ᐊᔨᓯᓈᑫᐢ
ayisinâkês
The Cree word for monkey is ᐊᔨᓯᓈᑫᐢ (ayisinâkês).
This noun refers to a primate.
Meaning: primate (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
ayisinâkês
Did you know?
- Since monkeys are not indigenous to the subarctic or boreal regions where many Cree-speaking communities traditionally lived, the word is a relatively modern introduction to the language.
- The syllabary used to write ᐊᔨᓯᓈᑫᐢ uses a rotation system where the shape of the symbol remains the same but its orientation changes to indicate a different vowel.
- Because the Cree language is polysynthetic, a speaker can turn 'ᐊᔨᓯᓈᑫᐢ' into a much longer word to describe a specific action, such as 'a monkey that is stealing fruit'.
Example conversation
Two people are visiting a zoo.
- Aᑭᐣᐵ ᐊᔨᓯᓈᑫᐢ ᒋᐧᐑᐣ?kinâ ayisinākôs chiwîn?Where is the monkey?
- Bᐊᐅ, ᐅᐐ ᐊᔨᓯᓈᑫᐢ ᓂᐦᐵᐑᐣ.âw, ôô ayisinākôs nihâwîn.Yes, the monkey is here.
- Aᒧᐵ ᒋᐧᐑᐣ ᓂᐦᐵᐑᐣ?mô chiwîn nihâwîn?Is it over here?
- Bᐄ, ᐅᐐ ᑭᐦᐵᐑᐣ.ê, ôô kihâwîn.Yes, it is right here.
