Munsee (Hulunìixsuwáakan)

Munsee is an Eastern Algonquian language spoken on the Moraviantown Reserve in Ontario in Canada. In 2009 there were fewer than 10 elderly speakers. Some younger people are also learning the language.

Munsee is also known as Munsee Delaware, Delaware or Ontario Delaware, and was formerly spoken in the area of New York City, including Long Island, Manhattan Island, Staten Island, northern New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania.

Munsee speakers call themselves Delaware in English, andLunaape [lənáːpeːw] in Munsee. They call their languageHulunìixsuwáakan [hə̀lə̆ni·xsəwá·kan], which means "speaking the Delaware language".

There are several ways to write Munsee with the Latin script.

Munsee alphabet and pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Munsee (PDF)

Sample text

Laawate weemĭ aweeniik moxa mataawsuwak. Pahtamawaas uw, “ayaask-uch weemĭ kweekw nduliihaawak. wsaamĭ- weemĭ aweeniik –mataawsuwak.” Shukela mayaawsuw lunuw kwulsutawáawal Pahtamawaasal. Shiinzuw Noah. Pahtamawaas wtulaawal Noahal, “Kpumtoonhaalaawak-uch weemĭ aweeniik.” Ktulaawaak-uch kweek-uch nah ndulunum njiipalohkeem eel- weemĭ -mataawsihtiit. Mbeechi- seendii -xwahkwíixun wunj, weemĭ-uch taa lĭ liixun mbuy. Ktulaawaak-uch weemĭ kwulupiikw yoon aakw, pálii aakw wunj-meetaawsuwaakunung.

Translation

Long ago the people of the world became very wicked. God said, "I must destroy them, because they are so wicked." There was only one man who obeyed God. His name was Noah. God said to Noah, "Preach to the people." Tell them I will send a terrible judgment to them. I will send a great flood because of their wickedness. Tell them to repent and turn from their evil ways.

Source:https://munseedelaware.com/mahican-resource-articles/the-story-of-noah/

Sample video in Munsee

Information about Munsee |Numbers

Links

Information about Munsee
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munsee_language
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munsee_grammar
http://www.native-languages.org/munsee.htm
https://www.talk-lenape.org/lessons
https://magazine.utoronto.ca/research-ideas/culture-society/a-lifeline-for-an-endangered-language-munsee-indigenous-dialect/you
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/lunaape-munsee-delaware-language-1.5369736
https://www.lingoblog.dk/en/the-munsee-of-southern-ontario-canada-and-their-struggle-to-preserve-their-language/

Algonquian languages

Abenaki,Algonquin,Arapaho,Atikamekw,Blackfoot,Cheyenne,Chippewa,Cree (East),Cree (Moose),Cree (Plains),Cree (Swampy),Cree (Woods),Fox,Innu (Montagnais),Kickapoo,Malecite-Passamaquoddy,Loup,Massachusett (Wampanoag),Menominee,Miami,Míkmaq,Mohegan,Mohican,Munsee,Narragansett,Naskapi,Ojibwe,Oji-Cree,Ottawa,Penobscot,Powhatan,Potawatomi,Quiripi,Sauk,Shawnee,Unami (Lenape)

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 03.01.25

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