *wi:kiwa:hmi |
| several houses | 1 2 3 4 5 | cayowiwilwikuwamul | *wi:kiwa:hmi |
| my house | 1 2 3 4 5 | nik | *wi:kiwa:hmi |
| moose | 1 2 3 4 | moss | *mo:swa |
| a lot of moose | 1 2 3 4 | mossok | *mo:swa |
| muskrat | 1 2 3 4 5 6 | pewohoss | *wa?shashkwa |
| muskrats | 1 2 3 4 | pewohossok | *wa?shashkwa |
| paper | 1 2 3 4 5 | pilasq | [*mesenahikani] |
| a lot of paper | 1 2 3 4 | pilaskul | --- |
| pencil | 1 2 3 4 5 | pentsol | --- |
| pig | 1 2 3 4 | piks | [*ko:hko:hsha] |
| a lot of pigs | 1 2 3 4 | piksok | [*ko:hko:hsha] |
| porcupine | 1 2 3 4 | madohwes | [*ka:kwa] |
| rabbit | 1 2 3 4 | mahtoqehs | [*-a:posw] |
| skunk | 1 2 3 4 | apikcilu | [*sheka:kwa] |
| snake | 1 2 3 4 | athusoss | [*athko:ka] |
| table | 1 2 3 4 | twepot | --- |
| a lot of tables | 1 2 3 4 | cayowiwilhlewpotil | --- |
| turtle | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 | cihkonaqc | [*mehkena:hkwa] |
| he is reading | 1 2 3 4 | totlokheso | --- |
| he is sitting down | 1 2 3 4 | opu | *apiwa |
| he is sitting down (synonym) | 1 2 3 4 5 | coqapo | --- |
| I am sitting down | 1 2 3 4 | nitckokwep | --- |
| Sit down! | 1 2 3 4 5 | opin | --- |
| he is writing | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | tetlowikhiko | --- |