by Dr. Frank Waabu O'Brien, Aquidneck Indian Council
Human Beings and Family Relations |
Algonquian(∞ = oo as in food) |
Comment |
my mother |
nókas n∞kas nókace (Narr.) nítchwhaw (Narr.)
|
literally, I come from her. The different spellings show different ways it was said in different places (dialect difference). |
My late (deceased) mother |
nókasi |
absentative form reconstructed |
your mother (singular) |
kókas k∞kas |
different spellings show different ways it was said in different places (dialect difference) |
the mother of him or her |
ókasoh
|
obviative form |
her mother ? |
wútchēhwau wítchwhaw (Narr.) |
|
his late (deceased) mother |
oohkassuk |
absentative form Native spelling |
our mother |
nokasun |
reconstructed |
mother |
ókas |
giver of life on earth. The word ohke meaning earth, homeland, Mother Earth comes from the root for mother. |
a mother |
ókasu |
|
all mothers, motherhood |
ókasinneunk |
-unk plural form
|
any mother, a mother |
wutokasin wuttookāsin |
The different spellings show different ways it was said in different places (dialect difference) |
my father |
n∞sh nòsh (Narr.)
|
wutch negone n∞shik = I have come from my forefathers nookoosh "I have a father" (Mayhew) |
my late (deceased) father |
n∞shi |
absentative form nooksha = "My father that was (but now is not)", Mayhew |
your father (singular) |
k∞sh |
cuttso = "Have you a father?" (Mayhew) |
your late (deceased) father |
k∞shi |
absentative form
|
your father (plural) |
k∞sh∞ |
Biblical--God is Father to all |
his father |
oohskok (Mayhew) osh (Narr.) |
Roger Williams gives "a father" for osh |
the father of him or her |
∞shoh |
obviative form |
our father (plural) |
n∞shun |
appears in Lords Prayer |
our fathers (plural) |
nooshunnanog |
Native spelling |
our late (deceased) father |
n∞shinnon |
|
your late (deceased) father (singular) |
k∞shinnan |
absentative form Native spelling (authors translation) |
your late (deceased) fathers (plural) |
kooshinnanuk |
absentative form Native spelling (authors translation)
|
your forefathers (plural) |
negone kooshoowog |
|
our forefathers (plural) |
negone nooshunnōnuk |
|
a father |
osh (Narr.) |
see "his father" |
all fathers, fatherhood |
wut∞shinneunk |
-unk plural form
|
he who is a father |
wut∞shimau |
|
I am a married man |
nummittumwussissu |
Npaktam (Narr.) = I am divorced In mod. Amer. English, a sannup is a married Native American man. Spelled sanomp in historic times |
my husband |
nasuk |
obviously a woman speaking |
your husband (singular) |
kasuk |
|
your husbands (plural)
|
kahsukowoog |
refers to husbands of women; does not mean women with many husbands |
her husband |
wasukeh |
wussentam = he marries |
a husband |
wasŭkkion wasěkkien wsick (Narr.) |
The different spellings show different ways it was said in different places (dialect difference) |
a widower |
segaûo (Narr.) |
see a widow under WIFE |
"polygamy"[1] |
nquittócaw (Narr.) neesócaw (Narr.) sshócawaw (Narr.) yócawaw (Narr.) |
I have one wife I have 2 wives I have 3 wives I have 4 wives |
I am a married woman |
n∞wetauattam |
|
my wife |
nummittamwus noweéwo (Narr.) nullógana (Narr.)
|
obviously a man speaking waumaûsu = "she/he is loving"
|
my wives ? |
nummittamwussuog ? |
not sure of |
your wife (singular) |
kummittamwus cummíttamus (Narr.) coweéwo (Narr.) |
|
your wives (plural) |
kummittamwussog |
some men had more that one wife, but the word seems to mean the wives of all you men |
the wife of him |
ummittamwussoh |
nequt ∞kauau = he has one wife |
a wife |
mittamwus (or) mittumwussis weéwo (Narr.) wullógana (Narr.) |
ummittamwussu (or) ummittamwussuissu = he takes a wife; he takes as a wife |
any wife |
ummittamwussin |
|
a widow |
sekousq |
woman left behind |
widows (plural) |
sekousquaog |
|
Pregnant woman |
neechaw (Narr.) |
She is pregnant. paugctche nechawaw = she is already delivered. Kitummyi mes nechaw = She has just now delivered. |
my son |
nunnaumon |
|
my sons (plural) |
nunnaumonog |
wame nunnaumonunk = all my sons |
your son (singular) |
kenaumon kenômon |
The different spellings show different ways it was said in different places (dialect difference) |
your sons (plural)? |
kenaumononog |
not sure of |
the son of him/her |
wunnaumonuh |
obviative |
his/her sons (plural) |
wunnaumonuhog |
|
my grandson (my sons son--the son of my son") |
nunnaumon wunnaumonoh |
two words here obviative |
younger, youngest son |
muttásons |
-s implies diminutive |
our sons (plural) |
nunnaumonnanonog |
Native spelling |
a son, son of anyone |
wunnaumoniin |
|
a son of someone |
mukkatchouks |
In Narragansett, nummckquchucks = my son |
sons of someone (plural) |
mukkatchouksog |
|
my daughter |
nuttaun |
|
my daughter |
nuttaunes |
-es seems to be diminutive form |
my daughters (plural) |
nuttaunesog |
|
my mothers daughter |
wuttónoh n∞kas |
two words here obviative form |
my fathers daughter ? |
wuttónoh n∞sh |
not sure obviative form |
your daughter (singular) |
kuttaunes |
-es seems to be diminutive form |
the daughter of him or her |
wuttaunoh |
obviative form he begets or has a daughter, she bears a daughter = wuttneu (or) wuttauniyeu |
his daughter her daughter ? |
wuttaun |
not sure of her daughter |
his/her daughters (plural) |
wuttaunog |
|
our daughters (plural) |
nuttaunnónog |
|
a daughter, any daughter |
wuttaunin |
|
a second daughter |
noh adtóekit |
she who is next in age |
daughters (plural) |
wuttanog |
|
younger, youngest daughter |
muttásons |
|
all daughters, daughterhood |
wuttaunéunk |
-unk plural form
|
my brother (by birth) male speaking
|
neemat
|
used only by a man or male (a male says this of his brother)
|
my brother (by birth) female speaking |
neetompas |
used only by a woman or female (a female says this of her brother) |
my brothers (by birth) (plural) male speaking |
neematog |
used only by a man or male (a male says this of his brothers ). Word used also by Eliot to mean brethren |
my brothers (by birth) (plural) female speaking
|
neetompasog |
used only by a woman or female (a female says this of her brothers) |
my older brother |
nunnohtónukqus |
|
your brother (by birth) (singular) male speaking
|
keemat
|
a male is speaking about your brother (by birth, but used also as brethren by Eliot)
|
your brother ( by birth) (singular) female speaking |
keetompas |
a female is speaking about your brother (by birth) |
your brothers ( by birth) (plural) male speaking
|
keematog |
a male is speaking about your brothers (by birth , but used as brethren by Eliot) |
your brothers ( by birth) (plural) female speaking
|
keetompasog
|
a female is speaking about your brothers (by birth) |
your brothers (talking to more than one person about your brothers) |
kematt∞wóog |
your brethren in Eliot |
your older brother? |
kenohtônukqus |
not sure of |
his or her brother |
weetompas |
used by either sex for either sex, and may refer to a non-blood relation or of same wetu, longhouse or clan |
his/her brothers ( by birth) (plural) |
weematog |
weematttuog = they are brothers |
we are brothers |
nomattimen |
exclusive form reconstructed |
the brother of him by birth or born in same household |
weematoh |
obviative form |
the brother of her by birth or born in same household male speaking
|
weetáhtuoh
|
obviative form a male is speaking about her brother; used for one of same biological family or of same wetu, longhouse or clan |
the younger brother of him or her |
wessummussoh |
obviative form male or female speaking |
the older brother of her? |
wunnohtónukqusoh |
|
his/her oldest brother |
mohtomégitche mohtomégit |
The different spellings show different ways it was said in different places (dialect difference) |
a brother, any ones brother |
wematin ∞wemàttin |
The different spellings show different ways it was said in different places (dialect difference) |
all brothers, brotherhood |
weemattinneunk |
-unk plural form
|
my sister (by birth), father or mothers daughter male speaking
|
neetompas |
a male is speaking about my sister |
my sister fathers daughter ? male speaking
|
nummissus |
a male is speaking about my sister |
my sister (by birth or not) female speaking |
netukkusq |
a female is speaking about my sister. Used for a half sister or one of same wetu, longhouse or clan
|
my sisters (by birth) father or mothers daughters male speaking
|
neetompasog |
a male is speaking about my sisters |
your sister (singular), fathers daughter male speaking
|
kummissis |
a male is speaking about your sister |
your sisters (by birth), (plural) father or mothers daughters male speaking
|
keetompas |
a male is speaking about your sisters |
your sisters (by birth or not) (plural) fathers daughters ? female speaking |
ketukkusqquog ? |
a female is speaking about your sisters. Used for half sisters or one of same wetu, longhouse or clan
|
your sisters (plural) fathers daughters ? male speaking
|
kummissisog |
a male is speaking about your sisters |
the younger sister of him or her |
wessummussoh |
obviative form male or female speaking of his or her sister |
his or her sister (by birth or not) father or mothers daughter |
weetompassu (or) weetompas
|
used by either sex for either sex, and may refer to a non-blood relation or of same wetu, longhouse or clan |
his or her sister fathers daughter
|
ummissés |
-es diminutive form |
the sister of him or her |
ummissésoh |
obviative form |
the sister of him |
weetáhtuoh |
obviative form a male speaking of his sister or kinswoman |
his/her oldest sister |
mohtomégitche mohtomégit |
The different spellings show different ways it was said in different places (dialect difference) |
the sister of him or her |
weetuksquoh
|
obviative form may refer to ones non blood sister in the same wetu, longhouse or clan |
our sister |
ummissiesin |
|
a sister, half sister, same family or household |
weetahtu |
may refer to ones non blood sister in the same wetu, longhouse or clan |
a sister, any sister |
ummissiesin neetat (or) wetompasin |
female speaking |
a son, a male child |
mukkatchouks |
In Narragansett, nummckquchucks = my son, my boy My pupil or ward = nullquaso (Narr.) o peewauqun = "look well to him" |
sons, male children (plural) |
mukkatchouksog |
|
young man (a youth, teenager) (singular) |
nunkomp |
|
young men (youths, teenagers) (plural) |
nunkompaog |
|
very young man, boy |
nunkompaes |
younger than nunkomp |
very young men, boys (plural) |
nunkompaesog |
|
orphan (see CHILD) |
|
|
girl , teenager |
nunksqua |
|
girls, teenagers (plural) |
nunksquaog |
young women |
little girl |
nunksquaes squáese (Narr.) |
little young woman |
orphan (see CHILD) |
|
|
my grandmother, mothers mother |
nokummus |
|
your grandmother (singular) |
kokummus
|
|
his/her grandmother |
okummus |
used as simply grandmother |
a grandmother, any grandmother |
wutt∞kummīssin |
addressing one respectfully as grandmother |
my grandfather, fathers father |
nummissoomis |
Native spelling |
my late (deceased) grandfather |
numissoomissi |
absentative form Native spelling
|
your grandfather (singular) |
kummissoomis |
reconstruction |
his/her grandfather |
ummissoomis |
Native spelling |
the grandfather of him/her |
ummiss∞missoh |
Native spelling obviative form |
a grandfather, any grandfather (fathers father?) |
wutt∞tchĭkkĭnneasin |
addressing one respectfully as grandfather |
male elder |
kehchis |
he is old |
male elders (plural) |
kehchisog |
kehchisog wantamwog = the old are wise |
female elder |
kehchissqua |
she is old |
female elders (plural) |
kehchissquaog |
|
my son-in-law |
nosénemuck (Narr.) |
he is my son-in-law |
a son-in-law |
wasénnumkqutche |
|
the son-in-law (daughters husband) |
wussénum |
he is the son-in-law |
my daughter-in-law (sons wife) |
nushin |
reconstructed |
your daughter-in-law (singular) |
kushin |
|
daughter-in-law of him/her |
wushimoh |
obviative form |
any daughter-in-law |
wushimin |
|
my aunt |
nokummes |
little grandmother ? (because of -es diminutive form) |
your aunt (singular) |
kokummes |
|
his/her aunt |
okummes |
reconstructed |
aunt, in general |
wutt∞kkummīssin |
|
my uncle |
n∞susses |
my uncle by mothers side |
your uncle (singular) |
k∞susses |
|
his/her uncle |
wussisses wussusses |
The different spellings show different ways it was said in different places (dialect difference) |
wife of his uncle |
ummittamwussoh ∞shesoh |
two words here obviative form |
an uncle, in general |
∞shesin |
|
a cousin (by blood, marriage?), my kinsman, my kinswoman |
adtonkqs |
blood cousins are not unheard of |
my female cousin |
nutónkqs |
also used for kinswoman |
my female cousins (plural) |
nutonkqsog |
also used for kinswomen |
my kinswomen (plural) (my sisters) |
nettahueog |
Native spelling |
my relative (singular) |
nuttauwam |
Native spelling |
my relatives (plural) |
nuttauwamoog |
Native spelling |
your female cousin (singular) |
kadtonkqs |
also used for kinswoman |
your female cousins (plural) |
kadtonkqsog |
also used for kinswomen |
the cousins of her (plural) |
wadtunkqusoh |
|
his cousin, a cousin |
watóncks (Narr.) |
|
my kinsman, kinswoman, my relatives, in general |
nuttauwatueonk |
my people abstract noun form |
general respectful greeting of ones own people or allies (males) |
nuttonkqsog |
sirs
|
they are cousins |
wattonksttuog (Narr.) |
|
my friend, my kinsman |
neetomp neetop (Narr.)
|
also used as a friendly brother, my brother. |
my friends, kinsmen (plural) |
neetompaog |
|
your friend, kinsman (singular) |
keetomp |
reconstructed |
your friends, kinsmen (plural) |
keetompaog |
reconstructed |
his/ her friend, kin |
weetomp |
|
his/ her friends, kinfolk (plural) |
weetompaog |
|
out friend, kinsman |
neetompun |
reconstructed |
our friends (plural) |
netapaunnanog |
Native spelling |
companion of same wetu, longhouse, clan (singular) |
wutuomp |
|
a friend, kinsman, in general (singular) |
weetompain |
|
friends, comrades |
wetompâchick (Narr.) |
-chick implies the 3rd person plural, "subordinate" mode, meaning "they who are friends, comrades" |
my companions or associates in war |
nowepinnâchick (Narr.) |
-chick implies the 3rd person plural, "subordinate" mode
|
a womans kinsman, kinswoman (singular) |
wuttinnunkkûmoin |
her kinsman, kinswoman, relative ? |
kinship, kindred, in general |
ouwatūonk |
abstract noun form |
Guardian |
waúchaûnat (Narr) |
Guardians = wachamchick = "they who watch over, protect us" |
infant |
peisses
|
he, she is very small, an infant nonnese (or) nonnnis (Narr.) = a suckling child. o Noonsu = he/she is a suckling child (a suckling). |
baby, newborn |
papoòs (Narr.) papeissu |
papoose; an American Indian infant He, she is extremely small? |
your infant sister |
peississit keetompas |
two words here |
your infant brother ? (not sure of) |
peississit keemat |
two words here |
when he, she is small |
peississit |
appears to be subjunctive mode, -it |
infants, in general |
nag papeississitcheg |
those who are small, infants -cheg is a plural form similar to -chick in Narr., 3rd person plural, "They who __" |
my child |
nunnechân ? |
my growing one |
my children |
nunnechânog |
|
your child (singular) |
kenechân |
|
your children (plural) |
kenechânog |
|
his/her child |
wunneechan |
are born, come from him |
his/her children (plural) |
wunneechauog |
are born, come from him |
his late (deceased) children (plural) |
wunnechannussukoh |
absentative form Native spelling |
our children (plural) |
nunnechononog |
Native spelling |
their children (plural) |
wunnechannooah |
Native spelling |
a little child (boy) |
mukki |
bare bottom--no clothes for a boy till about 10 years old. |
a very little child |
mukkiēs |
seems to be for boys only ? |
little children (plural) |
mukkiog neechanog |
more for boys boy or girl |
a suckling, in general |
n∞nuk |
|
a suckling child |
n∞nukáe mukkies |
children suckled many years to keep down population (nursing mothers cant get pregnant?) |
terms of endearment |
papeissesu papeissisit papéasek |
little thing |
children, offspring without regard to sex, age (plural) |
neechanog |
they are born |
my offspring |
nutontseonk |
abstract noun form my descendants |
my grandchildren (plural) |
n∞ssesog |
Native spelling |
fatherless children (plural) |
towiúwock (Narr.) |
|
twins |
tackqíuwock (Narr.) |
|
the children, in general |
wunneechâneunk |
-unk plural form from us are born |
guardian (See FRIEND) |
|
|
orphan (see "fatherless childen" above) |
|
|
a tribesman |
enin (or) nnin |
literally he is like us, one of us; ninnu = he is a tribesman, one of us |
a male |
nompaas |
|
a man (see HUSBAND) |
sanomp sunnup |
not certain of meaning, man in general? |
a man |
wosketomp |
used once for young brave (warrior) |
a man |
skeetomp |
common Algonquian word for "man in general"; plural adds"-oag" |
warrior, war captain |
keenomp |
used once for warrior (war captain), valiant |
warrior, high war captain |
mugwomp múckquomp (Narr.) |
used once for warrior (war captain), great man, probably higher than keenomp |
war leaders (in battle) |
negonshâchick (Narr.) |
subjunctive form, they who are____ |
head Pinese Warrior (War Chief) |
missinnege |
head Pinese Warrior of Wampanoag (Annawan was missinnege in King Philips War) |
men (plural) |
wosketompaog |
used once for young braves (warriors) |
warriors, war captains (plural) |
keenompaog |
used once for warriors (war captains), valiant |
warriors, high war captains (plural) |
mugwompoag
|
used once for warriors (war captains), great men, probably higher than keenompaog |
a young man |
wuskenin |
|
an unmarried man |
mat mittumwussĭssiuenin |
"mat" = not |
middle aged man |
kutchínnu (Narr.) |
getting, becoming old" |
middle aged men (Plural) |
kutchínnuwock (Narr.) |
|
a very large man in size |
magoshketomp |
huge man, giant |
a great man, noble |
ahtuskou |
A Councilman; plural = ahtuskowag |
my great men, important leaders, nobles |
nuttahtoskauwomog |
Native spelling |
a warrior, soldier, fighter (on your side) |
ayeuteanin |
ayeuhteu = he makes war, fights |
warriors, soldiers, fighters (on your side) (plural) |
ayeuteanūog |
|
enemy warriors, soldiers, fighters (plural) |
matwaûog (Narr.) |
enemies. mecautea = an enemy fighter |
elite warrior, councilor, protector of The Massasoit of Wampanoag |
pneise (or) pinese |
specially trained elite warrior; not certain of word meaning, but it may be something like little spirit (or "bird") that moves all about. It has been said that one Pinese Warrior could chase away 100 men. Hobomock, In Massasoit's time, is one famous example of a pneise; plural = pniesesok |
a man of different tribe, nation, race |
missinnin |
used for captives, tribes paying tribute, a captive |
men of different tribe, nation, race (plural) |
missinniúnnog |
used for captives, tribes paying tribute, captives |
sachim (village leader, "chief") |
sâchem (or) sâchim sontim (Native spelling) |
the strong one. Europeans used Sagamore to mean a lesser leader (perhaps corrupted from Delaware lang, sakima = "He is sachem" |
sachims |
sachimaog (Narr.) |
sontimoonk = "sachemship, sachimdom" |
dead sachim |
chepasôtam |
"The departed sachem" |
Our late (deceased) sachems (plural) |
nussontimmominnanuk |
absentative form Native spelling
|
priest, physician, Holyman |
pauwau powwâw (Narr.)
|
powww nipptea = "the priest is curing him" plural adds -aog |
healer, "conjurer" |
maunêtu (Narr.) |
"One who chants, signs, drums, to drive away evil spirits of the sick and dying" |
chief priest |
kehtpowwau |
plural = kehtpowwauog |
prophet, wiseman, priest, philosopher |
taupaw (Narr.) |
plural is taupowaog |
overseer of worship |
nanouwétea (Narr.) |
burial overseer = mockuttsuit[2] |
King (Great Sachem) |
ketas∞t |
kingdom = ketass∞tam∞onk, (Abst. Noun) |
Prince |
puppas∞tam |
princes = puppas∞tammog |
ruler, governor |
nanawunnuaen |
from nanawunnum = "he rules over (primarly for safety)". Canotchet was called nanawtunu = "he is protector" |
Grand Sachem of Wampanoag |
Massasoit |
a title, great leader or great commander. The Massasoit was the Grand Sachem of all the Wampanoag people. In historic times the Massasoits were Ousa Mequin (Yellow Feather); Wamsutta (he has a kind heart); and Pometacomet ( of the Masssoits house), also known as King Philip. |
a woman |
squa (or) squaw mittamwossis |
female in general (historical meaning) married |
women |
squaog mittamwossisog |
females in general married |
a young woman |
wuskittamwus wusskennin |
married? in general |
marriageable virgin |
kíhtuckquaw (Narr.) |
|
a virgin |
penomp keegsquaw (Narr.) |
stranger to men virgin or maiden |
an old woman |
wénise (Narr.) |
a little bent over |
old women (plural) |
wenîsuck (Narr.) |
|
little woman |
ussqua |
Us- ~ little |
female tribal leader, Squaw Sachem |
sonksq (or) suncksqua (or) sonkusq (or) sunkisq |
woman who rules of whom we can note sonkusq Wettamoe of the Pocassets and sonkusq Awashonks of the Sakonetts. |
Great Old Woman Sachem |
kechissunkisq |
"great-she-rules-old-woman" |
Medicine Woman |
pauwausq |
plural is pauwausquaog counterpart of male "powwau". |
Chief, Great Medicine Woman |
kehtpauwausq |
plural form adds -uaog |
people (plural) |
auwaog |
all my people, my relations = wame nuttaûwaog |
my people |
nuttaûwaog |
Native spelling |
his people |
ummissinumoh |
Native spelling obviative form |
our common people |
nummussannummunnonnog |
Native spelling |
my family |
nutteashinninneōnk |
Abstract noun form |
your family |
kutteashĭnnŭnneōnk |
Abstract noun form |
a family |
teashiyeuonk (or) chasiyeūonk |
Abstract noun form blood relations |
a family or band (?) or clan (?) |
weechinnineummoncheg |
they go with him, 3rd person plural (subjunctive) form, -cheg |
my descendants, my posterity (used on Marthas Vineyard & Nantucket) |
nuppometuonk |
Native spelling obviative form |
people of our tribe Indian people, not of our tribe Indians in general |
Nnínnuock[7] Ninnimissinnûwock[8] Eniskeetompaûwog[9] |
general terms, A Key, 1643 |
a tribe (or band) |
chippissuog |
they are separate |
a tribe (or band) , collectively |
chippan∞onk |
abstract noun form |
a nation |
wutohtimion |
those that live on this land |
nations |
wutohtimoneog |
ongtag magke wutohtimoneog = "other great nations" |
Wampanoag |
People of First Light (from word nnnnuog, contracted to -noag) |
|
Nanhigganêuck[10] |
Narragansett people |
|
Massachusêuck |
People of the Great Hills |
|
Cawasumsêuck |
Cawsumsett Neck Indians[11] |
|
Cowwesêuck |
People Of the Small Pine Place |
|
Qunnipiêuck |
People of the long-water place (quinni-auke-pe), or People of the place where the route changes |
|
Pequtóog[12] |
||
Muhhekanêuck[13] |
Mohegan Indians |
vPERSONAL NOUNS
The rules for forming relations "my ___," "your ____," "his/her___," etc. are:vABSENTATIVE NOUNS
This concept refers to nouns relating to deceased persons. The following rules govern the constructions:vOBVIATION
Relations ending in -ah, -oh, -uh, -ukoh are "obviative form" nouns and translate "the ____ of" (e.g., ókasoh = "the mother of him or her"); it is not the same as "his or her mother". Verbs also follow obviation rules.
vOTHER NOUNS
[1] Meaning: The condition or practice of having more than one spouse at one time. Also called plural marriage.
[2] See below for quotes from Roger Williams A Key on Narr. Lang. of dying and death; notice distinction between physical and spiritual deaths
[7] Original text reads Nnnuock . The ending -ock (or -ag or -uck with a connective "glide" pronounced as "y" or "w") makes words plural (more than one) for the type of noun referred to as "animate" (creatures that are alive and move) plus others we can't understand the rule for at this time. The ending -ash is the plural for "inanimate nouns". See footnote, Ch. IV, pp. 25-26 for more information on Algonquian gender (animate/inanimate)
[8] Missin = "other nnin (captive people, inferior men)". Double consonants in the middle of a word (like nn in Nnnnuock, or hh, gg, ss, in other words, etc.) are pronounced like one letter just as we do in English; for example the word "supper" is said with one "p" sound.
So, for Nnnnuock, we might say "Nuh-NIN-nuh-wahck" with the "i" as in "hit" (the stress is on the second syllable NIN because thats where we see the stress mark). Often the cluster uock seems to insert a "w" for speech ("wahck") (called a "glide").
[9] Sketomp ("skee-dahb") = "a man", a common Algonquian word used among surviving languages like Maliseet. Some believe the word, Eniskeetompawog, means "original surface-dwelling people" (Iron Thunderhorse, 2000). Wosketomp is a similar word suggesting a "young warrior) (woskehteau = "harms or destroys" with perhaps root -wask- = "young." The key root is -omp = "free, unbound".
[10] Original text has ~ over the e (as do a number of other words). We use the circumflex ^ throughout the book. The plural ending -uck ("ee-yuhck") is translated (incorrectly) "the people of". The endings "-ock, -og" for simple pluralizaton have the same meaning as -uck. So, Nanhigganuck ("Nah-hih-gah-NEE-yuhck") has been translated, "The People Of The Small Point Of Land". Massachusuck is translated "People of the Great Hills". Cawasumsuck means "People of the Sharp Rock". Cowwesuck means "People Of the Small Pine Place". Qunnipiuck = "People of the long-water place" (quinni-auke-pe) or "People of the place where the route changes". Pequtog is translated usually "Destroyers". Muhhekanuck means either "The Wolf People" or, in Prince & Speck, 1903, "People of the tide river".
This analysis of a word into its elementary units of root/stems is guided by the principal of polysynthesis (see the editor's book, Understanding Algonquian Indian Words (New England)). English-language words can be understood in a similar manner; e.g., the words <telescope, telephone, television, telegraph, telegram, telepathy, telemetry> all have in common the Greek root tele (far off, at a distance) which goes into these words. The other roots (-scope, -phone &c) all have their individual meanings which when combined with other roots give us new words such as <microscope, periscope, Dictaphone, microphone, & c). Our manner of teaching Algonquian is quite similar to the word-analysis we just presented for English-language words.
[11] Probably Pokanoket/ Wampanoag of Sowams who occupied lands from Sowansett River to Pawtucket River within Cawsumsett Neck in Bristol & Warren, RI
[12] These are ancestors of the Modern Pequots, including groups known as Mashantucket, Paucatuck, Eastern Pequot Indians, inter alia, in and around Ledyard, Conneticut.
[13] Adopted and modified from an editorial footnote in A Key into the Language of America. Providence, RI: Narragansett Club, 1866 Edition, J. R. Trumbull, Editor. The Trumbull edition has many useful comments from historical sources. We are indebted to Dr. Trumbull for some historical editorial remarks used in the present book.
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