Mi'kmaq Orthographies
Orthography literally means 'correct
writing'. An orthography is the representation of the sounds of a language by written or printed symbols, according to a standard usage. The Mi'kmaq language has several different
orthographies, which begs the question: is there only one way (or indeed
any way?) to
'correctly write' a language that was almost exclusively oral?
Rand
Orthography
The Rand Orthography was developed by the Reverend Silas Tertius Rand in 1875.
Rand was an exceptional linguist, and published the first dictionaries of
the Mi'kmaw language. His orthography appears in several 19th century publications, but it is no longer used.
A
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a
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Sounds like A in Father
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H
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h
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Sounds like H in Hat
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Ŏ
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ŏ
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Sounds like O in Not
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Â
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â
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Sounds like A in Abaft
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I
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i
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Sounds like I in Bit
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P
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p
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Sounds like P in Peter
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Ā
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ā
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Sounds like A in Fate
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Ĭ
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ĭ
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Sounds like I in Bit
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S
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s
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Sounds like S in Snake
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Ă
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ă
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Sounds like A in Fat
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J
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j
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Sounds like J in Job
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T
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t
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Sounds like T in Toy
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B
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b
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Sounds like B in Boat
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K
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k
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Sounds like K in Kilo
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U
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u
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Sounds like U in Bugle
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C
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c
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Sounds like C in Cat
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L
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l
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Sounds like L in Lemon
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Ŭ
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ŭ
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Sounds like U in Tub
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D
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d
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Sounds like D in Dog
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M
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m
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Sounds like M in Mom
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W
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w
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Sounds like W in Water
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E
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e
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Sounds like E in Me
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N
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n
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Sounds like N in Night
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Y
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y
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Sounds like Y in Yes
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Ĕ
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ĕ
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Sounds like E in Met
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O
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o
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Sounds like O in Note
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G
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g
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Sounds like G in Goat
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Ō
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ō
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Sounds like O in Also
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Pacifique
Orthography
The Pacifique Orthography was developed by Father Pacifique (Henri Buisson d'Valigny) in 1894,
and appears in his books. It is used by people in New Brunswick.
A
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a
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Sounds like AW in Saw
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G
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g
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Sounds like G in Big
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S
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s
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Sounds like S in Was
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E
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e
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Sounds like E in Beth
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L
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l
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Sounds like L in Bell
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T
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t
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Sounds like D in Loud
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I
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i
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Sounds like E in Seen
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M
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m
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Sounds like M in Sam
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TJ
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tj
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Sounds like CH in Chow
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Ô
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ô
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Sounds like O in Stove
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N
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n
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Sounds like N in Man
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O
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o
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Sounds like OO in Loon
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P
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p
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Sounds like P in Skip
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CONTEMPORARY
ORTHOGRAPHIES
The following are more contemporary
orthographies, and differ mainly in how they represent different
pronunciation marks. For example,
A' (Listuguj), A: (Lexicon) and Á
(Francis-Smith) all represent the same sound, the A as in Palm.
In addition, the pronunciations of certain characters are in some cases
positional, depending on the adjacent characters. We also see the
introduction of the schwa ( I
), which is a character
representing an indistinct, almost unvocalized sound, as in the second
syllable of the word "common".
Listuguj
Orthography
The Listuguj Orthography is used by people in Quebec. Listuguj is located on the southwestern shore of the
Gaspé peninsula.
A
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a
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Sounds
like A in Amen
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O'
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o'
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Sounds like O in Go
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S
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s
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Sounds like S in Sit, Was
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E
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e
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Sounds like E in Met
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u'
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u'
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Sounds like U in Sue
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L
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l
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Sounds like L in Like, Feel
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I
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i
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Sounds like I in Bit
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I
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i
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(schwa) Indistinct, like second O in Common
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M
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m
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Sounds like M in Me, Him
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O
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o
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Sounds like O in Also
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P
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p
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B as in Ball, P as in Put*
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N
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n
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Sounds like N in New, Can
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U
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u
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Sounds like U in Put
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T
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t
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D as in Dog, T as in Toy*
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W
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w
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Sounds like W in Will, How
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A'
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a'
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Sounds like A in Palm
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G
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g
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G as in Go, K as in Cake*
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Y
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y
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Sounds like Y in Yes, Grey
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E'
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e'
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Sounds like E in Where
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Q
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q
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A guttural sound as in the German word Bach
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I'
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i'
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Sounds like I in Ski
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J
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j
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J as in Jim, Ch as in Church
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* where more than one
pronunciation is given, the pronunciation depends on the character's
position:
the first pronunciation
applies when the character is between vowels or follows l, m or
n;
the second pronunciation
applies when the character is next to a consonant, except for l, m or
n.
Francis-Smith
Orthography
The Francis-Smith Orthography was developed by Bernard Francis and Douglas
Smith in 1974. In 1980 it became the official orthography of the Míkmaq
Nation as declared by the Grand Council.
A
|
a
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Sounds like A in Amen
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Ó
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ó
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Sounds like O in Go
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S
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s
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Sounds like S in Sit, Was
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E
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e
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Sounds like E in Met
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Ú
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ú
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Sounds like U in Sue
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L
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l
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Sounds like L in Like, Feel
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I
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i
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Sounds like I in Bit
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I
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i
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(schwa) Indistinct, like second O in Common
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M
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m
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Sounds like M in Me, Him
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O
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o
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Sounds like O in Also
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P
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p
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B as in Ball, P as in Put*
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N
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n
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Sounds like N in New, Can
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U
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u
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Sounds like U in Put
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T
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t
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D as in Dog, T as in Toy*
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W
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w
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Sounds like W in Will, How
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Á
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á
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Sounds like A in Palm
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K
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k
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G as in Go, K as in Cake*
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Y
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y
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Sounds like Y in Yes, Grey
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É
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é
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Sounds like E in Where
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Q
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q
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A guttural sound as in the German word Bach
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Í
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í
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Sounds like I in Ski
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J
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j
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J as in Jim, Ch as in Church*
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|
|
|
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*where more than one pronunciation is given, the pronunciation depends on
the character's position:
the first pronunciation applies when the character is between vowels or follows l, m or n;
the second pronunciation
applies when the character is next to a consonant, except for l, m or n.
Lexicon
Orthography
The Lexicon Orthography was developed by Albert D. DeBlois and Alphonse
Metallic in 1984.
A
|
a
|
Sounds like A in Amen
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O:
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o:
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Sounds like O in Go
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S
|
s
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Sounds like S in Sit, Was
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E
|
e
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Sounds like E in Met
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U:
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u:
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Sounds like U in Sue
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L
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l
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Sounds like L in Like, Feel
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I
|
i
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Sounds like I in Bit
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I
|
i
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(schwa) Indistinct, like second O in Common
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M
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m
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Sounds like M in Me, Him
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O
|
o
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Sounds like O in Also
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P
|
p
|
B as in Ball, P as in Put*
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N
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n
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Sounds like N in New, Can
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U
|
u
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Sounds like U in Put
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T
|
t
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D as in Dog, T as in Toy*
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W
|
w
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Sounds like W in Will, How
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A:
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a:
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Sounds like A in Palm
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K
|
k
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G as in Go, K as in Cake*
|
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Y
|
y
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Sounds like Y in Yes, Grey
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E:
|
e:
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Sounds like E in Where
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Q
|
q
|
A guttural sound as in the German word Bach
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|
|
|
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I:
|
i:
|
Sounds like I in Ski
|
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J
|
j
|
J as in Jim, Ch as in Church
|
|
|
|
|
* where more than one
pronunciation is given, the pronunciation depends on the character's
position:
the first pronunciation applies when the character is between vowels or follows l, m or n;
the second pronunciation
applies when the character is next to a consonant, except for l, m or n.
Online Mi'kmaw Books
A number of books are available online which contain Mi'kmaw words and
text in various orthographies:
Grammaire De La
Langue Mikmaque (Abbé Antoine Maillard, 1864)
A first reading
book in the Micmac language (Rev. Silas T. Rand, 1875)
Dictionary Of The
Language Of The Micmac Indians (Rev. Silas T. Rand. 1888)
A
List of Micmac Names of Places, Rivers, Etc., in Nova Scotia
(Elizabeth Frame, 1892)
Online language
resources
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The
talking dictionary
project is developing an Internet resource for the
Mi'gmaq/Mi’kmaq language. Each headword is recorded by a
minimum of three speakers. Multiple speakers allow one to
hear differences and variations in how a word is pronounced.
Each recorded word is used in an accompanying phrase. This
permits learners the opportunity to develop the difficult
skill of distinguishing individual words when they are
spoken in a phrase. |
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Atlantic Canada's First Nation Help
Desk's Aboriginal
Language Initiative was made possible with funding from
Heritage Canada administered by the Assembly of First
Nations. Our purpose is to help revitalize and promote the
use of aboriginal languages among our people. |
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