Alënixsitàm! 

Let's Talk Lenape!

Lesson #10

      In this lesson we will discuss interjections used in Lenape, and also the names for colors.  The color section will include some sentences showing how they are the words are used.

Interjections:

     Before we get into more serious grammar it might be of interest to know of some interjections used by the Lenape.  These are like English, Ouch! and Oh!.  Some of the forms listed use the additional form tamwe to strengthen the meaning.

 awee  (tamwe)                  interjection used when one is tired or has aches and pains

 chei (tamwe)                     interjection used when one is startled or surprised

 chee shësh tamwe           Oh my goodness!

 eche  (tamwe)                interjection of great surprise

 ehei  (tamwe)                 interjection of surprise like seeing something huge or hearing something from long ago

 ho tamwe                         oh my!

 kësaa  (tamwe)               interjection when seeing something nasty

 kwioo                               Oh dear!

 O tamwe!                         oh my!

 oho  (tamwe)                  oh my!

 pux  (or)   puxo  (or)   puxòò   (tamwe)     whew!    interjection when smelling something very bad

These forms do not add tamwe for emphasis:

 a-i                               interjection used when finished eating  

 awii                             ouch

 chuwee!                         oh my it's hot!

 hipaha  or   hupahaha     interjection when having fun

 ihèh                            interjection of an expected unpleasantness; such as bad weather coming.

 katu                            Brrr! (said when subjected to sudden cold like going

                                           outside in the winter.

 phwit                             Phooey.  Nonsense.  interjection on hearing something you do not believe.

 push                           Scat!  used to scare cat

 shèkta                         see there! (interjection; not the actual act of looking)

 teka  or   teka ta    Watch out!  Be careful!

 yuh!                            Yes!;  OK!

Colors in Lenape

      In previous lessons we have not gone over a complete list of colors in Lenape so we will do that now.  The words for color are divided according to whether they refer to an Animate or Inanimate subject.  Interestingly there seems to be no Lenape word for Brown.

Colors in Lenape - Inanimate: 

root                singular                  plural                      meaning

sëk-                sëke                  sëkeyo                      it is/they are black

aon-                aone                 aoneyo                     it is/they are blue

àskàskw-         àskàskwe          àskàskweyo               it is/they are green

wipunkw-        wipunkwe          wipunkweyo               it is/they are gray

màxk-            màxke              màxkeyo                  it is/they are red

òp-                  òpe                  òpeyo                       it is/they are white

wisaw-            wisae                wisaeyo                    it is/they are yellow

Colors - Animate:

[Note: Remember that some things that in English would be considered Inanimate are considered to be Animate in Lenape, such as the words for a car, or wagon, or even a bucket.]

     singular                plural                                meaning

 sëksu                     sëksuwàk                           he is/they are black

 aonsu                     aonsuwàk                                   he is/they are blue

 àskàskwsu              àskàskwsuwàk                          he is/they are green

 wipunkwsu              wipunkwsuwàk                           he is/they are gray

 màxksu                  màxksuwàk                          he is/they are red

 òpsu                       òpsuwàk                              he is/they are white

 wisawsu                  wisawsuwàk                        he is/they are yellow

In addition to the primary colors listed Lenape has ways to express either the way it is colored, or in some cases its shade or hue.  The ending used on these verbs is –ikte for Inanimate and  -iksu for Animate.

 likte                                            the color it is

 liksa                                           color it

 liksike                                         he is coloring

 ntëliksëmën                                I color it

 nëmësiliksëmën                          I will paint it different colors

 wëlikte                                       it has a good color

 mësilikte                                    it is multi-colored; it is variegated

 wisahkimikte                              it is of a purple hue; it is of a wine color

 chàkinkwèmikte                          it is purple; purple hue (pokeberry color)

 sëkikte                                       it is of a blackish hue

 màxkikte                                    it is of a reddish hue; it is pink

 òlënchikte                                   it is of an orange hue

 mehëmichink ehëliksink              food coloring

 pili liksu                                      he is a different color

 pili liksuwàk                                they are colored differently (from others)

 mësiliksuwàk                              they are many hued (colored)

 wipunkwinakòt                            it is of a grayish hue

 aoninakwsu                                he looks blue (in color, not state-of-mind)

 nòpsi                                          I am white; I am colored white

While the following is not a color it could be useful:

 shapònte                                    it is transparent

 shapòntèk                                  glass (for drinking); window pane; transparent

Sample Sentences:

 Màxkinakòt tohèmpsëm.

it-looks-red  her-dress

Her dress is a reddish color.

 Pililikwsu wa òtaès.

he-has-different-color this flower.

This flower is a different color.

 Kèku hèch likte?

What ?  it-is-color?

What color is it?

 Kèku hèch likte na Charles mwilàxk?

What ?  it-is-color that Charles his-hair?

What color is Charles’ hair?

 Twën na òpsit tipas.

catch-him that white chicken.

Catch that white chicken.

 Nkatatàmën në opèk lokèns.

I-want-it   that  white dish.

I want that white dish.

 Opsu na mwekane.

he-is-white that dog 

That dog is white.

 Na òpsit mwekane pe.

that white dog  he-came.

That white dog came.

 Në kèshtèk lokèns ope.

the hot   dish  it-is–white. 

That hot dish is white.

 Kshëte në opënchu.

 it-is-hot that white-dish. 

That white dish is hot.

 Opsu na hus.

he-is-white that bucket. 

The bucket is white.