ôtipêyimisow
The English word metis is translated into Cree as ôtipêyimisow.
This term is used as an adjective to describe a person of mixed European and Aboriginal descent.
Meaning: a person of mixed European and Aboriginal descent (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is derived from the root pêyimisow, which relates to being mixed or blended.
How does it change in a sentence?
ôtipêyimisow is a third-person singular verb form used as an adjective to describe a person.
Did you know?
- In Cree, identity is often expressed as a state of being or an action rather than a static label. This means that ôtipêyimisow functions as a process of 'being mixed' rather than a fixed category.
- Because Cree is an agglutinative language, a single word like ôtipêyimisow can contain the same amount of information as a whole English sentence.
- The root pêyimisow can be used to describe how different substances or even abstract qualities are integrated, not just human ancestry.
Example conversation
Two people are discussing their family heritage.
- Aᑕᓂᐣिᐣ ᓂᐣिᐣ ᓂᐣिᐣ ᓂᐣिᐣ ᓂᐣिᐣ?Tanin ninin ninin ninin ninin ninin?Who are you?
- Bᓂᓇ ôtipêyimisow ᓂᐣिᐣ.Nina ôtipêyimisow ninin.I am Metis.
- Aᓂᐣिᐣ ᓂᐣिᐣ ᓂᐣिᐣ ᓂᐣिᐣ ᓂᐣिᐣ ᓂᐣिᐣ.ninin ninin ninin ninin ninin ninin.That is very good.
- Bᒥᐣᐣᐣ ᓂᐣिᐣ ᓂᐣिᐣ ᓂᐣिᐣ.minnn ninin ninin ninin.Thank you.
