Lunaapeew
Munsee
Algic (Algonquian, Eastern, Lenape)
Munsee (Lunaapeew, "the Lenape language") is an Eastern Algonquian language of the Munsee Lenape people, originally inhabiting the lower Hudson Valley and Delaware River basin (NY/NJ/PA, including the area now called Manhattan). Forced westward by colonial pressure in the 17th-18th centuries, Munsee speakers eventually settled in scattered Ontario reserves (Moraviantown being the linguistic center today). Sister language to Unami Lenape (now extinct). Critically endangered with ~2 fluent elderly speakers; heritage-revival programs at Munsee-Delaware Nation maintain limited transmission.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Munsee
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Algic (Algonquian, Eastern, Lenape)
| Meaning | Munsee | Cree | Plains Cree | Ojibwe | Algonquin | Atikamekw | Menominee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mpíi /mbiː/ | ᓂᐱᕀ /nipij/ | ᓂᐱᕀ /nipij/ | nibi /nibi/ | nibì /nɪbiː/ | nipi /nipi/ | nepāew /nəpaːew/ |
| Fire | lúhsuw /luhsuw/ | ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ /iskoteːw/ | ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ /iskoteːw/ | ishkode /iʃkode/ | ishkotè /ɪʃkɔteː/ | ickote /iʃkote/ | eskotēw /eskoteːw/ |
| Sun | kíishux /kiːʃux/ | ᐲᓯᒼ /piːsim/ | ᐲᓯᒼ /piːsim/ | giizis /ɡiːzis/ | kìzis /kiːzɪs/ | pisimw /pisimʷ/ | kēsoq /keːsoʔ/ |
| Moon | nipáhum /nipahum/ | ᑎᐱᐢᑳᐏ ᐲᓯᒼ /tipiskaːwi piːsim/ | ᑎᐱᐢᑳᐃᐧᐲᓯᒼ /tipiskaːwi piːsim/ | dibik-giizis /dibik ɡiːzis/ | tibik-kìzis /tɪbɪkkiːzɪs/ | tipiskaw pisim /tipiskaw pisim/ | tepāhkēsoq /tepaːhkeːsoʔ/ |
| Star | alaánkw /alaːŋkʷ/ | ᐊᒑᐦᑯᐢ /atʃaːhkos/ | ᐊᒑᐦᑯᐢ /acaːhkos/ | anang /anaŋ/ | anang /aˈnaŋ/ | atcakoc /atʃakoʃ/ | anaeq /anæʔ/ |
| Night | piskeew /piskeːw/ | ᑎᐱᐢᐠ /tipisk/ | ᑎᐱᐢᐠ /tipisk/ | dibik /dibik/ | tibik /tibik/ | tipisko /tipisko/ | tepāhkeh /tepaːhkeh/ |
| Snow | koon /koːn/ | ᑰᓇ /koːna/ | ᑰᓇ /koːna/ | goon /ɡoːn/ | kòn /kɔːn/ | kon /kon/ | kōn /koːn/ |
| Stone | asun /əsən/ | ᐊᓯᓂᕀ /asinij/ | ᐊᓯᓂᕀ /asinij/ | asin /aˈsin/ | asin /asin/ | asini /asini/ | aqsan /aʔsan/ |
| Mother | nkáhees /ŋkaheːs/ | ᓂᑲᐎᕀ /nikaːwij/ | ᓂᑳᐃᐧ /nikaːwij/ | nimaamaa /nimaːmaː/ | ningà /nɪŋɡaː/ | okawi /okawi/ | nekīah /nekiːah/ |
| Father | nóoxw /noːxw/ | ᓄᐦᑖᐎᕀ /noːhtaːwij/ | ᓅᐦᑖᐃᐧ /noːhtaːwij/ | indede /indede/ | nòs /nɔːs/ | otawi /otawi/ | nōhnāeh /noːhnaːeh/ |
| I | nii /niː/ | ᓂᔭ /nija/ | ᓂᔭ /nija/ | niin /niːn/ | niin /niːn/ | nir /niɾ/ | nenah /nɛnah/ |
| You | kii /kiː/ | ᑭᔭ /kija/ | ᑭᔭ /kija/ | giin /ɡiːn/ | giin /ɡiːn/ | kir /kiɾ/ | kenah /kɛnah/ |
| We | kiilóona / niilóona /kiːloːna / niːloːna/ | ᑭᔭᓈᓇᐤ / ᓂᔭᓈᐣ /kijaːnaw / nijanaːn/ | ᑭᔭᓈᓇᐤ / ᓂᔭᓈᐣ /kijaːnaw / nijanaːn/ | giinawind / niinawind /ɡiːnawind / niːnawind/ | giinawind / niinawind /ɡiːnawind / niːnawind/ | kirano / ninan /kiɾano / ninan/ | kenaq / nenaq /kɛnaʔ / nɛnaʔ/ |
| Name | wiinzuwaakan /wiːnzuwaːkan/ | ᐏᐦᐅᐎᐣ /wiːhowin/ | ᐑᐦᐅᐏᐣ /wiːhowin/ | izhinikaazowin /iʒinikaːzowin/ | wiinzowin /wiːnzowin/ | icinikatewin /iʃinikatewin/ | -esian /ɛsian/ |
| Eye | wíikšiit /wiːkʃiːt/ | ᒥᐢᑮᓯᐠ /miskiːsik/ | ᒥᐢᑮᓯᐠ /miskiːsik/ | oshkiinzhig /oʃkiːnʒiɡ/ | oshkìnzhig /ɔʃkiːnʒɪɡ/ | ockicikonan /oʃkiʃikonan/ | oskēsek /oskeːsek/ |
| Tooth | nipit /nipit/ | ᒦᐱᐟ /miːpit/ | ᒦᐱᐟ /miːpit/ | wiibid /wiːbid/ | wiibid /wiːbid/ | wipit /wipit/ | wēpet /weːpet/ |
| Tongue | wilanew /wilanew/ | ᒥᑌᔭᓂᕀ /miteːjanij/ | ᒥᑌᔭᓂᕀ /miteːjanij/ | denaniw /denaniw/ | apijan /apidʒan/ | oterininan /oteɾininan/ | tēnaniw /teːnaniw/ |
| Hand | mléelii /mleːliː/ | ᒥᒋᐦᒋᕀ /mitʃihtʃij/ | ᒥᒋᒋᕀ /micicij/ | ninij /ninidʒ/ | ninj /nɪndʒ/ | otcitcinan /otʃitʃinan/ | onehkeh /onehkeh/ |
| Foot | nzíit /nziːt/ | ᒥᓯᐟ /misit/ | ᒥᓯᐟ /misit/ | nizid /nizid/ | ozid /ozid/ | osit /osit/ | osēt /oseːt/ |
| Heart | ulehyii /ulehjiː/ | ᒥᑌᐦ /miteːh/ | ᒥᑌᐦ /miteːh/ | odeʼ /odeʔ/ | odè /ɔdeː/ | otehinan /otehinan/ | otēh /oteːh/ |
| Bone | wakan /wakan/ | ᒥᐢᑲᐣ /miskan/ | ᒥᐢᑲᐣ /miskan/ | okan /okan/ | okan /okan/ | oskaninan /oskaninan/ | ohkan /ohkan/ |
| Blood | mokw /mokʷ/ | ᒥᐦᑯ /mihko/ | ᒥᐦᑯ /mihko/ | miskwi /miskwi/ | miskwi /miskwi/ | miko /miko/ | meskoh /mɛskoh/ |
| Love | ahóoluw /ahoːluw/ | ᓵᑭᐦᐃᐍᐏᐣ /saːkihiweːwin/ | ᓵᑭᐦᐃᐍᐃᐧᐣ /saːkihiweːwin/ | zaagiʼiwewin /zaːɡiʔiweːwin/ | sàgiʼà /saːɡiʔaː/ | sakihiwewin /sakihiwewin/ | kesāenemāew /kesaːenemaːew/ |
| Tree | hìttuk /hitːuk/ | ᒥᐢᑎᐠ /mistik/ | ᒥᐢᑎᐠ /mistik/ | mitig /mitiɡ/ | mitig /mɪtɪɡ/ | mictikw /miʃtikʷ/ | metekoh /metekoh/ |
| Dog | mwáakaneew /mwaːkaneːw/ | ᐊᑎᒼ /atim/ | ᐊᑎᒼ /atim/ | animosh /animoʃ/ | animosh /anɪmɔʃ/ | atimw /atimʷ/ | anēm /aneːm/ |
| Cat | póshiis /poʃiːs/ | ᒥᓅᐢ /minoːs/ | ᒥᓅᐢ /minoːs/ | gaazhagens /ɡaːʒaɡens/ | — /—/ | minoc /minoʃ/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | names /names/ | ᑭᓄᓭᐤ /kinoseːw/ | ᑭᓄᓭᐤ /kinoseːw/ | giigoonh /ɡiːɡõː/ | kikons /kiɡons/ | names /names/ | namēs /nameːs/ |
| Bird | awehléeshoosh /awehleːʃoːʃ/ | ᐱᔦᓰᐢ /pijeːsiːs/ | ᐱᔦᓰᐢ /pijeːsiːs/ | bineshiinh /bineʃĩː/ | — | pirecic /piɾeʃiʃ/ | — |
| Egg | wáhwal /wahwal/ | ᐚᐎ /waːwi/ | ᐚᐏ /waːwi/ | waawan /waːwan/ | — | waw /waw/ | — |
| Bear | maxkw /maxkʷ/ | ᒪᐢᑿ /maskwa/ | ᒪᐢᑿ /maskwa/ | makwa /makwa/ | makwa /makwa/ | masko /masko/ | awǣhsaeh /awæːhsæh/ |
| House | wíikwam /wiːkwam/ | ᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ /waːskahikan/ | ᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ /waːskahikan/ | wiigiwaam /wiːɡiwaːm/ | wàkàigan /waːkaːiɡan/ | mikiwam /mikiwam/ | wīkewam /wiːkewam/ |
| Salt | shíiwang /ʃiːwaŋ/ | ᓰᐑᐦᑖᑲᐣ /siːwiːhtaːkan/ | ᓰᐑᐦᑖᑲᐣ /siːwiːhtaːkan/ | zhiiwitaagan /ʒiːwitaːɡan/ | shìwitàgan /ʃiːwitaːɡan/ | ciwotakan /ʃiwotakan/ | sēwehtākan /seːwehtaːkan/ |
| Eat | mit /mit/ | ᒦᒋᓱᐤ /miːtʃisow/ | ᒨᐍᐤ /moːweːw/ | wiisini /wiːsini/ | wìsini /wiːsɪni/ | mitciso /mitʃiso/ | mīcew /miːtʃew/ |
| Drink | mneew /mneew/ | ᒥᓂᐦᐠᐌᐤ /minihkweːw/ | ᒥᓂᐦᑴᐤ /minihkweːw/ | minikwe /minikwe/ | minikwe /mɪnɪkwe/ | minikwew /minikwew/ | menew /menew/ |
| One | ngwútii /ŋɡwutiː/ | ᐯᔭᐠ /peːjak/ | ᐯᔭᐠ /peːjak/ | bezhig /beʒiɡ/ | pejig /peʒɪɡ/ | peikw /pejkʷ/ | nekot /nekot/ |
| Two | niisha /niːʃa/ | ᓃᓱ /niːso/ | ᓃᓱ /niːso/ | niizh /niːʒ/ | niizh /niːʒ/ | nicw /niʃʷ/ | nīs /niːs/ |
| Three | nxáh /nxaːh/ | ᓂᐢᑐ /nisto/ | ᓂᐢᑐ /nisto/ | niswi /niswi/ | nisin /nisin/ | nicto /niʃto/ | nɛʔniw /nɛʔniw/ |
| Four | néewa /neːwa/ | ᓀᐓ /neːwo/ | ᓀᐓ /neːwo/ | niiwin /niːwin/ | niwin /niwin/ | new /new/ | nīw /niːw/ |
| Five | náalan /naːlan/ | ᓂᔮᓇᐣ /nijaːnan/ | ᓂᔮᓇᐣ /niːjaːnan/ | naanan /naːnan/ | naanan /naːnan/ | niaran /niaɾan/ | nyānan /njaːnan/ |
| Hundred | nkwətaːpóxkə /nkwətaːpoxkə/ | ᒥᑖᑕᐦᑐᒥᑕᓇᐤ /mitaːtahtomitanaw/ | ᒥᑖᑕᐦᑐᒥᑕᓇᐤ /mitaːtahtomitanaw/ | ingodwaak /inɡodwaːk/ | — | mitato mitana /mitato mitana/ | — |
| Hello | hé /heː/ | ᑖᓂᓯ /taːnisi/ | ᑖᓂᓯ /taːnisi/ | boozhoo /boːʒoː/ | Kwe /kwe/ | kwei /kwej/ | posoh /posoh/ |
| Thank you | wanìshi /waniʃi/ | ᑭᓇᓈᐢᑯᒥᑎᐣ /kinanaːskomitin/ | ᐦᐊᕀ ᐦᐊᕀ /haj haj/ | miigwech /miːɡʷetʃ/ | Migwech /mɪɡwetʃ/ | mikwetc /mikwetʃ/ | wāēwāēnen /waːeːwaːeːnen/ |
| Good | weltóok /weltoːk/ | ᒥᔫ /mijoː/ | ᒥᔼᓯᐣ /mijwaːsin/ | mino /mino/ | mino /mɪnɔ/ | mirwacin /miɾwaʃin/ | menwāewen /menwaːewen/ |
| Red | maxkeew /maxkeːw/ | ᒥᐦᒁᐤ /mihkwaːw/ | ᒥᐦᒁᐤ /mihkwaːw/ | miskwaa /miskwaː/ | miskwa /miskwa/ | mikwaw /mikwaw/ | mɛhkon /mɛhkon/ |
| White | waapeew /waːpeːw/ | ᐚᐱᐢᑳᐤ /waːpiskaːw/ | ᐚᐱᐢᑳᐤ /waːpiskaːw/ | waabishkaa /waːbiʃkaː/ | wàbà /waːbaː/ | wapaw /wapaw/ | — |
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