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Lenape Talking Dictionary

By English WORD or PHRASE

By Lenape WORD or PHRASE

Na Lënu Òk Nèl Mwekaneyëma

The Man and His Dog . . . Told by Nora Thompson Dean in 1967
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English:
A long time ago there was a man who lived in a big forest.
Lenape:
Lòmwe hùnt lënuwa xinkwi shinkèkink wiku.
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English:
The man lived alone, except for his dog.
Lenape:
Xuhanu na lënu, shëk wëlahële mwekane.
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English:
On many evenings they would talk together the dog and the man.
Lenape:
Xaheli ènta lòkwik pëmëtunheyok na mwekane òk na lënu.
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English:
One day the dog said,
Lenape:
Luwe kwëtën kishkwik na mwekane,
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English:
"All right my friend, let us go hunting!
Lenape:
"Nëpèhta nchu, alaitàm!
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English:
It seems like I can smell many squirrels toward the north."
Lenape:
Alàshi a ta nëmëlao xaheli xanikok ikali luwàneyunk."
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English:
So they left to go squirrel hunting that man and his friend.
Lenape:
Na tòlëmskaneyo nutxanikweyok na lënu òk nèl witisa.
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English:
While they were just walking along a little path
Lenape:
Na ènta tëmakanëtëtink ènta papëmskahtit
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English:
the dog suddenly heard something making a rattling noise by the path.
Lenape:
wixkaochi pwëntao na mwekane kèku ta pè shëshëwixink tëmakanëtëtink kixki.
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English:
The dog said, "Stop! Stop! I heard something.
Lenape:
Na mwekane luwe, "Nahkihëla! Nahkihëla! Mpëntao kèku!
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English:
It might be a rattlesnake rattling!"
Lenape:
Na èt mah na shixikwe pè shëshuhwit!"
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English:
Then the dog grabbed him,
Lenape:
Na ika alihëlalan na mwekane,
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English:
and began to shake the snake.
Lenape:
tòlëmi tëntahkanihin na xkuk
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English:
and finally he killed the snake.
Lenape:
xantki wënihëlao nèl xkuka.
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English:
Then when they had finished hunting, they went home.
Lenape:
Na ènta kìshi alaihtit, machiyok
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English:
The man began to cook.
Lenape:
Na lënu alëmi wixënu.
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English:
He fed the dog on the ground.
Lenape:
Hakink tòxamao na mwekane.
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English:
But finally the dog wouldn't eat;
Lenape:
Xantki na mwekane mata mitsii;
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English:
he just had a scowl on his face.
Lenape:
manunkinkwexin shëk.
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English:
The man told the dog,
Lenape:
Na lënu tëlao na mwekane,
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English:
"What's wrong with you? Aren't you hungry?"
Lenape:
"Kèku hach ktëlsi? Ku hàch katupwii?"
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English:
The dog said,
Lenape:
Na mwekane luwe,
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English:
"Oh yes, I am hungry, but I want to know what the reason is that you feed me on the ground?
Lenape:
"O, nkatupwi ta, shëk nkata watun wënchi hakink ènta xamiàn?
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English:
Why is it that I cannot eat at the table also?"
Lenape:
Kèku hàch wënchi mata nkàski mitsii èhèntalipwink tali?"
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English:
The man said, "Oh well, you can eat with me
Lenape:
Na lënu luwe, Osòmi! Kàski wipumi
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English:
You can come and sit right here!"
Lenape:
Nëpèhta! Yushe lëmatahpi!"
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English:
The dog smiled,
Lenape:
Na mwekane këlëksëwinkwèxin,
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English:
He began to eat. He was eating with his friend.
Lenape:
Tòlëmi mitsin. Wipumao nèl witisa.