yaŋkÁ
The English verb 'sit' is translated into Lakota as yaŋkÁ.
yaŋkÁ describes the action of a person being in a position where the upper body is held upright and the legs are supported.
Meaning: of a person, be in a position in which the upper body is upright and the legs are supported (verb)
Did you know?
- Lakota contains specialized verbs for sitting that change based on the material of the seat, such as whether the surface is soft, hard or organic.
- In many traditional Lakota settings, sitting cross-legged is the standard posture for long periods, which is fundamentally different from the Western chair-based sitting described by the English word 'sit'.
- In Lakota, there is a distinction between sitting as a momentary action and sitting as a state of being, which involves different grammatical markers.
Example conversation
Joyce is inviting Ronald to join her at a table.
- JoyceRonald, tókšto yaŋkÁ.Ronald, sit here.
- RonaldWaŋyáŋkÁ.I will sit.
- JoyceTȟokšá yaŋkÁ.Sit comfortably.
- RonaldFilhó.Thank you.
