ᑖᓂᓯ
tânisi
ᑖᓂᓯ (tânisi) is the Cree way to say hello, how are you.
This phrase is a common greeting used to initiate a conversation and inquire about another person's well-being.
How do you pronounce it?
tânisi
Did you know?
- The Cree writing system often uses the syllabics, a unique set of characters where the orientation of the symbol can change the sound, making ᑖᓂᓯ look very different from its Romanized form.
- Cree is a polysynthetic language, meaning a single word can often express an entire sentence's worth of meaning, which is why ᑖᓂᓯ functions as both 'hello' and 'how are you'.
- When using ᑖᓂᓯ, the response often shifts the focus from the self to the state of one's spirit or energy rather than just a simple 'I am fine'.
Example conversation
Two friends meet on a street in the afternoon.
- Aᑖᓂᓯ?tānisi?Hello, how are you?
- Bnêpin, tānisi?nêpin, tānisi?I'm fine, how are you?
- Anêpin.nêpin.I'm fine.
- BMitât.Mitât.Good.
