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Samples of Oneida language
- Details
- Parent Category: Indigenous Culture
- Category: Native Language
- Published: 06 August 2008
By The Associated Press 8-08
Oneida is in the Iroquoian family of languages and is distantly related to Cherokee.
Here are a few samples of Oneida words, their English translations and pronounciations where possible:
Onyotaa:ka: the Oneidas name for themselves, it means `The People of the Standing Stone. Kana^:yote means standing stone; a:ka: is a suffix meaning people of that place. Pronounced: Own-yo-da-awg.
Kaluteshuha means `many trees. Kalute means tree; shuha is a suffix meaning many.
Lalihwaha:wi means `he carries a message. La is a male prefix; olihwa means the message, words; ha:wi is a suffix meaning carrying. Pronounced: La-lee-wa-haw.
The Oneidas wanted a living language, able to express new realities. When needed, Oneida elders and experts meet to develop new words to describe the modern world. Here are two examples:
Watahsatalha means television, combining the Oneida words for picture (kaya:talha) and shadow (youtasa:talu).
Yolunutakhwa means radio, which joins the ideas of they make music, (lutlanot) with the suffix meaning object (takhwa).
Source:Oneida Indian Nation of New York