Alënixsitàm! 

Let's Talk Lenape!

Lesson 4

Categories of Words in Lenape

      In using the Lenape language (or any other Algonquian language) the world is divided into two categories:  ANIMATE  and  INANIMATE.   It is important to learn in which category the words are placed.  For the most part this is a fairly simple choice since nearly all living things will be ANIMATE and non-living things will be INANIMATE.

     Nearly all languages divide their words into categories (which linguists usually refer to as GENDER).  In French or Spanish everything is either masculine or feminine, so in learning the language you must also learn that a table is considered feminine while a book is masculine.  In many Germanic languages there are three categories, and in some African languages as many as ten.

     You might wonder why this is important.  The nouns [remember that a noun “names a person, place or thing”] must be classed as either Animate or Inanimate, but so are the words that go with them.  For example, if you say, “I have a dog?” you say,  “Nulhala mwekane” which is literally “I-have-him dog.”    On the other hand if the noun is Inanimate, such as Lokèns = Dish, then the verb changes.  “I have a dish” is   “Nulhatu lokèns” literally I-have-it dish.

The Articles in Lenape

     In English the Articles are the words  A  -  AN  -  THE,  as well as the words  THIS  -  THAT  -  THESE  -  THOSE.  In Lenape there is no word for the English  A  or  AN.  For example:

      mili tipas           - means -         give me a chicken

     There is no word in Lenape which exactly matches the English word THE because in English THE can be used for one thing, several things, and even for people.  Lenape is more specific.  The Article will tell you if the subject is Animate or Inanimate, nearby or far away, and if there is one or more than one.  In many ways the Articles in Lenape are more like the English words THIS, THAT, THESE or THOSE.   The articles are as follows:

   To give a better idea how these are used, here are some short sentences in Lenape.  First the Animate forms.

       Lenape                                             English

   sëksu wa pushis                                          this cat is black

   seksuwàk yuki pushisàk                              these cats are black

   sëksu na pushis                                           that cat is black

   sëksuwàk nèki pushisàk                              those cats are black

Note how the verb ('to be black') and the Article change to match the subject ('cat').  Now here are some Inanimate forms.

   sëke yu ahsën                                             this rock is black

   sëkeyo yuli ahsëna                                      these rocks are black

   sëke në ahsën                                             that rock is black

   sëkeyo nèl ahsëna                                      those rocks are black

     As with ('cat') in the first set of sentences, here too the verb and the Article change to match the subject ('rock').  English does this somewhat also, because you know you would not say, "Look at the rock, he is black" for the simple reason that it does not sound correct.

The Numbers in Lenape

Lenape                                                               English

 kwëti                                                         one

 nisha                                                         two

 naxa                                                          three

 newa                                                         four

 palenàxk                                                   five

 kwëtash                                                    six

 nishash                                                     seven

 xash                                                          eight

 pèshkunk                                                  nine

 tèlën                                                         ten

Pointing  -  One interesting old tradition among the Lenape was the custom of pointing with the lips.  It was considered very impolite to point at a person using your finger, and it was also considered very bad to ever point at a grave with your finger.  Instead the Lenape pointed with their lips by slightly pursing the lips in the direction you wish to indicate.  The Lenape word for this custom is  Shètunèxin. 

The Weather in Lenape

 wëli kishku                                         It is a good day

 mushhakòt                                         The sky is clear

 lëlëwàxën                                           There is a breeze

 kshëlànte                                           It is a hot day

 kùmhòkòt                                           It is cloudy

 sukëlan                                              It is raining

 kshilan                                               It is raining hard

 sasapëlehële                                     There is lightning

 pèthakhòn                                          It is thundering

 aon                                                    It is foggy

 kshàxën                                             It is windy

 kaoxën                                               Tornado

 thapàn                                               It is cool

 thè                                                    It is cold

 thupàn                                               There is frost

 wine                                                  It is snowing