Dakota

Today's installment of Project Panglossia: Dakota. Dakota is closely related to Lakota and Nakota-- for exactly how they're related, check out this dialect map. All of these are currently endangered, though there are some revitalization efforts in progress. Here's a page of links to more information on the Siouan languages.

You'll notice the little dot above the g in the first photo-- that's not a smudge (I never make smudges! No, never) but a dot indicating that the g is pronounced further back in the mouth than the English g. Also, notice that long serif dropping down off of the n at the end? That's not me being fancy-- that's a letter representing a velar nasal-- a sound like at the end of English 'sing'.

The 'ye' is the particle that makes it an imperative verb-- there were a few choices, actually-- for singular or plural, and for command or 'entreaty'. I'm not much of one for entreaty, personally, but the book I consulted recommended that women use this form 'for propriety's sake'. Since I'm just a visitor here, I followed their advice...

'listen (to me)'



'tell me'