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Questions and Answers
How many unique vowel sounds are present in the Standard Roman Orthography (SRO) for Cree?
How many unique vowel sounds are present in the Standard Roman Orthography (SRO) for Cree?
- 6
- 5
- 4
- 7 (correct)
Which of the following are the vowel letters used in SRO?
Which of the following are the vowel letters used in SRO?
- a, e, i, o (correct)
- a, e, i, ä
- a, e, i, y
- a, e, i, u
What do macrons and carets signify in the SRO system?
What do macrons and carets signify in the SRO system?
- Short vowel sounds
- Long vowel sounds (correct)
- Different consonant sounds
- Tone variations
Why is the correct pronunciation of vowel sounds in SRO important?
Why is the correct pronunciation of vowel sounds in SRO important?
What contributes to the overall meaning of expression in Cree language apart from pronunciation?
What contributes to the overall meaning of expression in Cree language apart from pronunciation?
Which statement regarding the consonant sounds in the SRO is true?
Which statement regarding the consonant sounds in the SRO is true?
In context to Cree dialects, what is the main impact of intermarriage among neighboring communities?
In context to Cree dialects, what is the main impact of intermarriage among neighboring communities?
What are the short vowels in the SRO system represented as?
What are the short vowels in the SRO system represented as?
Which of the following dialects of Cree is primarily focused on in this course?
Which of the following dialects of Cree is primarily focused on in this course?
What is the correct pronunciation of 'I/Me' in the Th dialect of Cree?
What is the correct pronunciation of 'I/Me' in the Th dialect of Cree?
Which statement is true regarding the Cree dialects spoken in Saskatchewan?
Which statement is true regarding the Cree dialects spoken in Saskatchewan?
What does the term 'nēhiyawēwin' refer to?
What does the term 'nēhiyawēwin' refer to?
What aspect of the Cree dialects does the Standard Roman Orthography (SRO) writing system address?
What aspect of the Cree dialects does the Standard Roman Orthography (SRO) writing system address?
How many dialects of Cree are technically spoken across Canada?
How many dialects of Cree are technically spoken across Canada?
Which feature characterizes the R dialect of Cree?
Which feature characterizes the R dialect of Cree?
What does the phonetic form of writing Cree no longer used refer to?
What does the phonetic form of writing Cree no longer used refer to?
Which long vowel is pronounced like the ‘oo’ in ‘soon’?
Which long vowel is pronounced like the ‘oo’ in ‘soon’?
What is the correct pronunciation of the short vowel 'o' in SRO?
What is the correct pronunciation of the short vowel 'o' in SRO?
Which consonant variation is represented by 'k' in SRO when a word starts and ends with it?
Which consonant variation is represented by 'k' in SRO when a word starts and ends with it?
How is the consonant 'c' pronounced in its southern variation?
How is the consonant 'c' pronounced in its southern variation?
Which of the following is an example of a word containing the long vowel 'ē'?
Which of the following is an example of a word containing the long vowel 'ē'?
What should one pay special attention to when pronouncing the consonants 'c', 'k', 'p', and 't'?
What should one pay special attention to when pronouncing the consonants 'c', 'k', 'p', and 't'?
In Cree, what characterizes the short vowel 'i'?
In Cree, what characterizes the short vowel 'i'?
What is an example of a word spelled with the long vowel 'ā'?
What is an example of a word spelled with the long vowel 'ā'?
What is the Cree word for 'blood'?
What is the Cree word for 'blood'?
Which word represents the action of hunting big game in Cree?
Which word represents the action of hunting big game in Cree?
Identify the Cree word that means 'spit'.
Identify the Cree word that means 'spit'.
What is a minimal pair in the provided content?
What is a minimal pair in the provided content?
Which letter should NEVER be used in the Y dialect of Cree?
Which letter should NEVER be used in the Y dialect of Cree?
What should NOT be included when writing in Cree?
What should NOT be included when writing in Cree?
What is the primary difference between the words 'nipiy' and 'nīpiy'?
What is the primary difference between the words 'nipiy' and 'nīpiy'?
Which option correctly describes the spelling of 'e' in SRO writing?
Which option correctly describes the spelling of 'e' in SRO writing?
What is the meaning of the Cree word 'mayaw'?
What is the meaning of the Cree word 'mayaw'?
In the Cree sounds chart, how is the letter 't' pronounced at the beginning of a word?
In the Cree sounds chart, how is the letter 't' pronounced at the beginning of a word?
Which of the following represents a change in consonant sound in Cree minimal pairs?
Which of the following represents a change in consonant sound in Cree minimal pairs?
What type of word is 'ōta' in Cree?
What type of word is 'ōta' in Cree?
What is the correct pronunciation of the letter 't' when it is the last letter in a word?
What is the correct pronunciation of the letter 't' when it is the last letter in a word?
Which pair exemplifies the change of a complete vowel in Cree?
Which pair exemplifies the change of a complete vowel in Cree?
What does the word 'yōtin' mean in Cree?
What does the word 'yōtin' mean in Cree?
Which sound is associated with the vowel 'ā' in the Cree sounds chart?
Which sound is associated with the vowel 'ā' in the Cree sounds chart?
Study Notes
Indigenous Languages in Canada
- Canada has 12 major Indigenous linguistic groups, including the Algonkian/Algonquian family, comprising 14 languages.
- Cree is recognized as a dominant Indigenous language within this family.
Cree Dialects
- Cree is spoken in 9 different dialects across Canada, with 5 primary 'non-palatalized' dialects:
- Y (Plains Cree) - dominant focus of this course, with a southern and northern version (nēhiyawēwin).
- Th (Woodland Cree) - nītha (I/Me) with a long vowel.
- N (Swampy Cree) - nīna (I/Me).
- L (Moose Cree) - nīla (I/Me).
- R (Atikamēk Cree) - nīra (I/Me) with a rolled ‘r’ sound.
Standard Roman Orthography (SRO)
- A standardized writing system for writing Cree dialects, replacing older phonetic systems.
- Utilizes 14 letters of the English alphabet, including 4 vowels and 10 consonants.
Vowels in SRO
- 4 vowels: a, e, i, o, which generate 7 distinct vowel sounds.
- Long vowels are marked with a macron (ā, ē, ī, ō); short vowels remain unmarked (a, i, o).
- Importance of precise pronunciation as it can alter word meanings (minimal pairs).
Consonants in SRO
- 10 consonant sounds: c, h, k, m, n, p, s, t, w, y.
- Important pronunciation variations exist for c, k, p, t across dialects.
- Examples include:
- c can sound like 'ts' (southern) or 'ch' (northern).
- k is pronounced between ‘g’ and ‘k’.
- p has aspirated endings; softer at the end of words.
- t varies in aspiration.
Minimal Pairs
- Reflect similar spelling and pronunciation with different meanings, categorized into four types:
- Type 1: Change in vowel length (e.g., nipiy - water vs. nīpiy - a leaf).
- Type 2: Change in consonant (e.g., yōtin - it's windy vs. nōtin - fight him/her).
- Type 3: Change of vowel (e.g., ōta - here vs. āta - although).
- Type 4: Addition of a letter (e.g., nēhiyaw - Cree person vs. nēhiyawē - speak Cree).
SRO Spelling Rules
- Avoid using English letters: b, d, f, g, j, q, u, v, x, z in Y dialect.
- Always include macrons/carets above vowels to indicate long sounds.
- Do not use capitalization or punctuation when writing in Cree.
- Avoid spelling with digraphs or double consonants/vowels.
- Retain the silent ‘i’ in spelling.
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Description
Explore the foundational concepts of Cree dialects and their spelling systems in the context of Indigenous languages in Canada. This quiz covers the first two weeks of the course content, focusing on the Algonkian linguistic family. Prepare to deepen your understanding of Cree language essentials.
