Miscellaneous Translations
#socialisolation Terms for Online Family Feud-type Game (March 27, 2020)
Biigtigong Nishnaabeg continue to support, encourage, and empower our community during this extremely challenging time of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
In the spirit of faciltating social isolation while also facilitating community member wellness, Amy Michano and the entire staff of Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Endzhi-gkinoohmaading (Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Elementary School) are providing – among many other fun and uplifting activities – online, Family Feud-type games for community members.
To continue assisting with the efforts to incorporate Biigtigong’s dialect of Nishnaabemwin into online, social isolation activities, JoAnne Michano suggested that John Paul Montano provide the school with a list of Biigtigong-dialect terms.
All of the following terms are accompanied by audio in Biigtigong’s dialect of Nishnaabemwin and are all ready to go for the next round of online Nishnaabe-style Family Feud!
Haaw. Mnwendaagzidaa! 😀
~ Alright. Let’s have fun! 😀
Terms for Online Family Feud-type Game (March 27, 2020)
(1) Aaniin.
(a) I’m hungry.
(b) Hello.
(c) It’s springtime.
(d) Fishing net.
(2) Aandi wenjiiyan?
(a) Who makes the most bolish bannock in the whole village?
(b) What is your name?
(c) When are you leaving?
(d) Where are you from?
(3) Biigtigong n’doonjii.
(a) I’m missing Biigtigong.
(b) I’m going to Biigtigong.
(c) I’m from Biigtigong.
(d) I’m looking for Biigtigong.
(4) Biitoobiigong
(a) The Place of the Kissing Mooses
(b) Steel River
(c) Marathon
(d) Hattie Cove
(5) Zaagiing
(a) Rattlesnake Mountain
(b) Little Pic River
(c) Mouth of the Pic River
(d) Elementary School Playground
(6) kwe (singular) – kwewag (plural)
(a) woman – women
(b) child – children
(c) man – men
(d) father – fathers
(7) nini (singular) – ninwag (plural)
(a) woman – women
(b) man – men
(c) grandmother – grandmothers
(d) mother – mothers
(8) wesiinh (singular) – wesiinyag (plural)
(a) animal – animals
(b) canoe – canoes
(c) tent – tents
(d) buffalo wing – buffalo wings
(9) wakaan (singular) – (plural) wakaanag
(a) thunderbird – thunderbirds
(b) dumpling – dumplings
(c) prime rib – prime ribs
(d) domesticated animal – domesticated animals
(10) mooz (singular) – moozoog (plural)
(a) a fish – more than one fish
(b) a moose – more than one moose
(c) a kingfisher – more than one kingfisher
(d) a lynx – more than one lynx
(11) waabooz (singular) – waaboozoog (plural)
(a) rabbit – rabbits
(b) poplar tree – poplar trees
(c) beaver – beavers
(d) eagle – eagles
(12) bzhiw (singular) – bzhiwag (plural)
(a) partridge – partridges
(b) dog – dogs
(c) lynx – lynxes
(d) mouse – mice
(13) wiingwashk
(a) sweet grass
(b) sweet tea
(c) sweetheart
(d) sweet’n low
(14) semaa
(a) smudge bowl
(b) cedar
(c) tobacco
(d) sacred fire
(15) shkode (singular) – shkoden (plural)
(a) a net – more than one net
(b) a fire – more than one fire
(c) a dreamcatcher – more than one dreamcatcher
(d) a piece of flint – more than one piece of flint
(16) Gchigam
(a) Hattie Cove
(b) the Little Pic River
(c) the Pic River
(d) Lake Superior
(17) ziibii (singular) – ziibiin (plural)
(a) pond – ponds
(b) river – rivers
(c) cloud – clouds
(d) leaf – leaves
(18) giizis
(a) lightning
(b) fog
(c) sun
(d) sky
(19) dbiki-giizis
(a) moss
(b) dew
(c) sky
(d) moon
(20) jiimaan (singular) – jiimaanan (plural)
(a) a canoe – more than one canoe
(b) a snowshoe – more than one snowshoe
(c) a root – more than one root
(d) a trail – more than one trail
(21) mgizi (singular) – mgizwag (plural)
(a) Chicago Blackhawk – Chicago Blackhawks
(b) seagull – seagulls
(c) Toronto Blue Jay – Toronto Blue Jays
(d) bald eagle – bald eagles
(22) gniw (singular) – gniwag (plural)
(a) golden eagle – golden eagles
(b) Anaheim Duck – Anaheim Ducks
(c) Pittsburgh Penguin – Pittsburgh Penguins
(d) robin – robins
(23) gyaashk (singular) – gyaashkoog (plural)
(a) duck – ducks
(b) raven – ravens
(c) seagull – seagulls
(d) woodpecker – woodpeckers
(24) nimosh (singular) – nimshag (plural)
(a) a bear – more than one bear
(b) a pickerel – more than one pickerel
(c) a cat – more than one cat
(d) a dog – more than one dog
(25) waagosh (singular) – waagshag (plural)
(a) a fox – more than one fox
(b) a coyote – more than one coyote
(c) a wolf – more than one wolf
(d) a mink – more than one mink
(26) giingoo (singular) – giingooyag (plural)
(a) an owl – more than one owl
(b) a kingfisher – more than one kingfisher
(c) a fish – more than one fish
(d) a crow – more than one crow
(27) Maamkaadkamig!
(a) LOL!
(b) Amazing!
(c) It’s one o’clock!
(d) It’s cold in the wintertime!
(28) Mii gaa-gii-bwaadmaan.
(a) It’s what I dreamt of.
(b) It’s time to set net.
(c) It’s what Nishnaabeg do.
(d) It’s what the Toronto Blue Jays do.
(29) N’gii-mnongwaam.
(a) I enjoyed the meal.
(b) I slept well.
(c) I danced lots.
(d) I paddled hard.
(30) Wwiinge go nnoondeskde.
(a) I’m very grateful.
(b) I’m very happy.
(c) I’m very tired.
(d) I’m very hungry.