How to Say “Turkey” in Ojibwe

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mizise
The Ojibwe word for turkey is mizise.
The term mizise is a noun used to refer to a bird in the genus Meleagris.
Meaning: bird in the genus Meleagris (noun)

Did you know?

  • The Ojibwe language uses a complex system of 'animacy', and the mizise is categorized as an animate noun, affecting how verbs are conjugated when speaking about it.
  • While English uses 'turkey' for both the bird and the country, Ojibwe speakers use entirely different, unrelated terms for the nation of Turkey.
  • While English speakers call the bird a 'turkey', many Indigenous Algonquian-speaking groups, including the Ojibwe, use names that highlight the bird's specific physical traits like its strutting walk.

Examples in context

  • Mizise wenjii.
    The turkey is walking.

Example conversation

Miskwaa and Bemizii are walking in the woods.

  1. Miskwaa

    Bemizii, mizise giizhigoon!
    Bemizii, look at the turkey!
  2. Bemizii

    Aa, mizise gimiwan.
    Yes, it is a small turkey.
  3. Miskwaa

    Mizise nindoonizhii.
    I see the turkey.
  4. Bemizii

    Waawaa, mizise waasagi'aa.
    Yes, the turkey is walking.

Sources

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Karl Ryan
Karl RyanHelp 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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