Hoocąk
Ho-Chunk
Siouan
Ho-Chunk (Hoocąk, also called Winnebago) is a Siouan language traditionally spoken in Wisconsin and Nebraska by members of the Ho-Chunk Nation and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. Fewer than 250 speakers remain, including only several dozen fully fluent elders, and Glottolog classifies the language as endangered and shifting. Ho-Chunk has rich verbal person marking, relatively flexible word order with a basic SOV structure, nasal vowels, and a regular accent system. Community orthographies use Latin letters with marks such as ogoneks for nasal vowels; Wisconsin and Nebraska conventions differ in some details. Tribal language departments, dictionaries, classes, apprentice programs, and teaching materials support active revitalization.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Ho-Chunk
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Siouan
| Meaning | Ho-Chunk | Dakota | Osage | Lakota | Irula | Menominee | Akkadian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nįį /nĩː/ | mní /mní/ | ni /ni/ | mní /mní/ | nīr /niːɾ/ | nepāew /nəpaːew/ | 𒀀 /muː/ |
| Fire | peec /peːtʃ/ | phéta /pʰéta/ | péje /péʒe/ | pȟéta /pˣéta/ | tī /tiː/ | eskotēw /eskoteːw/ | 𒉈𒌋 /iʃaːtu/ |
| Sun | wira /ˈwiɾa/ | aŋpétuwí /aŋpétuwí/ | mį́ /mĩ́/ | wí /wí/ | čūriyen /tʃuːɾijen/ | kēsoq /keːsoʔ/ | 𒀭𒌓 /ʃamʃu/ |
| Moon | hąąhewira /hãːhewiɾa/ | haŋyétuwí /haŋjétuwí/ | mį́ hǫ́bre /mĩ́ hṍbɾe/ | haŋhépi wí /haŋhépi wí/ | niḷā /niɭaː/ | tepāhkēsoq /tepaːhkeːsoʔ/ | 𒌗 /warχu/ |
| Star | wiragošge /wiɾaɡoʃɡe/ | wičaȟpi /witʃaχpi/ | mikákʼe /mikákʔe/ | wičháȟpi /witʃʰáχpi/ | naṭčattiram /naʈtʃatːiɾam/ | anaeq /anæʔ/ | 𒀯 /kakːabu/ |
| Night | hąąhe /hãːhe/ | haŋyetu /hãjetu/ | hą́ /hã́/ | haŋhépi /hãhépi/ | ravu /ravu/ | tepāhkeh /tepaːhkeh/ | 𒈬𒋗 /muːʃu/ |
| Rain | nįžú /nĩʒu/ | maǧažu /maɣaʒu/ | — | maǧážu /maɣáʒu/ | — | — | 𒍪𒌦𒉡 /ˈzunnu/ |
| Snow | waa /waː/ | wá /wá/ | pá /pá/ | wá /wá/ | — | kōn /koːn/ | 𒊭𒀠𒄖 /ʃalɡu/ |
| Wind | caac /tʃaːtʃ/ | tate /tateˀ/ | — | tȟaté /tʰaˈte/ | — | — | 𒊭𒀀𒊒 /ʃaːru/ |
| Earth | mąą /mãː/ | makȟá /makʰá/ | mąðį́hka /mãðĩ́hka/ | makȟá /maˈkʰa/ | — | ahkēw /ahkeːw/ | 𒅕𒍢𒌅 /ˈersˤetu/ |
| Stone | įnį /ĩnĩ/ | íŋyaŋ /ĩ́jã/ | — | íŋyaŋ /ˈĩjã/ | kal /kal/ | aqsan /aʔsan/ | 𒀊𒉡 /abnu/ |
| Mountain | xee /xeː/ | ȟé /χé/ | — | ȟé /χé/ | — | wacēw /watʃeːw/ | 𒆳 /ʃaduː/ |
| Sea | teeją́ /teːˈdʒã/ | mniwáŋča /mniwã́tʃa/ | — | mniwáŋča /mniwã́tʃa/ | — | kaeqcekam /kæʔtʃekam/ | 𒀀𒀊𒁀 /tiaːmtu/ |
| Mother | hiʼųnį́ /hiʔũnĩ/ | iná /iná/ | iną́ /inã́/ | iná /iná/ | ammā /amːaː/ | nekīah /nekiːah/ | 𒌝𒈬 /umːu/ |
| Father | jáji /dʒadʒi/ | até /até/ | indáce /indátse/ | até /até/ | ayyā /ajːaː/ | nōhnāeh /noːhnaːeh/ | 𒀊 /abu/ |
| Daughter | hinųkáxjį /hinũˈkaxdʒĩ/ | čuŋkší /tʃũkʃí/ | wižǫ́ke /wiʒṍke/ | čhuŋwíŋtku /tʃʰuŋwíŋtku/ | — | — | 𒈥𒌅 /maːrtu/ |
| I | nee /neː/ | miyé /mijé/ | wíe /wíe/ | miyé /mijé/ | nānu /naːnu/ | nenah /nɛnah/ | 𒀀𒈾𒆪 /anaːku/ |
| You | nee /neː/ | niyé /nijé/ | ðíe /ðíe/ | niyé /nijé/ | nī /niː/ | kenah /kɛnah/ | 𒀜𒋫 /atːa/ |
| We | nee /neː/ | uŋkiyepi /ũkijepi/ | ąkóta /ãkóta/ | uŋkíyepi /ũkíjepi/ | nāvu /naːvu/ | kenaq / nenaq /kɛnaʔ / nɛnaʔ/ | 𒉌𒉡 /niːnu/ |
| Name | raš /raʃ/ | čažé /tʃaʒé/ | žáže /ʒáʒe/ | čhažé /tʃʰaʒé/ | pēru /peːɾu/ | -esian /ɛsian/ | 𒈬 /ʃumu/ |
| Person | wąąkšík /wãːkˈʃik/ | — | — | — | — | — | 𒀀𒉿𒈝 /awiːlu/ |
| Head | nąąsu /nãːˈsu/ | phá /pʰá/ | — | natá /naˈta/ | — | — | 𒊕𒆕 /qaqːadu/ |
| Eye | hišjasu /hiʃdʒasu/ | ištá /iʃtá/ | ištá /iʃtá/ | ištá /iʃtá/ | kaṇṇ /kaɳː/ | oskēsek /oskeːsek/ | 𒅆 /iːnu/ |
| Ear | nąącawa /nãːtʃawa/ | nuŋǧe /nũɣe/ | — | núŋǧe /nṹɣe/ | kādu /kaːdu/ | — | 𒍑𒉡 /ˈuznu/ |
| Nose | paa /paː/ | phasú /pʰasú/ | — | pȟasú /pˣasú/ | mūku /muːku/ | — | 𒀊𒁍 /appu/ |
| Mouth | ii /iː/ | í /í/ | — | í /í/ | vāyi /vaːji/ | — | 𒅗 /puː/ |
| Tooth | hii /hiː/ | hi /hi/ | hi /hi/ | hi /hi/ | pallu /palːu/ | wēpet /weːpet/ | 𒅆𒅔𒉡 /ʃinːu/ |
| Tongue | reezí /reːzi/ | čeži /tʃeʒi/ | ðéže /ðéʒe/ | čhejí /tʃʰeʒí/ | nāku /naːku/ | tēnaniw /teːnaniw/ | 𒇷𒊭𒉡 /liʃaːnu/ |
| Hand | nąąp /nãːp/ | napé /naˈpe/ | nǫbé /nũbé/ | napé /napé/ | kayyu /kajːu/ | onehkeh /onehkeh/ | 𒋗 /qaːtu/ |
| Foot | sii /siː/ | sihá /sihá/ | si /si/ | sihá /sihá/ | kālu /kaːlu/ | osēt /oseːt/ | 𒄊 /ʃeːpu/ |
| Heart | nąącge /nãːtʃɡe/ | čhaŋté /tʃʰaŋté/ | náⁿʒe /nã́ʒe/ | čhaŋté /tʃʰaŋté/ | idayam /idajam/ | otēh /oteːh/ | 𒇷𒅁 /libːu/ |
| Bone | huušerek /huːʃerek/ | huhú /huhú/ | wahú /wahú/ | hohú /hohú/ | elumbu /elumbu/ | ohkan /ohkan/ | 𒂊𒍢𒅎𒌅 /esˤemtu/ |
| Blood | waʼí /waʔi/ | we /we/ | wapi /wapĩ/ | wé /wé/ | netaru /netaru/ | meskoh /mɛskoh/ | 𒁕𒈬 /daːmu/ |
| Poop | wakere /wakeɾe/ | čhesdí /tʃʰesdí/ | — | čheslí /tʃʰeslí/ | — | — | 𒍪𒌑 /zuː/ |
| Love | woxéte /woˈxete/ | thečhíȟida /tʰetʃʰíχida/ | ðakʰíðe /ðakʰíðe/ | thečhíȟila /tʰetʃʰíxila/ | kāhal /kaːhal/ | kesāenemāew /kesaːenemaːew/ | 𒊏𒄠 /raːmu/ |
| Tree | ną /nã/ | čháŋ /tʃʰáŋ/ | žą́ /ʒã́/ | čháŋ /tʃʰáŋ/ | maram /maɾam/ | metekoh /metekoh/ | 𒄑 /isˤu/ |
| Dog | šųk /ʃũk/ | šúŋka /ʃúŋka/ | šǫ́ke /ʃṍke/ | šúŋka /ʃúŋka/ | nāyi /naːji/ | anēm /aneːm/ | 𒌨𒁇 /kalbu/ |
| Cat | wijúk /wiˈdʒuk/ | igmúŋ /iɡmúŋ/ | įgðǫíka /ĩɡðũíka/ | igmúŋke /iɡmúŋke/ | pūne /puːne/ | — /—/ | 𒋗𒊏𒉡 /ʃuraːnu/ |
| Fish | hoo /hoː/ | hogan /hoɣã/ | ho /ho/ | hogán /hoɣã́/ | mīn /miːn/ | namēs /nameːs/ | 𒄩 /nuːnu/ |
| Bird | wanįk /wanĩk/ | zitkána /zitˈkana/ | wažį́ka /waʒĩ́ka/ | ziŋtkála /zĩˈtkala/ | — | — | 𒅖𒍪𒊒 /isˤsˤuːru/ |
| Butterfly | mįįmįké /mĩːmĩˈke/ | kímama /kímama/ | — | kimímila /kimímila/ | — | mīmīkwǣw /miːmiːkwæːw/ | — |
| Egg | hiicgé /hiːˈtʃɡe/ | witka /witˈka/ | hpáata /hpáːta/ | witká /witˈka/ | muṭṭe /muʈːe/ | — | 𒉭 /peːlu/ |
| Bear | hų́ųc /hũːtʃ/ | mathó /matʰó/ | wasápe /wasápe/ | matȟó /matʰó/ | — | awǣhsaeh /awæːhsæh/ | 𒊍 /asu/ |
| Horse | šųųkxéte /ʃũːˈkxete/ | — | káwa /káwa/ | šúŋkawakȟáŋ /ʃúŋkawakʰáŋ/ | — | — | 𒀲𒆳𒊏 /sisuː/ |
| House | cii /tʃiː/ | thípi /tʰípi/ | cí /tsí/ | thípi /tʰípi/ | vīḍu /viːɖu/ | wīkewam /wiːkewam/ | 𒂍 /biːtu/ |
| Milk | ceewáznį /tʃeːˈwaznĩ/ | asáŋpi /asã́pi/ | paazénii /paːzéniː/ | asáŋpi /aˈsãpi/ | pāl /paːl/ | — | 𒅆𒅖𒁍 /ʃizbu/ |
| Honey | heezík tanįžú /heːˈzik tanĩˈʒu/ | — | — | tȟuȟmáǧa čhaŋháŋpi /tʰuχmáɣa tʃʰaŋháŋpi/ | tēnu /teːnu/ | — | 𒁲𒅖𒁍 /diʃpu/ |
| Salt | nįįsgú /nĩːsˈɡu/ | mniskúya /mniskúja/ | niskúðe /niskúðe/ | mniskúya /mniskúja/ | — | sēwehtākan /seːwehtaːkan/ | 𒋰𒌅 /tˤaːbtu/ |
| Wine | haaznį́ /haːzˈnĩ/ | mníša /mníʃa/ | — | mníša /mníʃa/ | — | — | 𒅗𒊏𒉡 /karaːnu/ |
| Rice | sįį /sĩː/ | psíŋ /psĩ́/ | — | psíŋ /psíŋ/ | — | manōmaeh /manoːmæh/ | — |
| Iron | mą́ąs /mãːs/ | máza /máza/ | — | máza /máza/ | — | — | 𒁇𒍣𒅋𒇻 /parzillu/ |
| Wheel | hogís /hoˈɡis/ | čhaŋhdéska /tʃʰaŋhdéska/ | — | — | — | — | 𒈠𒃻𒊒 /maɡarru/ |
| Silk | zeeną́ba /zeːˈnãba/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Book | wagáx /waˈɡax/ | wówapi /wówapi/ | — | wówapi /wówapi/ | — | masēnahekan /maseːnahekan/ | — |
| Eat | waruc /waˈɾutʃ/ | yúta /júta/ | ðatʰé /ðatʰé/ | yúta /júta/ | činnu /tʃinːu/ | mīcew /miːtʃew/ | 𒀀𒅗𒇻 /akaːlu/ |
| Drink | racgą /ratʃɡã/ | yatkáŋ /jatkáŋ/ | iðátʰǫ /iðátʰũ/ | yatkáŋ /jatkáŋ/ | kuḍi /kuɖi/ | menew /menew/ | 𒊮𒌅 /ʃatuː/ |
| Sleep | nąą /nãː/ | ištíma /iʃtíma/ | — | ištíma /iʃˈtima/ | rongu /roŋɡu/ | nepāw /nepaːw/ | 𒍝𒆷𒇻 /sˤalaːlu/ |
| One | hižą́kira /hiʒɐ̃ˈkiɾa/ | waŋžidaŋ /waŋʒidaŋ/ | wį́xci /wĩ́xtsi/ | waŋží /waŋʒí/ | onnu /onːu/ | nekot /nekot/ | 𒁹 /iʃteːn/ |
| Two | nųųp /nũːp/ | nųpa /nũpa/ | ðóⁿba /ðṍba/ | núŋpa /nṹpa/ | reṇḍu /reɳɖu/ | nīs /niːs/ | 𒈫 /ʃina/ |
| Three | taaní /taːni/ | yamni /jamni/ | ðaabrį /ðaːbrĩ/ | yámni /jámni/ | mūnru /muːnɾu/ | nɛʔniw /nɛʔniw/ | 𒐈 /ʃalaːʃ/ |
| Four | joop /dʒoːp/ | tópa /tópa/ | topa /topa/ | tópa /tópa/ | nālu /naːlu/ | nīw /niːw/ | 𒐉 /erbe/ |
| Five | saacą /saːtʃã/ | záptaŋ /záptã/ | sáhta /sáhta/ | záptaŋ /záptã/ | anju /aɲdʒu/ | nyānan /njaːnan/ | 𒄩𒈩 /χamiʃ/ |
| Hundred | hogihí /hoɡihi/ | opáwiŋǧe /opáwĩɣe/ | — | opáwiŋǧe /opáwĩʁe/ | nūru /nuːɾu/ | — | 𒈨𒀜 /meʔat/ |
| Hello | haho /haho/ | háu /háu/ | Háwe /háwe/ | háu /háu/ | vannakkam /vanːakːam/ | posoh /posoh/ | 𒁲 /ʃulmu/ |
| Thank you | pįnagigi /pĩnaɡiɡi/ | pidámayaye /pidámajaje/ | Wíbthaxube /wíbðaxube/ | philámayaye /pʰilámajaje/ | nanri /nanɾi/ | wāēwāēnen /waːeːwaːeːnen/ | 𒁲𒌅 /taʃlimtu/ |
| Good | pįį /pĩː/ | wašté /waʃté/ | ðą́ /ðã́/ | wašté /waʃté/ | nalla /nalːa/ | menwāewen /menwaːewen/ | 𒄭𒄀 /damqu/ |
| New | ceek /tʃeːk/ | téča /tétʃa/ | — | tȟéča /tʰétʃa/ | — | — | 𒉋 /eʃːu/ |
| Red | šuuc /ʃuːtʃ/ | šá /ʃa/ | žúce /ʒútse/ | šá /ʃa/ | sikappu /sikappu/ | mɛhkon /mɛhkon/ | 𒊓𒀀𒈬 /saːmu/ |
| White | ska /ska/ | ska /ska/ | ska /ska/ | ská /ská/ | — | — | 𒌓 /pesˤuː/ |
| Black | seep /seːp/ | sápa /sápa/ | — | sápa /sápa/ | — | — | 𒍝𒀠𒈬 /sˤalmu/ |
| Green | coo /tʃoː/ | tȟó /txó/ | mąhį́ htóho /mãhĩ́ htóho/ | tȟózi /ˈtxozi/ | — | — | 𒅊 /warqu/ |
| Blue | coo /tʃoː/ | tȟó /txó/ | htóho /htóho/ | tȟó /txó/ | — | — | — |
| Tea | nąąʼáp /nãːˈʔap/ | waȟpe /waχpe/ | — | waȟpé /waχpé/ | — | — | — |
| Coffee | taaxú /taːˈxu/ | pežuta sapa /peʒuta sapa/ | mąhkása /mãhkása/ | wakȟályapi /wakˣáljapi/ | — | — | — |
| Sugar | taanį́žu /taːˈnĩʒu/ | čaŋhaŋpi /tʃaŋhaŋpi/ | — | čhaŋháŋpi /tʃʰãhã́pi/ | — | — | — |
| Orange | wažązí /waʒãˈzi/ | — | — | tȟaspáŋzi /tʰaspã́zi/ | — | — | — |
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