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 ---