Hidatsa language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hidatsa |
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|---|---|
| hiraaciré’ | |
| Native to | United States |
| Region | North Dakota, Montana, South Dakota |
| Ethnicity | Hidatsa |
| Native speakers | 200 and decreasing (2007) |
| Language family |
Siouan
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| Linguasphere | 64-AAA-a |
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Hidatsa is a special language that is related to the Crow language. It is spoken by the Hidatsa tribe, mostly in North Dakota and South Dakota. Sadly, it is an endangered language, meaning fewer and fewer people speak it.
A doctor named Washington Matthews lived with the Hidatsa people in the 1870s. He wrote down many things about their culture and language, including a grammar and a list of words. This helped people learn more about Hidatsa.
Contents
The Story of Sacagawea's Name
You might know Sacagawea from the Lewis and Clark Expedition. She was a guide and interpreter. Experts who study the Hidatsa language believe her name comes from Hidatsa words!
Her name is a mix of two common Hidatsa words:
- cagáàga means 'bird'
- míà means 'woman'
So, her name Cagáàgawia means 'Bird Woman' in modern Hidatsa. When you say it, the 'm' sound in míà changes to a 'w' sound when it's part of the longer name.
In Hidatsa, some parts of words are said with a higher or lower sound, like a song. This is called "pitch accent." When you say Sacagawea's name, the second part (the 'gaa' sound) is usually emphasized.
Sounds of Hidatsa
How Words Are Stressed
In Hidatsa, some parts of a word are said louder than others. This is called stress. It usually happens on the first or second part of a word, depending on how long the vowel sounds are. When a part of a word is stressed, its vowels sound much clearer and louder.
Vowel Sounds
Hidatsa has five main vowel sounds, like the 'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u' in English. It also has two special sounds called diphthongs, which are like two vowel sounds blended together.
Unlike some other languages, Hidatsa does not have nasal vowels (where air comes out of your nose when you say the vowel).
Here are some examples of how Hidatsa vowels sound:
- The long 'a' sound is like the 'a' in "father."
- A short 'a' can sound like the 'a' in "what" or the 'u' in "fun."
- The 'e' sound can be like the 'ai' in "air" or the short 'e' in "den." A long 'e' sounds like the 'e' in "they."
- The short 'i' sounds like the 'i' in "pin." A long 'i' sounds like the 'i' in "marine."
- The 'o' sounds like the 'o' in "bone."
- The 'u' sounds like the 'u' in "tune."
The 'e' and 'o' sounds are not very common in Hidatsa. The length of a vowel (whether it's short or long) can change the meaning of a word.
Consonant Sounds
Hidatsa has ten consonant sounds. Unlike some related languages, Hidatsa does not have sounds where you stop the air completely and then release it with a puff, or sounds made with a tight throat.
Some interesting things about Hidatsa consonants:
- Sounds like 'p', 't', 'k' can change to 'b', 'd', 'g' when they are between two vowel sounds.
- Some sounds, like 'w' and 'r', can change to 'm' or 'n' when they are at the very beginning of a word.
How Hidatsa Words Are Built
Gender in Words
In Hidatsa, some words show if something is masculine (male) or feminine (female).
- Words like 'matsé' (man) or 'ṡikàka' (young man) are masculine.
- Words like 'mia' (woman) or 'kaduḣe' (old woman) are feminine.
- For animals, 'kedapi' means "bull" and shows maleness, while 'mika' means "mare" and shows femaleness.
How to Show More Than One (Plural)
Hidatsa nouns don't change their form to show if there is one or many (singular or plural). You have to understand it from the meaning of the word or how it's used in the sentence.
Sometimes, special words are added to show number, like:
- ahu (many)
- etsa (all)
- kauṡta (few)
Talking About People
Hidatsa has simple words for "I" or "me" (ma, mi) and "you" (da, di). There's also a word for "he," "she," or "it" (i). These words often get added to other words, especially verbs, to show who is doing the action.
For example:
- 'kikidi' means "he hunts"
- 'dakikidi' means "you hunt"
- 'amakakạṡi' means "I write"
These words can also show who owns something. For example, 'maṡạki' means "my hand."
How Verbs Change (Modality)
Hidatsa verbs can change to show different ways of speaking, like:
- Infinitive: This is the basic form of the verb, like "to cough."
- Indicative: This is used for regular statements, like "I cough" or "you cough."
- Imperative: This is used for commands, like "Hunt!" or "Write!" There are different ways to give commands, some more urgent than others.
Talking About Time
Hidatsa has two main ways to talk about time:
- Indefinite Tense: This is the simple form of the verb. It can be used for things that happened in the past or are happening now.
- Future Tense: To talk about the future, special words like 'mi' or 'miha' (for "I will") and 'di' or 'diha' (for "you will") are added to the verb.
Talking About Place
Many words that describe place are made by adding small endings to nouns. For example, from 'dumàta' (the middle), you can get:
- 'dumàtadu' (through the middle)
- 'dumàtaka' (the middle)
- 'dumàtakoa' (at the middle)
- 'dumàtata' (facing the middle)
Word Order
In Hidatsa sentences, the usual order of words is: the person or thing doing the action, then the thing the action is done to, and finally the action itself. This is called Subject-Object-Verb.
How Possession Is Shown
In Hidatsa, you show who owns something by adding special words before the noun. There are two types of possession:
- Intimate Possession: This is for things you can't give away, like body parts or family members. For example, 'maṡạki' means "my hand."
- Acquired Possession: This is for things you can give to someone else, like a shield. For example, 'matamidaki' means "my shield."
The way words are placed in a sentence and how the verb changes usually make it clear who is doing what.
How Hidatsa Is Used Today
Sadly, the Hidatsa language is in danger. Experts say it's at a level where adults can still speak it among themselves, but it's not being passed down to children very much.
In 2007, it was found that out of about 600 Hidatsa people, only about 200 could speak the language. Only a few people spoke it perfectly, and most of the best speakers were 30 years old or older. Children usually only know a few words.
Most Hidatsa conversations happen between elders in their homes. It's still possible to help the language survive, especially since some speakers are young enough to have children. But it's very important to focus on teaching Hidatsa in schools and at home right now to keep it alive!
