ᒥᓄ ᑮᓯᑲᐤ
mino-kîsikaw
The phrase "good day" in Cree is ᒥᓄ ᑮᓯᑲᐤ.
ᒥᓄ ᑮᓯᑲᐤ is used specifically as a greeting during the daylight hours, between sunrise and sunset.
Meaning: greeting between sunrise and sunset (intj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Northern Plains Cree dialects, the terms tânisi and tânsi are used as informal greetings instead of the more literal daylight greeting.
How do you pronounce it?
mino-kîsikaw
Did you know?
- Cree is a polysynthetic language, meaning that single words like those in ᒥᓄ ᑮᓯᑲᐤ are often built from smaller units that function like entire English sentences.
- In some traditional contexts, greetings are not just social niceties but are seen as a way of acknowledging the life force and spirit of the person being addressed.
- The word kîsikâw within the phrase can also function as a noun to mean the sun itself or a full 24-hour cycle.
Examples in context
- ᒥᓄ ᑮᓯᑲᐤ.mino kīsikāw.Good day.
Example conversation
Two neighbors meet on a sidewalk in the afternoon.
- Aᒥᓄ ᑮᓯᑲᐤ!mino kîsika!Good day!
- Bᒥᓄ ᑮᓯᑲᐤ! ᑕᐐᐤᐣ ᑭᐌᐣ?mino kîsika! tatan kî-nin?Good day! How are you?
- Aᓂᐣᓯᐤᐣ, ᐌᐤᐣ.nînsin, wan.I am doing well.
- Bᒥᓄ ᑮᓯᑲᐤ ᑭᐣᐤᐣ.mino kîsika kinon.Have a good day.
