Algonquian Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description

The Algonquian languages are a subfamily of Native American languages that includes most of the languages in the Algic language family (others are Wiyot and Yurok of northwestern California). They should be carefully distinguished from Algonquin, which is only one language of many Algonquian languages stretching from the east coast of North America all the way to California. The language family includes Arapaho, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Cree, Fox, Illinois, Lenni Lenape, Maliseet, Massachusett, Menominee, Mi'kmaq, Mohican, Munsee, Nanticoke, Narraganset, Ojibwe, Passamaquoddy, Potawatomi, Powhatan, Shawnee, Sauk and others.

The Algonquian language family is renowned for its complex morphology and sophisticated verb system. Statements that take many words to say in English can be expressed with a single "word". Ex: (Menominee) enae:ni:hae:w "He is heard by higher powers" or (Plains Cree) kāstāhikoyahk "it frightens us." Languages in this family typically mark at least two distinct third persons, so that speakers can keep track of central characters in narrative. These languages have been famously studied in the structuralist tradition by Leonard Bloomfield and Edward Sapir among others. Many of these languages are extremely endangered today, while others have died completely.

Because Algonquian languages were some of the first that Europeans came in contact with in North America, the language family has given many words to English. Many eastern U.S. states have names of Algonquian origin (Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin), as do many cities: Milwaukee, Chicago, et al. The capital of Canada is named after an Algonquian trade group--the Odawa.

For information on the peoples speaking Algonquian languages, see Algonquian peoples.

Table of contents

1 English words of Algonquian origin 2 Algonquian names for animals 3 External links

English words of Algonquian origin

• tomahawk (tomah'hauk) sharp biting stick
• skunk (shekãkwa) spray of smelly water
• squash (askootaskwash) fruit of health/life
• wampum (wapapyaki) trade good
• succotash (msikwatash) food mixed together
• pecan ("pakan" - "nut" via Mobilian Trade Jargon)
• Chicago (chee-kaw-goh) skunk cabbage
• pone (as in corn-pone) from Powhatan appoans "bread"
• raccoon (ärähkun) scratches with its hands

Algonquian names for animals

• Makwa - Bear
• Nigig - Otter
• Mahigan - Wolf
• Moz - Moose
• Adik - Caribou
• Pijiw - Lynx
• Winack - Groundhog
• Wawackeci - Deer
• Wadjack - Muskrat
• Cangweci - Mink
• Cigosi - Weasel
• Adjidamo - Squirrel
• Wabicese - Marten

External links

• Algonquian Family
• Algonquin First Nation, Language Resource

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