ᑭᓯᐠ
kisik
The Cree word for sky is ᑭᓯᐠ (kisik).
ᑭᓯᐠ refers to the atmosphere above a given point, specifically the part of the sky visible from the Earth where one sees the sun, moon, stars and clouds.
Meaning: atmosphere above a given point, especially as visible from the surface of the Earth as the place where the sun, moon, stars, and clouds are seen (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
kisik
Did you know?
- Traditional Cree cosmology often views the sky as a living space inhabited by distinct spirits, which influences how the word is used in storytelling.
- Because Cree is a polysynthetic language, one might describe a 'cloudy sky' or 'a sky full of stars' using a single, massive word rather than several small words.
- The written form of ᑭᓯᐠ uses a syllabic system where each character represents a consonant-vowel combination, making the appearance of the word look very different from the Roman alphabet.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking up during a walk.
- Aᑭᓯᐠ ᐣᐩᐣ ᓂᐩᐣ.kisik nan ninan.The sky is beautiful.
- Bᐩᐩᐩ ᐩᐩᐩ ᐩᐩᐩ.ppp ppp ppp.Yes, it is.
- Aᑭᓯᐠ ᐣᐩᐣ ᐣᐩᐣ ᐣᐩᐣ.kisik nan nan nan nan.Look at the sky!
