Lenape Tribe Seal

Lenape Talking Dictionary

By English WORD or PHRASE

By Lenape WORD or PHRASE

Detailed Entry Information

Sound Icon
English:man
Lenape:lënu [na]

Sample Sentences

Sound Icon
English:Who is that man?
Lenape:Awèn hèch na lënu?
Sound Icon
English:A big man.
Lenape:Xinkwi lënu.
Sound Icon
English:The man is sleeping.
Lenape:Kawi na lënu.
Sound Icon
English:I went to see the man but he was asleep.
Lenape:Nëmay pënao shëk kawi na lënu .

Historical Example

Renoes [1633] male
Rhènus [1648] man
leno; renus [1684]
lenno [1755] a man
Lunnoa [1824] man

Comments

Unstressed initial /ë/ is elided.
Note: from earlier /*ëlëniwa/ with final /a/ elided and /iw/ realized as /u/. The asterisk denotes an unattested earlier form inferred on the basis of comparative evidence.

Analysis

Form:
lënu
Structure:
ëlënu
Meaning:
man