How to Say “Chipmunk” in Ojibwe

By •
agongos
The Ojibwe word for chipmunk is agongos.
agongos is a noun used to refer to the chipmunk, a type of small rodent.
Meaning: rodent (noun)

Did you know?

  • Because Ojibwe is a polysynthetic language, a single word related to agongos can often function as an entire sentence in English by adding prefixes and suffixes.
  • In the Ojibwe worldview, the agongos is categorized as an animate being, which means it shares a grammatical class with humans and spirits rather than inanimate objects.
  • Ojibwe uses a complex system of 'obviation' when talking about two animate beings, such as two agongos, to keep track of which one is the primary focus.

Example conversation

Miskwaa and Zhaawan are walking in the woods.

  1. Miskwaa

    Zhaawan, agongos waabamin!
    Zhaawan, I see a chipmunk!
  2. Zhaawan

    Edaan? Agongos gichi-apiin.
    Where? The chipmunk is fast.
  3. Miskwaa

    Agongos i-izhaa.
    The chipmunk is over there.
  4. Zhaawan

    Aaniish, waabamin!
    Oh, I see it!

Sources

⭐Share⭐ to appreciate human effort 🙏
Anne Marilyn
Anne MarilynHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
guest
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Scroll to Top