Show Notes
Morphology, Adult Immersion, and Intergenerational Transmission In this, the third episode of the interview series with Alan Corbiere, Alan discusses how Anishinaabemowin’s descriptiveness comes from morphology, but the language is still often taught word-for-word. He also describes some hands-on morpheme-ordering activities inspired by Mohawk educator Brian Maracle, which ARP developed to help learners construct words. Alan also summarizes Brian Maracle’s language revitalization reflections: prioritize local control by learners rather than institutions, use a “root word method” to teach thinking like speakers, and focus on young adults who become fluent, form families, and can reestablish intergenerational transmission. The hosts reflect on learning from the efforts of other Indigenous language communities, taking risks and trying new things as learners and teachers, the limits of school-based programs, the need for community platforms to highlight/encourage learners and the importance of collective effort to create change and revitalize our language.
More from Anishinaabemowin Word Parts
Using -wi and -wan finals that turn nouns into verbs, to be or become a certain kind of being or thing. This week we focus on the animate final -wi. It is added to nouns to create VAI verbs meaning “to be” a certain kind of person/being. Examples include identity (e.g., being Anishinaabe) and professions (doctor, chief, banker, storekeeper). It can also be used to describe something in the way that English does with “-y” adjectives (woody, muddy, greasy, icy). We discuss regional variation, sound changes when conjugated, and introduce the inanimate counterpart -wan for VII forms, showing how these patterns help learners expand speaking and narration practice.
Anishinaabemowin Word Parts: Color with Medials and Finals Rochelle and Dené continue their colour series by expanding on finals (and medials) that you can be add to colour initials to form more expressive verbs. Examples of finals include including -aate for light (e.g., waabishkwaate), akone for flame (eg. miskwkone), naagwan/naagwad and naagozi for something appearing (eg. ozhaawashkonaagozi). They then introduce using medials (especially body parts, clothing, and land features) to build longer descriptive words, with examples for noses, hair, socks/shoes, clouds, land, sand, and small round objects. As always they emphasize regional variation, learner humility, and checking in with local speakers.
Rochelle and Dené introduce how Anishinaabemowin expresses colors through word parts and initials in particular. Recording in person for the first time and learning more about podcasting with support from the Indigenous Screen Office. Colour initials include miskw- red in miskwaa (inanimate) / miskozi (animate), waabishk- white in waabishkaa/waabishkizi, makadew- black in makadewaa/makadewizi. They discuss ways to practice remembering object animacy through games. They also explore regional variation for blue/green and purple and how -aande/-aanzo as color finals can be used to create more specific colour words. Highlighted in this episode is the Beam Paints’ color-naming project https://youtu.be/GQ6gubeUR4o?si=Bp3WUKEtJskO-62j https://www.beampaints.com/
Turning Nouns into Verbs with the Anishinaabemowin Final -ike Rochelle and Dené reconnect after the summer. With classes and community programs starting up for the fall, they encourage teachers and learners to keep going, support others, engage on Facebook, and spend time with speakers. The episode’s focus is the verb final “-ike,” which turns nouns into VAI verbs. -ike means to make/produce/gather/harvest and can expand new learner vocabulary because you can add it to nouns that learners may already know (e.g. making bread, making coffee/ tea, harvesting rice/berries and even fish). Rochelle and Dené demonstrate how to find “-ike” forms using the Ojibwe People’s Dictionary advanced search, and share their own understanding of the final and some commonly used -ike verbs. To review the Ojibwe People’s Dictionary's -ike listing check out https://ojibwe.lib.umn.edu/word-part/ke-final
Anishinaabemowin Word Parts: Alan Corbiere on Plant and Bird Names