Mi'kmaq language

Encyclopedia : M : MI : MIK : Mi'kmaq language

The Mi'kmaq language (also spelled Míkmaq, Mi'gmaq, and Micmac) is an Eastern Algonquian language spoken by around 7,300 Mi'kmaq in Canada, and another 1,200 in United States, out of a total ethnic Mi'kmaq population of roughly 20,000.

Contents

1 Sounds

1.1 Vowels
1.2 Consonants

2 Grammar
3 Writing System
4 External links

Sounds

The orthography presented here is the Francis-Smith Orthography, developed in 1974, and adopted as the official orthography of the Míkmaq Nation in 1980. <ɨ> represents a schwa, /ə/. is a voiceless affricate, /ʧ/, and a voiceless velar fricative, /x/.

Míkmaq voiceless plosives become allophonically voiced between vowels or when next to l, m, or n. Thus is actually pronounced [miːɡmax].

Vowels

Front Central Back
Short Long Short Long Short Long
Close i í u ú
Mid e é ɨ o ó
Open a á

	Front	Central	Back
Short	Long	Short	Long	Short	Long
Close	i	í		u	ú
Mid	e	é	ɨ	o	ó
Open		a	á

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar
Plosive p t k
Affricate j
Fricative s q
Nasal m n
Approximant w l y

	Labial	Alveolar	Palatal	Velar
Plosive	p	t		k
Affricate			j
Fricative		s		q
Nasal	m	n
Approximant	w	l	y

Grammar

Writing System

Mi'kmaq is written using a Roman alphabet scheme devised by missionaries in the 19th century. However, it had long used Mi'kmaq hieroglyphic writing, a script of partially native origin.

External links

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