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Lenape Talking Dictionary

By English WORD or PHRASE

By Lenape WORD or PHRASE

Detailed Entry Information

Sound Icon
English:we do not know him
Lenape:kuwahaiwëna (w. neg.) [vta]

Comments

/ë/ is inserted between /k/ and /w/; the resulting /ëwë/ sequence is realized as /u/.
/w/ of the negative suffix is elided between vowels.
/ë/ is inserted between third person suffix /w/ (which is retained as a transition sound) and the following /n/.
First person plural /-nan/ is realized as /-na/ in final position.

Analysis

Form:
ku kuwahaiwëna
Structure:
ku k-wëwah-a-wi-w-nan
Meaning:
not 2-know-dir-neg-3-1.pl