wiidookawishin
The Ojibwe word for help is wiidookawishin.
This is a transitive verb used when you want to describe the act of providing assistance to someone or something.
Meaning: transitive: provide assistance to (someone or something) (verb)
Did you know?
- Ojibwe is a polysynthetic language, meaning a single word can function as an entire sentence by adding prefixes and suffixes to the root of wiidookawishin.
- In Ojibwe, the concept of 'helping' is often viewed as a reciprocal exchange of energy rather than a one-way transaction. To help someone is to participate in a social balance that keeps the community stable.
- Ojibwe uses 'animacy' to categorize the world, so the word for 'help' behaves differently if you are helping a spirit or a medicinal plant.
Example conversation
Miskwaa and Bemizii are working in a garden.
- MiskwaaWiidookawishin Bemizii?Does Bemizii help?
- BemiziiEya, wiidookawishin nindoon.Yes, he helps my mother.
- MiskwaaAaniish wiidookawishin?How does he help?
- BemiziiWiidookawishin ginaandiziwin.He helps with the planting.
