Strategies to Create New Words

All human languages use certain common strategies to create new words:

• borrowing from another language
• giving a new meaning to existing words
• creating new words using the rules of the language

Strategy One: Borrowing

1. Borrowing a word from another language

Using or borrowing a word from another language is a common way of finding new words when a language needs them. The words are usually borrowed from the language and culture which introduces the new item or idea. In Cree, the words which have been borrowed are mainly nouns which are names for things, often items of food and clothing or new technology.

Older borrowed words are integrated into the language and have a very Cree pronunciation. New or recently borrowed words have a more English or French pronunciation and include verbs as well as nouns. All borrowed words take Cree inflection. For example:

ᓂᑲᒻᐱᔫᑎᕆᒥᔥ

ni-computer-imish

my laptop (lit. my little computer)

Words borrowed from English

ᔔᑳᐤ		shuukaau	sugar
ᑏ		tii	tea
ᑏᐧᐹᑦ		tiipwaat	teapot
ᒫᒌᔅ		maachiis	matches
ᐧᑳᐲ		kwaapii	coffee
ᐯᐹᐤ		pepaau	pepper
ᐸᑦ		pat	butter
ᑲᐸᑦ		kapat	cupboard
ᐸᑌᑎᔅ		patetis	potatoes (patates)
ᐧᐹᑲᑦ		pwaakat	pocket
ᐯᑎᑯᑦ		petikut	petticoat
ᒉᑲᑦ		chekat	jacket
ᒪᓛᔅ		malaasis	molasses
ᒥᓂᑯᔥ		minikush	minute
ᒫᐦᑮ		maahkii	marquee
ᐸᐧᓛᒡ		palwaach	badge
ᓕᐱᓐ		lipin	ribbon
ᓓᔅ		les	lace
ᑭᒋᓐ		kichin	kitchen
ᐲᓐᑰ		piinkuu	bingo
ᐲᓂᓴᒡ		piinisach	beans
ᐴᑎᓐ		puutin	pudding
ᐧᐋᒡ		waach	watch
ᐧᑳᑦ		kwaat	coat
ᐧᐹᐦᒡ		pwaahch	porch
ᐹᓂᑮᒃ		paanikiik	pancake
ᐧᔖᓪ / ᐧᔖᓐ		shwaan	shawl
ᐋᐦᐋᔅ		aahaas	horse
ᒑᒻ		chaam	jam
ᐧᒑᑲᓚᑦ		chwaakalat	chocolate
ᓰᐅᑏᔅ		siiutiis	sweets
ᔅᐯᑦ		spet	spade
ᐁᓐᒋᓪ		enchil	angel
ᔅᑮᑑ		skiituu	skidoo
ᔅᑯᓪ		skuul	school

Words borrowed from French

ᓰᐹᐃ		shiipaai	cipaille	dumpling
ᒦᓅᔥ		miinuush	minouche	cat
ᑳᓘ		kaaluu	carreaux	card
ᐴᑕᐃ		puutai	bouteille	bottle
ᑑᐲᔅ		tuupiis	autobus	bus
ᑌᑲᓓᑉ		tekalep	des crêpes	pancake, crepe

The pronunciation of new borrowed words is closer to the original English or French pronunciation because people now are bilingual or trilingual. This is especially true of names for people which are borrowed from English and French with their English and French pronunciation, even if they are being written in syllabics.

Certain classes of words are commonly used with the English pronunciation while speaking Cree. These are the words for numbers, expressions of time (days, months) and colours.

2. Borrowing the Translation only

Another way of borrowing is to use the ideas in the dominant language but translate them literally into Cree, as for example when chairman is translated as *ᑌᐦᑕᐳᐧᐃᓈᐯᐤ *tehtapuwinaapeu chair+man or as ᑌᐦᑕᐳᐧᐃᓅᒋᒫᐤ tehtapuwinuuchimaau chair+boss, instead of using the Cree word, ᑳᓃᑳᓇᐱᔥᑕᐦᒃ kaaniikaanapishtahk. Literally translated words exist because of language contact and bilingualism. This is not considered a good way to make new Cree words.

Strategy Two: Giving a New Meaning to an Existing Word

This process is found in all languages of the world. There is usually an element of meaning that is common to the old usage and the new usage of the word. For example, apui the paddle and apui the propeller have in common a certain shape (the shape of a paddle) and a function (moving something forward). When a word has two meanings which have a common element we speak of polysemy.

			Original Meaning	New Meaning
ᐊᐳᐃ		apui	paddle	propeller
ᐃᔥᑯᑌᐤ		ishkuteu	fire (ni)	battery (na), sparkplugs
ᒫᑎᔅ		maatis	flint	sparkplug (na, Waswanipi)
ᐅᔥᑲᔒ		ushkashii	nail, claw	skidoo track
ᐊᐦᐄᐲ		ahiipii	net	net for hockey, basketball and other games, lamp mantle (Waskaganish)
ᐅᑕᒋᔒ		utachishii	guts	hose, extension cord

Strategy Three: Using the Rules of the Language

Neologism is the art of making new words using the rules of the language. Words live and die. Words to talk about bush life are dying today in Cree because less people live in this reality. On the other hand, words that reflect the modern life are created everyday by Cree speakers. Add examples or link to terminology forum

ᒀᔥᒀᔥᑫᐸᔨᐦᐆᐙᑲᓐ		kwaashkwaashkwepayihuuwaakan (ni)	jolly jumper
ᑳᐧᑳᔥᐧᑳᐧᑫᐸᐦᑖᑦ		kaakwaashkwaashkwepahtaat (nap)	kangaroo

In Cree, a word is made up of many small parts and it is important to understand what these parts are and how they combine to understand how new word creation can happen in Cree. See: Structure of Cree words.

The parts of a word: ᐄᑖᐯᑲᒨ iitaapekamuu it (string-like) stretches from here to there.

iit	aapek	amu	-u
so	string-like	stretch	3rd persons/he
INITIAL	MEDIAL	FINAL	Personal suffix
STEM			INFLECTION