The Ojibwe were a race of people who used to live in Canada in Ontario up until the US border somewhere in Montana and Michigan. They were a race of people who spoke the Ojibwe language, which is one of the rarest languages in the world as it is the native tongue of the older generation wherein the current generation don't practice it anymore. Here are a few things one might find interesting about this lost dialect.
To start off, this race of people were also known as the Ojibway or Anishinaabemowin so if anyone mentions these names, they are all the same. Now, as earlier mentioned, they lived around Canada and the US border. This was somewhere along the Great Lakes in that area. It is very interesting to take note that their dialect is actually one of the main languages in that area being a Central Algic dialect.
While it was previously used by many, it is now one of the most endangered languages in the state of Minnesota. In fact, UNESCO adds it to the Atlas of Worlds Languages in Danger list as they quote that it is only now spoken by the grandparents generation. Parents may understand it but they hardly practice it anymore and do not speak it to their children or their own grandchildren.
Of course, there have been organizations who want to help preserve the dialect by making schools in states like Michigan and Minnesota. The whole aim of these schools is to ensure that that those who have Ojibway heritage, or those that do not for that matter, learn to read and write it. In fact, the Ojibway Peoples Dictionary was created to aid in these types of efforts.
Now, it is very interesting to note that the Dictionary makes use of a double vowel system when it comes to writing. Unlike the usual English alphabet, it is possible to see to letters combined to form one sound. One will also find that an apostrophe is found in the alphabet which actually symbolizes a stop and is done by releasing air from the glottis.
The alphabet consists of twenty four letters with a few of them not being found in the English language. To give one an idea, the letters that one can find in this alphabet are the regular letters of the alphabet and letters with the two consonants making a different sound compared to the single vowels. There is also the an aa, ee, oo, and ii which are part of the double vowel system.
There are also the nasal vowels in the alphabet. These include the aanh, oonh, eenh and the iinh. These, as the name implies, are nasal vowels that give off a nasal sound when one pronounces them.
So for those who are interested in learning or just simply knowing about this dialect, here are a few things that one may want to know. This dialect, although to the brink of extinction, is slowly being revived already. So it is not surprising if there are some schools teaching it.
To start off, this race of people were also known as the Ojibway or Anishinaabemowin so if anyone mentions these names, they are all the same. Now, as earlier mentioned, they lived around Canada and the US border. This was somewhere along the Great Lakes in that area. It is very interesting to take note that their dialect is actually one of the main languages in that area being a Central Algic dialect.
While it was previously used by many, it is now one of the most endangered languages in the state of Minnesota. In fact, UNESCO adds it to the Atlas of Worlds Languages in Danger list as they quote that it is only now spoken by the grandparents generation. Parents may understand it but they hardly practice it anymore and do not speak it to their children or their own grandchildren.
Of course, there have been organizations who want to help preserve the dialect by making schools in states like Michigan and Minnesota. The whole aim of these schools is to ensure that that those who have Ojibway heritage, or those that do not for that matter, learn to read and write it. In fact, the Ojibway Peoples Dictionary was created to aid in these types of efforts.
Now, it is very interesting to note that the Dictionary makes use of a double vowel system when it comes to writing. Unlike the usual English alphabet, it is possible to see to letters combined to form one sound. One will also find that an apostrophe is found in the alphabet which actually symbolizes a stop and is done by releasing air from the glottis.
The alphabet consists of twenty four letters with a few of them not being found in the English language. To give one an idea, the letters that one can find in this alphabet are the regular letters of the alphabet and letters with the two consonants making a different sound compared to the single vowels. There is also the an aa, ee, oo, and ii which are part of the double vowel system.
There are also the nasal vowels in the alphabet. These include the aanh, oonh, eenh and the iinh. These, as the name implies, are nasal vowels that give off a nasal sound when one pronounces them.
So for those who are interested in learning or just simply knowing about this dialect, here are a few things that one may want to know. This dialect, although to the brink of extinction, is slowly being revived already. So it is not surprising if there are some schools teaching it.
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