How to Say “Sage” in Cree

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ᒧᐢᑐᓱᐑᐦᑲᐢᑿ
mostoso-wîhkaskwa
The Cree word for 'sage' (meaning wise) is ᒧᐢᑐᓱᐑᐦᑲᐢᑿ (mostoso-wîhkaskwa).
Meaning: wise (adj)

How do you pronounce it?

mostoso-wîhkaskwa

Did you know?

  • While English uses 'sage' for both a person and a plant, Cree speakers use entirely different root words to distinguish between a person's intellect and the sacred herbs used in Smudging ceremonies.
  • The structure of the word ᒧᐢᑐᓱᐑᐦᑲᐢᑿ allows a speaker to actually embed the subject into the word itself, effectively saying 'he/she is a wise person' in one single breath.
  • Because Cree has several dialects, such as Plains Cree and Woods Cree, the pronunciation and spelling of ᒧᐢᑐᓱᐑᐦᑲᐢᑿ can vary significantly between regions.

Example conversation

Two people are discussing a respected elder.

  1. A

    ᒧᐢᑐᓱᐑᐦᑲᐢᑿ ᓂᐜᐑᐑᐦᑕᐦ
    mostosupihkaskwa nîyîyih-tah
    He is a wise man.
  2. B

    ᐦᐦ ᓂᐦᐦᑕᐦ
    eh nih-htah
    Yes, he is.
  3. A

    ᒧᐢᑐᓱᐑᐦᑲᐢᑿ ᐦᑕᐦ ᐦᐦ
    mostosupihkaskwa htah eh
    He is truly wise, isn't he?
  4. B

    ᐴᐦᐦ ᐦᐦ
    wôh eh
    Yes, indeed.
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Hannah Annie
Hannah AnnieHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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