Bodéwadmimwen
Potawatomi
Algic (Algonquian, Central Algonquian, Ojibwe-Potawatomi)
Potawatomi (Bodéwadmimwen, "fire-keeper language") is a Central Algonquian language closely related to Ojibwe but distinguished by systematic syncope — short unstressed vowels are deleted, producing dense consonant clusters absent in sister Anishinaabe languages. It is undergoing active revitalization by the Citizen, Prairie Band, Hannahville, Pokagon, and Walpole Island communities.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Potawatomi
Sources
- Hockett, Charles F. (1948) Potawatomi I-IV. International Journal of American Linguistics 14:1-10, 63-73, 139-149, 213-225.
- Lockwood, Hunter T. (2017) How the Potawatomi Language Lives: A Grammar of Potawatomi. PhD dissertation, U. Wisconsin-Madison.
- Glottolog: Potawatomi
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Algic (Algonquian, Central Algonquian, Ojibwe-Potawatomi)
| Meaning | Potawatomi | Ojibwe | Algonquin | Atikamekw | Western Abenaki | Munsee | Menominee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mbish /mbɪʃ/ | nibi /nibi/ | nibì /nɪbiː/ | nipi /nipi/ | nebi /nebi/ | mpíi /mbiː/ | nepāew /nəpaːew/ |
| Fire | shkodé /ʃkode/ | ishkode /iʃkode/ | ishkotè /ɪʃkɔteː/ | ickote /iʃkote/ | skweda /skweda/ | lúhsuw /luhsuw/ | eskotēw /eskoteːw/ |
| Sun | gises /ɡises/ | giizis /ɡiːzis/ | kìzis /kiːzɪs/ | pisimw /pisimʷ/ | kisos /kisos/ | kíishux /kiːʃux/ | kēsoq /keːsoʔ/ |
| Moon | dbëk-gises /dbək‿ɡises/ | dibik-giizis /dibik ɡiːzis/ | tibik-kìzis /tɪbɪkkiːzɪs/ | tipiskaw pisim /tipiskaw pisim/ | nanibossad /nanibossad/ | nipáhum /nipahum/ | tepāhkēsoq /tepaːhkeːsoʔ/ |
| Star | nuk /nək/ | anang /anaŋ/ | anang /aˈnaŋ/ | atcakoc /atʃakoʃ/ | alakws /alakʷs/ | alaánkw /alaːŋkʷ/ | anaeq /anæʔ/ |
| Night | pkonyak /pkoɲak/ | dibik /dibik/ | tibik /tibik/ | tipisko /tipisko/ | tebokw /tebokʷ/ | piskeew /piskeːw/ | tepāhkeh /tepaːhkeh/ |
| Snow | gon /ɡon/ | goon /ɡoːn/ | kòn /kɔːn/ | kon /kon/ | wazôli /wazɔ̃li/ | koon /koːn/ | kōn /koːn/ |
| Earth | ke /kɛ/ | aki /aki/ | aki /aki/ | aski /aski/ | ki /ki/ | — | ahkēw /ahkeːw/ |
| Stone | sen /sɛn/ | asin /aˈsin/ | asin /asin/ | asini /asini/ | sen /sen/ | asun /əsən/ | aqsan /aʔsan/ |
| Mountain | bkotnyawen /bkotnjawɪn/ | wajiw /wadʒiw/ | pikwadin /pikwadin/ | matinaw /matinaw/ | — | — | wacēw /watʃeːw/ |
| Sea | kche gami /ktʃɛ ɡami/ | gichigami /ɡitʃiɡami/ | kichigam /kitʃiɡam/ | kitcikami /kitʃikami/ | sobagw /sobaɡʷ/ | — | kaeqcekam /kæʔtʃekam/ |
| Mother | nge /ŋɡe/ | nimaamaa /nimaːmaː/ | ningà /nɪŋɡaː/ | okawi /okawi/ | nigawes /niɡawes/ | nkáhees /ŋkaheːs/ | nekīah /nekiːah/ |
| Father | nos /nos/ | indede /indede/ | nòs /nɔːs/ | otawi /otawi/ | mitôgwes /mitõɡwes/ | nóoxw /noːxw/ | nōhnāeh /noːhnaːeh/ |
| Daughter | ndanes /ndanəs/ | indaanis /indaːnis/ | — | otanis /otaːnis/ | — | — | — |
| I | nin /nin/ | niin /niːn/ | niin /niːn/ | nir /niɾ/ | nia /nia/ | nii /niː/ | nenah /nɛnah/ |
| You | kin /kin/ | giin /ɡiːn/ | giin /ɡiːn/ | kir /kiɾ/ | kia /kia/ | kii /kiː/ | kenah /kɛnah/ |
| We | kinan / ninan /kinan / ninan/ | giinawind / niinawind /ɡiːnawind / niːnawind/ | giinawind / niinawind /ɡiːnawind / niːnawind/ | kirano / ninan /kiɾano / ninan/ | kiona / niona /kiona / niona/ | kiilóona / niilóona /kiːloːna / niːloːna/ | kenaq / nenaq /kɛnaʔ / nɛnaʔ/ |
| Name | zhnekaswen /ʒnɛkaswən/ | izhinikaazowin /iʒinikaːzowin/ | wiinzowin /wiːnzowin/ | icinikatewin /iʃinikatewin/ | wizôwôgan /wizɔ̃wɔ̃ɡan/ | wiinzuwaakan /wiːnzuwaːkan/ | -esian /ɛsian/ |
| Person | bémadzet /bemadzɪt/ | anishinaabe /aniʃinaːbe/ | — | iriniw /iɾiniw/ | — | — | — |
| Eye | shkishek /ʃkɪʃek/ | oshkiinzhig /oʃkiːnʒiɡ/ | oshkìnzhig /ɔʃkiːnʒɪɡ/ | ockicikonan /oʃkiʃikonan/ | msizukw /msizukʷ/ | wíikšiit /wiːkʃiːt/ | oskēsek /oskeːsek/ |
| Ear | tog /toɡ/ | otawag /otawaɡ/ | otawag /ɔtawaɡ/ | otokainan /otokainan/ | otawagw /otawaɡʷ/ | — | — |
| Nose | jash /dʒaʃ/ | ojaanzh /odʒaːnʒ/ | — | okotinan /okotinan/ | — | — | — |
| Mouth | don /don/ | odoon /odoːn/ | odòn /ɔdɔːn/ | otoninan /otoninan/ | mdon /mdon/ | — | — |
| Tooth | nibet /nibət/ | wiibid /wiːbid/ | wiibid /wiːbid/ | wipit /wipit/ | wibit /wibit/ | nipit /nipit/ | wēpet /weːpet/ |
| Tongue | tno /tənoː/ | denaniw /denaniw/ | apijan /apidʒan/ | oterininan /oteɾininan/ | wilalo /wilalo/ | wilanew /wilanew/ | tēnaniw /teːnaniw/ |
| Hand | nej /netʃ/ | ninij /ninidʒ/ | ninj /nɪndʒ/ | otcitcinan /otʃitʃinan/ | melji /meldʒi/ | mléelii /mleːliː/ | onehkeh /onehkeh/ |
| Foot | zet /zɛt/ | nizid /nizid/ | ozid /ozid/ | osit /osit/ | mzid /mzid/ | nzíit /nziːt/ | osēt /oseːt/ |
| Heart | déh /deː/ | odeʼ /odeʔ/ | odè /ɔdeː/ | otehinan /otehinan/ | mlawôgan /mlawɔ̃ɡan/ | ulehyii /ulehjiː/ | otēh /oteːh/ |
| Bone | ken /kɛn/ | okan /okan/ | okan /okan/ | oskaninan /oskaninan/ | oskan /oskan/ | wakan /wakan/ | ohkan /ohkan/ |
| Blood | mskwe /mskʷə/ | miskwi /miskwi/ | miskwi /miskwi/ | miko /miko/ | bagakan /baɡakan/ | mokw /mokʷ/ | meskoh /mɛskoh/ |
| Poop | mowech /mowetʃ/ | moow /moːw/ | — | mei /mej/ | — | — | — |
| Love | zhawéndan /ʒaweːndan/ | zaagiʼiwewin /zaːɡiʔiweːwin/ | sàgiʼà /saːɡiʔaː/ | sakihiwewin /sakihiwewin/ | — /—/ | ahóoluw /ahoːluw/ | kesāenemāew /kesaːenemaːew/ |
| Tree | mtëg /mtəɡ/ | mitig /mitiɡ/ | mitig /mɪtɪɡ/ | mictikw /miʃtikʷ/ | abazi /abazi/ | hìttuk /hitːuk/ | metekoh /metekoh/ |
| Dog | nemosh /nemoʃ/ | animosh /animoʃ/ | animosh /anɪmɔʃ/ | atimw /atimʷ/ | alemos /alemos/ | mwáakaneew /mwaːkaneːw/ | anēm /aneːm/ |
| Cat | gazhag /ɡaʒaɡ/ | gaazhagens /ɡaːʒaɡens/ | — /—/ | minoc /minoʃ/ | minowis /minowis/ | póshiis /poʃiːs/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | kigo /kiɡo/ | giigoonh /ɡiːɡõː/ | kikons /kiɡons/ | names /names/ | namas /namas/ | names /names/ | namēs /nameːs/ |
| Bird | bnéshi /bneʃi/ | bineshiinh /bineʃĩː/ | — | pirecic /piɾeʃiʃ/ | sips /sips/ | awehléeshoosh /awehleːʃoːʃ/ | — |
| Butterfly | mémégé /memeɡe/ | memengwaa /memeŋɡwaː/ | — | kwakwapito /kwakwapito/ | — | — | mīmīkwǣw /miːmiːkwæːw/ |
| Egg | waw /waw/ | waawan /waːwan/ | — | waw /waw/ | wôwan /wɔ̃wan/ | wáhwal /wahwal/ | — |
| Bear | mko /mko/ | makwa /makwa/ | makwa /makwa/ | masko /masko/ | awasos /awasos/ | maxkw /maxkʷ/ | awǣhsaeh /awæːhsæh/ |
| Horse | nékdosha /nekdoʃa/ | bebezhigooganzhii /bebeʒiɡoːɡanʒiː/ | pejòshkwe /peʒɔːʃkʷe/ | atikw /atikʷ/ | ases /ases/ | — | — |
| House | wigwam /wiɡwam/ | wiigiwaam /wiːɡiwaːm/ | wàkàigan /waːkaːiɡan/ | mikiwam /mikiwam/ | wigwôm /wiɡwõm/ | wíikwam /wiːkwam/ | wīkewam /wiːkewam/ |
| Milk | nonagnabo /nonaɡnabo/ | doodooshaaboo /doːdoːʃaːboː/ | tòdòshànàbò /tɔːdɔːʃaːnaːbɔː/ | tcotcocanapo /tʃotʃoʃanapo/ | todosnôbo /todosnɔ̃bo/ | — | — |
| Salt | siwtagen /siwtaɡen/ | zhiiwitaagan /ʒiːwitaːɡan/ | shìwitàgan /ʃiːwitaːɡan/ | ciwotakan /ʃiwotakan/ | siwan /siwan/ | shíiwang /ʃiːwaŋ/ | sēwehtākan /seːwehtaːkan/ |
| Wine | shomenabo /ʃomenabo/ | mazhoominaaboo /maʒoːminaːboː/ | — | minicapo /miniʃapo/ | makwbagak /makʷbaɡak/ | — | — |
| Rice | mnomen /mnomɪn/ | waabi-manoomin /waːbi manoːmin/ | — | miromin /miɾomin/ | — | — | manōmaeh /manoːmæh/ |
| Iron | biwapêk /biwapʊk/ | biiwaabik /biːˈwaːbik/ | pìwàbik /piːwaːbik/ | piwapiskw /piwapiskʷ/ | — | — | — |
| Wheel | détpese /detpese/ | detibised /detibised/ | — | toro /toɾo/ | wakôlikws /wakɔ̃likʷs/ | — | — |
| Eat | wisne /wɪsne/ | wiisini /wiːsini/ | wìsini /wiːsɪni/ | mitciso /mitʃiso/ | midjoda /midʒoda/ | mit /mit/ | mīcew /miːtʃew/ |
| Drink | mnëkwé /mnəkwe/ | minikwe /minikwe/ | minikwe /mɪnɪkwe/ | minikwew /minikwew/ | minoda /minoda/ | mneew /mneew/ | menew /menew/ |
| Sleep | mbé /mbe/ | nibaa /nibaː/ | nibà /nibaː/ | nipaw /nipaw/ | — | — | nepāw /nepaːw/ |
| One | ngot /ŋɡot/ | bezhig /beʒiɡ/ | pejig /peʒɪɡ/ | peikw /pejkʷ/ | ngwedi /ŋɡwedi/ | ngwútii /ŋɡwutiː/ | nekot /nekot/ |
| Two | nish /nɪʒ/ | niizh /niːʒ/ | niizh /niːʒ/ | nicw /niʃʷ/ | nis /nis/ | niisha /niːʃa/ | nīs /niːs/ |
| Three | nswe /nswə/ | niswi /niswi/ | nisin /nisin/ | nicto /niʃto/ | nas /nas/ | nxáh /nxaːh/ | nɛʔniw /nɛʔniw/ |
| Four | nyew /njɛw/ | niiwin /niːwin/ | niwin /niwin/ | new /new/ | iaw /jaw/ | néewa /neːwa/ | nīw /niːw/ |
| Five | nyanen /njanɪn/ | naanan /naːnan/ | naanan /naːnan/ | niaran /niaɾan/ | nôlan /nõlan/ | náalan /naːlan/ | nyānan /njaːnan/ |
| Hundred | ngotwak /ŋɡotwak/ | ingodwaak /inɡodwaːk/ | — | mitato mitana /mitato mitana/ | nguedatgua /ŋɡwedatɡwa/ | nkwətaːpóxkə /nkwətaːpoxkə/ | — |
| Hello | bozho /boʒo/ | boozhoo /boːʒoː/ | Kwe /kwe/ | kwei /kwej/ | kwai /kwai/ | hé /heː/ | posoh /posoh/ |
| Thank you | migwéch /miɡwetʃ/ | miigwech /miːɡʷetʃ/ | Migwech /mɪɡwetʃ/ | mikwetc /mikwetʃ/ | wliwni /wliwni/ | wanìshi /waniʃi/ | wāēwāēnen /waːeːwaːeːnen/ |
| Good | mno /mno/ | mino /mino/ | mino /mɪnɔ/ | mirwacin /miɾwaʃin/ | wlaha /wlaha/ | weltóok /weltoːk/ | menwāewen /menwaːewen/ |
| Red | mskwa /mskwa/ | miskwaa /miskwaː/ | miskwa /miskwa/ | mikwaw /mikwaw/ | mkwi /mkwi/ | maxkeew /maxkeːw/ | mɛhkon /mɛhkon/ |
| White | wabshkya /wabʃkja/ | waabishkaa /waːbiʃkaː/ | wàbà /waːbaː/ | wapaw /wapaw/ | wôbi /wɔ̃bi/ | waapeew /waːpeːw/ | — |
| Green | skebgya /skʌbkja/ | ozhaawashkwaa /oʒaːwaʃkwaː/ | ozhàwashkwà /ɔʒaːwaʃkwaː/ | ocawackwaw /oʃawaʃkwaw/ | askaskui /askaskwi/ | — | — |
| Blue | wichapkwa /witʃapkwa/ | ozhaawashkwaa /oʒaːwaʃkwaː/ | — | — | wlôwi /wlɔ̃wi/ | — | — |
| Tea | ti /ti/ | aniibiish /aniːbiːʃ/ | — | nipicwapo /nipiʃwapo/ | di /di/ | — | — |
| Coffee | kapi /kapi/ | makade-mashkikiwaaboo /makade maʃkikiwaːboː/ | — | kapi /kapi/ | kapi /kapi/ | — | — |
| Sugar | zisbakwet /sispakwɪt/ | ziinzibaakwad /ziːnzibaːkwad/ | — | — | zogal /zoɡal/ | — | — |
| Orange | anjes /andʒes/ | wezaawiminagizid /wezaːwiminaɡizid/ | — | — | wasawas /wasawas/ | — | — |
Page 1/9
Open the interactive map: Word Map · HanMap · Name Map · Word Order · Tree
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.
Made by Heuron Inc. · GitHub · cho@heuron.com · LangMap home