Cree Sounds Chart & Minimal Pairs PDF

The SRO chart below combines the 10 consonant sounds with the 7 distinct vowel sounds. CREE SOUNDS CHART (SRO) (berry) (machine) (if) (soon) (soot) (fa) (appeal) ē ī i ō o ā a p pē pī...

The SRO chart below combines the 10 consonant sounds with the 7 distinct vowel sounds. CREE SOUNDS CHART (SRO) (berry) (machine) (if) (soon) (soot) (fa) (appeal) ē ī i ō o ā a p pē pī pi pō po pā pa t tē tī ti tō to tā ta c cē cī ci cō co cā ca kē kī ki kō ko kā ka k m mē mī mi mō mo mā ma n nē nī ni nō no nā na s sē sī si sō so sā sa w wē wī wi wō wo wā wa h hē hī hi hō ho hā ha y yē yī yi yō yo yā ya 7 Minimal pairs are like the homonyms of English grammar because they represent words, which have similar spelling and pronunciation but have different meanings. These differences are caused by the changing of certain letters. There appears to be 4 types of minimal pairs in Cree and therefore, there are 4 different definitions. Note: (n) – noun, (v) – verb, (Pp) – preposition, (pt) – particle, (pv) – preverb Type 1: nipiy – water (n) - This minimal pair shows a change in nīpiy – a leaf/blade of grass (n) a vowel (short to long/vice versa). Type 2: yōtin – it is windy (v) - This minimal pair shows a change in nōtin – fight him/her (v) a consonant. Type 3: ōta – here (Pp) - This minimal pair shows a change in āta – although (pt) a complete vowel. Type 4: nēhiyaw – Cree person (n) - This minimal pair shows a change in nēhiyawē – speak Cree (v) an additional letter (consonant or vowel). The four types that appear in a combination are referred to as minimal sets. *Type 1 & 4: *Type 2 & 4: maci – evil/bad (pv) mihko – blood (n) māci – begin/start (pv) pihko – soot/ashes (n) māciy – to hunt big game (v) pihkos – gnat/sandfly (n) sihko – spit (v) *Type 1, 2 & 3: sihkos – weasel (n) mayaw – as soon as (pt) miyaw – a body (n) - (as in death) miyāw – he/she is given something (v) miyām – smell him/her/it (v) 8