Algonquin language

File:Panneau algonquin.jpg in French, Algonquin and English. The Algonquin text "{{lang|alq|Manàdjitòdan kakina kegòn netàwigig kakina e-dashiyag}}" literally translates to "Be gentle with all things of nature for everyone."]]

{{Lang|alq|Omàmìwininìmowin}} (Algonquin) is an Algonquian language, of the Algic family of languages, and is descended from Proto-Algonquian. It is considered a particularly divergent dialect of Ojibwe by many.{{citation needed|date=May 2012}} But, although the speakers call themselves Omàmìwininì or Anishinaabe, the Ojibwe call them {{Transliteration|oj|Odishkwaagamii}} ('those at the end of the lake'). Among {{Lang|alq|Omàmìwininì}} (Algonquins), however, the Nipissing are called {{lang|alq|Otickwàgamì}} (the Algonquin orthography for the Ojibwe {{Transliteration|oj|Odishkwaagamii}}) and their language as {{lang|alq|Otickwàgamìmowin}}. The rest of the Omàmìwininìmowin (Algonquin) communities call themselves {{lang|alq|Omàmiwininiwak}} ('down-stream men'), and the language {{lang|alq|Omàmiwininìmowin}} ('speech of the down-stream men').

Other than {{Lang|alq|Omàmìwininìmowin}} (Algonquin), languages considered as particularly divergent dialects of the Anishinaabe language include Mississauga (often called "Eastern Ojibwe") and Odawa. The Potawatomi language was considered a divergent dialect of Anishinaabemowin (the Anishinaabe language) but now is considered a separate language. Culturally, {{Lang|alq|Omàmìwininì}} (Algonquin) and the Michi Saagiig (Mississaugas) were not part of the Ojibwe–Odawa–Potawatomi alliance known as the Council of Three Fires. The {{Lang|alq|Omàmìwininìwak}} (Algonquins) maintained stronger cultural ties with the Abenaki, Atikamekw and Cree.

Among sister Algonquian languages are Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Cree, Fox, Menominee, Potawatomi, and Shawnee. The Algic family contains the Algonquian languages and the so-called "Ritwan" languages, Wiyot and Yurok. Ojibwe and its similar languages are frequently referred to as a "Central Algonquian" language; however, Central Algonquian is an areal grouping rather than a genetic one. Among Algonquian languages, only the Eastern Algonquian languages constitute a true genetic subgroup.

The northern {{Lang|alq|Omàmìwininìmowin}} (Algonquin language) dialect of Anishinabemowin as spoken at Winneway, Quebec (Long Point), and Timiskaming First Nation, Quebec, is a similar dialect to the Oji-Cree dialect (Severn/Anishininimowin) of northwestern Ontario, despite being geographically separated by {{convert|800|km|abbr=off}}.

There are several dialects of {{Lang|alq|Omàmìwininìmowin}} (the Algonquin language), generally grouped broadly as Northern Algonquin and Western Algonquin. Speakers at Kitigan Zibi consider their language to be Southern Algonquin, though linguistically it is a dialect of Nipissing Ojibwa which, together with Mississauga Ojibwa and Odawa, form the Nishnaabemwin (Eastern Ojibwa) group of the Ojibwa dialect continuum.

The consonant phonemes and major allophones of Algonquin in Cuoq spelling, one of several common orthographies, and its common variants are listed below (with IPA notation in brackets):

{{notelist}}

In an older orthography still popular in some of the Algonquin communities, known as the Malhiot ({{IPA|[mɛːjot]|lang=alq}}) spelling, which the above Cuoq spelling was based upon, are listed below (with IPA notation in brackets):

{{notelist}}

The Algonquin consonants p, t and k are unaspirated when they are pronounced between two vowels or after an m or n; plain voiceless and voiceless aspirated stops in Algonquin are thus allophones. So {{Lang|alq|kìjig}} ('day') is pronounced {{IPA|[kʰiːʒɪɡ]|lang=alq}}, but {{Lang|alq|anokì kìjig}} ('working day') is pronounced {{IPA|[ʌnokiː kiːʒɪɡ]|lang=alq}}.{{cite web |url=http://www.native-languages.org/algonquin_guide.htm |title=Algonquin Pronunciation and Spelling Guide |author1=Redish, Laura |author2=Lewis, Orrin |work=Algonquin |publisher=Native-languages.org |access-date=2007-08-28| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070920185254/http://www.native-languages.org/algonquin_guide.htm| archive-date= 20 September 2007 | url-status= live}}

Algonquin does have nasal vowels, but they are allophonic variants (similar to how in English vowels are sometimes nasalized before m and n). In Algonquin, vowels automatically become nasal before nd, ndj, ng, nh, nhi, nj or nz. For example, {{Lang|alq|kìgònz}} ('fish') is pronounced {{IPA|[kiːɡõːz]|lang=alq}}, not {{IPA|[kʰiːɡoːnz]|lang=alq}}.

Word stress in Algonquin is complex but regular. Words are divided into iambic feet (an iambic foot being a sequence of one "weak" syllable plus one "strong" syllable), counting long vowels (à, è, ì, ò) as a full foot (a foot consisting of a single "strong" syllable). The primary stress is then normally on the strong syllable of the third foot from the end of the word—which, in words that are five syllables long or less, usually translates in practical terms to the first syllable (if it has a long vowel) or the second syllable (if not). The strong syllables of the remaining iambic feet each carry secondary stress, as do any final weak syllables. For example: {{IPA|/ni.ˈbi/|lang=alq}}, {{IPA|/ˈsiː.ˌbi/|lang=alq}}, {{IPA|/mi.ˈki.ˌzi/|lang=alq}}, {{IPA|/ˈnaː.no.ˌmi.da.ˌna/|lang=alq}}.

• Ojibwe dialects
• Algonquian Bible
• List of First Nations place names in Canada
• Algonquian–Basque pidgin

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{{refbegin}}

• Artuso, Christian. 1998. noogom gaa-izhi-anishinaabemonaaniwag: Generational Difference in Algonquin. Winnipeg: The University of Manitoba Press. [https://mspace.lib.umanitoba.ca/xmlui/handle/1993/1160]
• {{cite web|url=http://www.myaamiaproject.org/documents/costa_biblio/st_jerome_dictionary_costa.pdf |first1=David J. |last1=Costa |title=The St-Jérôme Dictionary of Miami-Illinois |work=Papers of the 36th Algonquian Conference |first2=H.C. |last2=Wolfart |location=Winnipeg |publisher=University of Manitoba |year=2005 |pages=107–133 |access-date=March 7, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727105541/http://www.myaamiaproject.org/documents/costa_biblio/st_jerome_dictionary_costa.pdf |archive-date=July 27, 2011 }}
• Cuoq, Jean André. 1866. Études philologiques sur quelques langues sauvages de l'Amérique. Montréal: Dawson.
• Cuoq, Jean André. 1886. Lexique de la Langue Algonquine. Montréal: J. Chapleau & Fils.
• Cuoq, Jean André. 1891? Grammaire de la Langue Algonquine. [S.l.: s.n.]
• {{cite book |editor-first1=Carl |editor-last1=Masthay |title=Kaskaskia Illinois-to-French Dictionary |year=2002 |place=St. Louis, Missouri |pages=757 |publisher=Carl Masthay |isbn=0-9719113-04}}
• Mcgregor, Ernest. 1994. Algonquin Lexicon. Maniwaki, QC: Kitigan Zibi Education Council.
• Mithun, Marianne. 1999. The Languages of Native North America. Cambridge Language Surveys. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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{{wiktionary category|Algonquin language}}

• [http://www.algonquinnation.ca/langculture.html French - Algonquin dictionary from the Algonquin Nation Tribal Council]
• [http://www.hilaroad.com/camp/nation/speak.html Algonquins of Golden Lake word-list recordings]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20061009071202/http://evfn.ca/Algonquin%20Language.htm Eagle Village First Nation Algonquin Language page]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20121015020219/http://www.christusrex.org/www1/pater/JPN-algonquin.html Hail Mary in Algonquin]
• [http://childrensingingpeace.com/Children_Singing_Peace_Foundation/LT_Algonquin.html Children Singing Peace Around the World in Algonquin]
• [http://www.native-languages.org/algonquin.htm Native Languages page for Algonquin]
• [http://www.languagegeek.com/algon/ojibway/anicinapemi8in.html Algonquin orthography and phonology]
• [http://www.language-archives.org/language/alq OLAC resources in and about the Algonquin language]

{{Algonquian languages}}

{{Languages of Quebec}}

{{Languages of Canada}}

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Category:Central Algonquian languages

Category:Anishinaabe languages

Category:Indigenous languages of the North American eastern woodlands

Category:First Nations languages in Canada

Category:Languages of the United States