Familiar phrases

to facilitate conversation in the Indian language.

(Wikwemikong, 1872)

9. On travelling by Land in the Indian country (in winter).

When shall we start?

Anin api ge madjaiang?

[Aaniin apii ge-maajaayang?]

We shall soon start, prepare.

Jaigwa waiba ki ga madjami ojitan.

[Azhigwa wayiiba giga-maajaamin, oozhiitaan.]

I am preparing, I am about.

Nind ojita, nind apitchita.

[Nindoozhiitaa, nindapiichitaa.]

Have you made my snow shoes?

Ki gi gijiag na nind agimag?

[Gigii-giizhi'aag na nindaagimag?]

Your snow shoes are not quite made. I made only the frame, but they are not filled.

Kid agimag kawin mashi apitchi gijitchigasossiwag, nin gi waginag eta kawin dash asakimasossiwag.

[Gidaagimag gaawiin mashi apiichi-giizhichigaazosiiwag...]

Are my moccasins made?

Nin makisinan na gi gijitchigadewan?

[Nimakizinan na gii-giizhichigaadewan?]

Yes, my sister made them.

E, nimisse o gi ojitonan.

[En', nimise ogii-ozhitoonan.]

She made one pair, two pair, three pair, four pair, &.

Ningotwewan, nijwewan, nisswewan, niwewan o gi-ojitonan.

[Ningodwewaan, niizhwewaan, niswewaan, niiwewaan ogii-ozhitoonan.]

I brought also nips (foot rags) one pair, two pair & for your use.

Ajiganan gaie nin gi-bidonan, ningotwewan, nijwewan kin gedaioian.

[Azhiganan gaye ningii-biidoonan, ningodwewaan, niizhwewaan & giin ged-ayooyan]

And my mittens?

Nin mandjikawanag dash?

[Niminjikaawanag dash?]

Aha! I forgot them. I will get them.

Ishte! nin gi-wanikenag, nin ga-nanag.

[Ishte! Ningii-waniikenaag, ninga-naanaag.]

We will start on Monday.

Gi-ishkwa-anamiegijigak sa ki ga madjamin.

[Gii-ishkwaa-anami'e-giizhigak sa giga-maajaamin.]

We will star in two days, in three days, in four days.

Nijogwanagak, nissogwanagak, niogwananagak ki ga-madjamin.

[Niizhogonagak, nisogonagak, niiwogonagak giga-maajaamin.]

What provisions shall we take for our voyage?

Wegonen dash ged-ani-nawapoiang?

[Wegonen dash ged-ani-nawapoyang?]

We will take some pork and flour, we will also take some meat.

Kokosh, pakwejigan gaie ki ga nawapomin, wiias gaie ki ga nawapomin.

[Gookoosh, bakwezhigan gaye giga-nawapomin, wiiyaas gaye giga-nawapomin.]

Is that pork cooked; and is the flour baked into bread; is the meat cooked?

Minosso na aw kokosh, pagwejigan gaie; minode na wiias?

[Minozo na aw gookoosh, bakwezhigan gaye, minode na wiiyaas?]

Not yet, the after to-morrow, my sister will cook the pork and bake the bread, and cook the meat.

Kawin mashi; awasswabang nimisse o ga minoswan kokoshan pakwejigan gaie; wiias gaie o ga-minossan.

[Gaawiin mashi. Awas-waabang nimise oga-minozwan gookooshan bakwezhiganan gaye, wiiyaas gaye oga-minozaan.]

Well let us start.

Ambe, madjada.

[Ambe maajaadaa.]

I will tie up my pack.

Nin wi takobiton nin bimiwanan.

[Niwii-dakobidoon nimbimiwanaan.]

Oho! my pack is very heavy.

Ataia! kitchi kosigwan nin bimiwanan.

[Atayaa! Gichi-gozigwan nimbimiwanaan.]

Do you carry all we shall need?

Ki madjiton na kakina ge wiaioiang?

[Gimaajiidoon na gakina ge-wii-ayooyang?]

I think, I have all, a little kettle, little dishes, knives, a hatchet.

Mi go kakina nind inendam, akikons, onagansan, mokomanan, wagakwadons.

[Mii go gakina nindinendam, akikoons, onaagaansan, mookomaanan, waagaakwadoons.]

Did you not forget any thing?

Kawin na gego ki wanikessi.

[Gaawiin na gegoo giwaniikesii?]

Have you any matches?

Ishkotensan na gaie kid aianan?

[Ishkodensan na gaye gidayaanan?]

Yes, they are here. Let us go.

E, atewan. Madjada.

[En', atewan. Maajaadaa.]

We go too fast. We go too slow.

Osam ki kijikamin. Osam ki besikamin.

[Onzaam gigizhiikaamin. Onzaam gibezikaamin.]

We don't go the right direction; there, there!

Kawin gwaiak kid ani ijassimin; wedi gosha!

[Gaawiin gwayak gid-ani-izhaasiimin. Iwedi gosha!]

O yes indeed! I almost went astray.

Ishte geget! gega nin gi-wanishin.

[Ishte geget! Gegaa ningii-wanishin.]

Hold on! I will drink some water here. I am very thirsty.

Beka! nin wi minikwen nibi oma nin kitchi gasskanabagwe.

[Bekaa! Niwii-minikwen nibi omaa. Ningichi-gaskanabaagwe.]

I am sweating so much.

Nin kitchi abwes.

[Ningichi-abwez.]

Don't drink too much water, and don't eat any snow or you will be tired very soon.

Kego osam nibiwa nibi minikweken, kego gaie gon amwaken gonima waiba ki gad-aiekos.

[Gego onzaam niibiwa nibi minikweken, gego gaye goon amwaaken, gonimaa wayiiba gigad-ayekoz.]

Is there a road along where we are going?

Mikanawan na ejaiang?

[Miikanawan na ezhaayang?]

There is indeed a road, but it shows very little; it has snowed too much of late.

Anawi mikanawan, agawa dash nagwad; osam gi sogipo anomaia.

[Aanawi miikanawan, agaawaa dash naagwad. Onzaam gii-zoogipo naanoomaya.]

Why! Are you tired?

Anin! Kid aiekos na?

[Aaniin! Gidayekoz na?]

I am not tired I walk easily.

Kawin nind aiekosissi, nin mino-bimosse.

[Gaawiin nindayekozisii, nimino-bimose.]

Walking is good here, it is a fine place, there is no underwood here.

Mino bimossewinagad oma, onijishin jibeiamagad.

[Mino-bimosewinagad omaa, onizhishin, zhiibeyaamagad.]

But there is much underwood, it is bad walking indeed.

Oma dash kitchi sasaga, geget sanagad bimosseng.

[Omaa dash gichi-zazagaa, geget zanagad bimoseng.]

The snow is soft, the snow is deep.

Jagagonaga, ishpagonaga.

[Zhakaagonagaa. Ishpaagonagaa.]

There is no road here; we will go astray.

Kawin oma mikanawansinon; ki ga wanishinimin.

[Gaawiin omaa miikanawanzinoon. Giga-wanishinimin.]

We are already gone astray, that is very bad.

Mi jaigwa gi wanishinang, geget sanagad.

[Mii azhigwa gii-wanishinang, geget zanagad.]

Stop, I will look for the road.

Beka, nin ga nandonean mikana.

[Bekaa, ninga-nandone'aan miikana.]

Here it is, come here!

Mi oma, ondass!

[Mii omaa, ondaas!]

It is now noon. Let us dine.

Jaigwa naokweg. Wissinida.

[Azhigwa naawakweg. Wiisinidaa.]

Well, I will make fire; we will make some tea.

Haw, nin ga bodawe; anibishabo ki gad ojitomin.

[Aahaaw, ninga-boodawe. Aniibiishaaboo gigad-ozhitoomin.]

I am a little tired.

Nawatch nind aiekos.

[Nawaj nindayekoz.]

At the same time I have a pain in one of my legs.

Baietosh nind akosin bejig nikad.

[Baietosh(?) nindaakozin bezhig nikaad.]

We shall not walk far now, evening is approaching. Kawin wassa ki ga bimossessimin; jaigwa ani onagoshi.

[Gaawiin waasaa giga-bimosesiimin. Azhigwa ani-onaagoshi.]

Where shall we camp?

Anindi ge gabeshiiang?

[Aaniindi ge-gabeshiyang?]

Let us camp here; this is a fine place.

Oma gabeshida; onijishin oma.

[Omaa gabeshidaa. Onizhishin omaa.]

There is much snow, the snow is deep.

Geget agonika. ishpagonaga, kitchi nibiwa agon.

[Geget goonikaa. Ishpaagonagaa, gichi-niibiwa goon.]

I must throw out much snow to make a camp.

Kitchi nibiwa gon nin ga webina tchi ojitoian gabeshiwin.

[Gichi-niibiwa goon ninga-webinaa ji-ozhitooyaan gabeshiwin.]

I will take, or break boughs; I will take many, in order to make a good bed.

Jingobig nin ga mamag (nin wi bokobinag) nibiwa nin wi mamag weweni tchi apishimonikeiang.

[Zhingobiig ninga-mamaag (niwii-bookobinaag) niibiwa niwii-mamaag weweni ji-apishimonikeyang.]

Friend, chop much wood it will perhaps be cold to night.

Nibiwa manissen nidji, ta kissinamagad ganabatch tibikak.

[Niibiwa manisen niijii, da-gisinaamagad ganabaj dibikak.]

So much wood will be enough.

Mi wi ge debisseg missan.

[Mii iw ge-debiseg misan.]

Let us make fire.

Bodaweda.

[Boodawedaa.]

Let us cook. Let us eat.

Tchibakweda. Wissinida.

[Jiibaakwedaa. Wiisinidaa.]

Hang up my moccasins and my nips to dry.

Agodon nin makisinan, nind ajiganan gaie tchi bateg.

[Agoodoon nimakizinan, nindazhiganan gaye ji-baateg.]

Let us lie down the night is advanced.

Gawishimoda jaigwa ishpitibikad.

[Gawishimodaa azhigwa ishpi-dibikad.]

Holoo! let us get up; the day break will soon appear.

Ambe! onishkada; jaigwa gega ta waban.

[Ambe! Onishkaadaa. Azhigwa gegaa da-waaban.]

My moccasins and nips have dried well.

Weweni gi-batewan nin makisinan, nind ajiganan gaie.

[Weweni gii-baatewan nimakizinan, nindazhiganan gaye.]

Let us start.

Madjada.

[Maajaadaa.]

Is it far yet where we are going?

Wassa na keiabi ejaiang?

[Waasaa na geyaabi ezhaayang?]

We will have to sleep twice more. that is this evening and to-morrow and the day after to-morrow we will arrive.

Keiabi nijing ki gad ani nibamin. mi sa nongom onagoshig wabang gaie; awasswabang dash ki ga dagwishinimin.

[Geyaabi niizhing gigad-ani-nibaamin. Mii sa noongom onaagoshig waabang gaye. Awas-waabang dash giga-dagoshinimin.]

We are walking smartly all day.

Weweni ki bimosemin kabe-gijig.

[Weweni gibimosemin gabe-giizhig.]

Now the sun will soon set.

Jaigwa gega pangishimo gisiss.

[Azhigwa gegaa bangishimo giizis.]

Let us camp.

Gabeshida.

[Gabeshidaa.]

We have gone far to day.

Wassa nongom ki gi dagwishinimin.

[Waasaa noongom gigii-dagoshinimin.]

Let us make a good camp again.

Weweni minawa ojitoda gabeshiwin.

[Weweni miinawaa ozhitoodaa gabeshiwin.]

Let us get up and start.

Onishkada madjada.

[Onishkaadaa, maajaadaa.]

If we walk very fast, we will see this evening the house we are going to.

Kishpin apitchi kijikaiang nongom onagoshig ki ga wabandamin wakaigan ejaiang.

[Giishpin apiichi-gizhiikaayang noongom onaagoshig giga-waabandaamin waakaa'igan ezhaayang.]

I will be very glad to reach the house to day.

Nin da kitchi minwendam tchi oditaman wakaigan nongom.

[Nindaa-gichi-nimwendam ji- oditamaan waakaa'igan noongom.]

The house is near now; two miles more.

Jaigwa beshowad wakaigan; keiabi nijo dibaban.

[Azhigwa beshowad waakaa'igan; geyaabi niizho-diba'igan.]

There is the house.

Mi wedi wakaigan.

[Mii iwidi waakaa'igan.]

I am very glad.

Nin kitchi minwendam.

[Ningichi-minwendam.]