mostos
The Cree word for cow is mostos.
mostos refers to an adult female of the species Bos taurus.
Meaning: adult female of species Bos taurus (noun)
Did you know?
- Before the introduction of European cattle, Cree speakers used terms for 'bison' to describe large bovine animals, as the bison was the primary large grazer on the plains.
- Cree is a polysynthetic language, meaning that instead of adding a separate word for 'plural', a speaker might modify the word mostos itself to indicate multiple cows.
- In many Cree-speaking communities, traditional livestock words like mostos are used almost exclusively for domesticated animals, whereas native words are reserved for wild animals like 'moose' or 'elk'.
Example conversation
Two people are looking at animals on a farm.
- Akî-wâpamâ mostos? ᑳ-ᐄᐸᒪᐄ ᒫޞ்டோޞ?ki-wapama mostos?Did you see the cow?
- Bê, nî-wâpamâ. ᐁ, ᓂ-ᐄᐸᒪᐄ.e, ni-wapama.Yes, I see it.
- Amostos ê-pîsim. ᒫޞ்டோޞ ᐄ-ᐱᓯᒼ.mostos e-pisim.The cow is eating.
- Bmostos kî-nêpîsim. ᒫޞ்டோޞ ᑳ-ᐄᐸᒪᐄ.mostos ki-nepisim.The cow is very big.
