ᐅᔅᒑᓯᐠ
oscāsik
The Cree word for salmon is ᐅᔅᒑᓯᐠ (oscāsik).
ᐅᔅᒑᓯᐠ refers to the salmon fish.
Meaning: fish (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
oscāsik
Did you know?
- The Cree language utilizes an animate gender system, meaning ᐅᔅᒑᓯᐠ is treated grammatically as a living being with agency rather than an inanimate object.
- The syllabics used to write ᐅᔅᒑᓯᐠ do not represent individual letters like the English alphabet. Instead, each symbol represents a whole consonant and vowel combination.
- Because salmon are migratory, some Cree dialects describe the fish using words that actually mean 'to arrive' or 'to return'.
Example conversation
Two people are talking about their meal.
- Aᐅᔅᒑᓯᐠ ᓂᐣᐣᐣᐣ ᓂᐣᐣᐣ?usqasim ninnn ninn?Do you have salmon?
- Bᐅᔅᒑᓯᐠ ᓂᐣᐣᐣᐣ ᓂᐣᐣᐣ.usqasim ninnn ninn.Yes, I have salmon.
- Aᒥᐣᐣᐣ ᐅᔅᒑᓯᐠ ᓂᐣᐣᐣ.minn usqasim ninn.The salmon is delicious.
- Bᓂᐣᐣᐣ ᓂᐣᐣᐣ.ninn ninn.I agree.
