{"id":4761,"date":"2011-06-24T10:34:36","date_gmt":"2011-06-24T14:34:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eastcree.org\/cree\/"},"modified":"2019-11-25T09:39:39","modified_gmt":"2019-11-25T14:39:39","slug":"mi-ni","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.eastcree.org\/cree\/en\/grammar\/sounds-east-cree\/sounds\/consonants\/nasals\/mi-ni\/","title":{"rendered":"MI \/ NI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

<\/a>MI and NI at the beginning of words<\/h1>\r\n

At the beginning of words, NI and MI can sound different from how they are spelled. We will present some regular examples (where NI and MI sound like they are spelled), and then talk about the exceptions.<\/p>\r\n

NI at the beginning of the word<\/h3>\r\n

NI often sounds just like it is spelled: [n\u026a].<\/p>\r\n
Northern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n\"Click<\/td>\r\n* nisit<\/td>\r\nni-sit<\/td>\r\n[ \u02c8n\u026as – s\u026at\u02b0 ]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

* Note that the [s] sounds long in this example.<\/p>\r\n
Southern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

Often, however, NI sounds like a long (syllabic) N at the beginning of the word.<\/p>\r\n
Northern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n\"Click<\/td>\r\nnitikushinaan<\/td>\r\nni-tiku-shi-naan<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Southern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

NI can even sound like IN [\u026an] at the beginning of the word. The first two examples are two instances of the same word. In the first instance, NI sounds like a long N. In the second instance, NI sounds more like IN:<\/p>\r\n
Northern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n\"Click<\/td>\r\nnituchikin<\/td>\r\nni-tu-chi-kin<\/td>\r\n[n\u0329]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n\"Click<\/td>\r\nnituchikin<\/td>\r\nni-tu-chi-kin<\/td>\r\n[\u026an]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n\"Click<\/td>\r\nnichikw<\/td>\r\nni-chikw<\/td>\r\n[\u026an]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Southern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

When NI is before an S, SH, or CH sound, it can be silent (or perhaps you might hear a short T sound). In the following example, the prefix NI is silent:<\/p>\r\n
Northern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n\"Click<\/td>\r\nnishikii<\/td>\r\nnishi-kii<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Southern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

In contrast, in the following Northern example, nisikus<\/span>, a short [n] can be heard at the beginning of the 3rd repetition of the word, but not in the other repetitions. This can also be heard in the 2nd repetition of next example, nispitun<\/span>.<\/p>\r\n
Northern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n\"Click<\/td>\r\nnisikus<\/td>\r\nnisi-kus<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n\"Click<\/td>\r\nnispitun<\/td>\r\nnispi-tun<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Summary of NI<\/h5>\r\n

In some words, NI always sounds like it is spelled. In other words, NI sounds like a long N or even like IN. Finally, when NI is at the beginning of the word and followed by S, SH, or CH, it becomes a short, T-like sound, or can even delete entirely.<\/p>\r\n

MI at the beginning of words<\/h3>\r\n

MI often sounds just like it is spelled.<\/p>\r\n
Northern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n\"Click<\/td>\r\nmimaaniiwaau<\/td>\r\nmi-maa-nii-waau<\/td>\r\n[ m\u026a – ma – \u02c8ni – w\u0251w ]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Southern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

However, MI can also sound like a long (syllabic) [m\u0329]; the length is even more obvious because MI is followed by M.<\/p>\r\n
Northern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n\"Click<\/td>\r\nmimaaniiwaau<\/td>\r\nmi-maa-nii-waau<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Southern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

As with the cases of NI that we saw earlier, MI can be silent when followed by S, SH, or CH.<\/p>\r\n
Northern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n\"Click<\/td>\r\nmishaayaakuyaan<\/td>\r\nmishaa-yaa-ku-yaan<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Southern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

MI can also sound like a P at the beginning of the word.<\/p>\r\n
Northern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n\"Click<\/td>\r\nmiskumii<\/td>\r\nmisku-mii<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Southern<\/th>\r\nSyllables<\/th>\r\nIPA<\/a><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Summary of MI<\/h5>\r\n

In some words, MI always sounds like it is spelled. In other words, MI sounds like a long M. Finally, when MI is at the beginning of the word and followed by S, SH, or CH, it becomes a short, P-like sound, or can even delete entirely.<\/p>

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