Chapter 4 – Animate
Chapter 4: Animate Singular
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Level 1 Mi'kmaw: Video 05 - Animate Nouns Source: Video produced by Captive Expression for No'kmaq Village / Flat Bay Band, Inc., June 12, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSswUb97iPQ |
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Level 1 Mi'kmaw: Video 06 - Animate Verbs Source: Video produced by Captive Expression for No'kmaq Village / Flat Bay Band, Inc., June 12, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRnkMSCbvnQ |
This chapter contains a number of animate nouns, which you can combine with other words, such as colours or verbs to begin forming simple sentences. If you would a condensed compilation of Animate & Inanimate words, both singular and plural, this sheet is available.
Animate Word List
| Na'ku'set | sun | Tepknu'set | moon |
| Kloqoej | star | Walqwan | rainbow |
| Aluk | cloud | ||
| E'pit | woman | Ji'nm | man |
| E'pite'ji'j | girl | L'pa'tuj | boy |
| Mijuaji'j | baby | Nijan | my child |
| Nsis | my big brother | Nmis | my big sister |
| Njiknam | my little brother | Nkwe'ji'j | my little sister |
| Saqmaw | Chief (male) | Saqmawi'skw | Chief (female) |
| Kisiku | elderly man | Kisikui'skw | elderly woman |
| Tapatat | potato | Klitaw | raspberry |
| Stoqn | fir tree | ||
| Tia'm | moose | Lentuk | deer |
| Weti | worm | Juji'j | bug |
| Qalipu | caribou | Mkopit | beaver |
| Te'sipow | horse | Muin | bear |
| Kitpu | eagle | Ples | pigeon |
| Katew | eel | ||
Animate Verbs
Here are two animate verbs using the first person singular present tense that you can practice with.
| Nemi'k | I see | Nutaq | I hear |
| E.g, | |||
| Nemi'k kitpu. | I see an eagle. | ||
| Nutaq tia'm. | I hear a moose. |
Animate Colours
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Review the Atlantic First Nation Tech Services Mi'kmaw Language Learning Mi'kmaq Colours "talking poster" to see and hear how colours are pronounced in Mi'kmaw. |
| With this first set, there are no differences between animate and inanimate. |
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| Mekwe'k | Red | Wape'k | White |
| Maqtewe'k | Black | Maqtewimkwe'k | Burgundy |
| With this set however, the words change between animate and inanimate. |
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| Watapsit | Yellow | Stoqnamuksit | Green |
| Tupkwanamuksit | Brown | Musqunamuksit | Blue |
| Nisqunamuksit | Purple | Nijinjewamuksit | Pink |
| Nikjawiknejewamuksit | Orange | Ntlu'tewamuksit | Grey |
| Sulieweyewamuksit | Silver | Wisawsulieweyewmuksit | Gold |
| Jijjuaqitewamukist | Rust | Amalamuksit | Multi-colour |
Using the provided word list and sample verbs, you can now add detail to your simple sentences.
E.g.,
| Nemi'k stoqnamuksit juji'j. | I see a green bug. |
| Nutaq tupkwanamuksit tia'm. | I hear a brown moose. |
More Animate Verbs
Next, try adding another verb so that the animate object you see or hear is doing something. These verbs are therefore in the third person singular tense. Do not worry about conjugating verbs yet. That will come in later lessons. But you should note that third person singular can refer to male or female subjects.
| Kaqamit | S/he is standing. | Pemlɨka't | S/he is walking. |
| Pemkopit | S/he is sitting. | Pemtukwi'k | S/he is running. |
E.g.,
| Nemi'k wape'k qalipu pemlɨka't. | I see a white caribou walking. |
| Nutaq maqtewe'k muin pemtukwi'k. | I hear a black bear running. |
Translation: I see
Part of Speech: verb animate transitive
Meanings: I see
Pronunciation Guide: NEH-meek
Translation: I hear
Part of Speech: verb inanimate intransitive
Meanings: I hear
Pronunciation Guide: nu-dock
Translation: I see an eagle.
Pronunciation Guide: ne·mi·ga git·pu
Translation: I hear a moose.
Pronunciation Guide: nu·dock di·aam
Stoqnamuksit
Translation: Green
Meanings: Green. Because it ends in the suffix -sit, this is the animate form of green. You use it exclusively to describe living, spirited, or natural things, such as a green frog, a green grasshopper, a green snake, or a fresh green leaf.
Pronunciation Guide: STOCH-nah-muck-sit
Translation: Bug
Part of Speech: noun animate
Meanings: bug, insect, crawling creature
Pronunciation Guide: ju·jich
Tupkwanamuksit
Translation: Brown
Meanings: Brown. Because it ends in -sit, it is the animate form of the color. You use it exclusively to describe living or spirited things, such as a brown bear (muwin), a brown horse, a brown dog, or a brown bird.
Pronunciation Guide: DOOB-gwah-nah-muck-sit
Translation: Moose
Part of Speech: noun animate (singular)
Meanings: moose
Pronunciation Guide: di·aam
Kaqamit
Translation: She or he is standing
Meanings: Kaqamit is a descriptive word used to state that a single animate person or animal is currently standing upright.
Pronunciation Guide: GAH-ach-mit
Pemlɨka't
Translation: She or he is walking
Meanings: Pemlika't is a descriptive word used to state that an animate person or animal is currently in the physical process of walking along.
Pronunciation Guide: pem-luh-GAHT
Pemkopit
Translation: She or he is sitting
Meanings: Pemkopit is a descriptive word used to state that an animate person or animal is currently in the physical state of sitting.
Pronunciation Guide: behm-go-bid
Pemtukwi'k
Translation: S/he is Running
Meanings: Pemtukwi'k is built with the continuous prefix pem- (meaning an action is progressively happening along a path) joined to the root for running.
Pronunciation Guide: PEM-dook-week
Nemi'k wape'k qalipu pemlika't
Translation: I see a white caribou walking.
Meanings: I see a white caribou walking.
Pronunciation Guide: NEH-meek WAH-beg GAH-lee-boo PEM-lee-gaht
Nutaq maqtewe'k muin pemtukwi'k
Translation: I hear a black bear running.
Meanings: I hear a black bear running.
Pronunciation Guide: NOO-dach MACH-deh-wayg MOO-in PEM-dook-week
