Mohawk/E2

Conversing in Mohawk: Introductions Note: Spelling and dialects are what is used in Six Nations Territory (Ohsweken), Ontario Shé:kon!1 Hello! Oh nahòten í:se yesá:yats? What's your name? (lit. what are you called?) Sawatis ní:'i yónkyats. My name is John. (lit. they call me Sawatis - Sawatis is a Mohawk version of "John".) Nok ní:se? And you? Wíhshe ní:'i yónkyats. My name is Mike. (lit. they call me Wíhshe - Wíhshe is a Mohawk version of "Mike".) Oh káti ne raónha? And him? Tawit ronwá:yats ne raónha. His name is David. (Tawit = David) Oh káti ne akaónha? And her? Wári yontátyats ne akaónha. Her name is Mary. (Wári = Mary) Ka' nón:we nitisé:non? Where are you from? Singapore nitewaké:non. I'm from Singapore. Skennen'kó:wa ken? How are you? (lit. great peace) Henh, skennen'kó:wa. Yes, I'm fine. Yoyanerátye ken? How are you? (lit. is it going well?) Henh, yoyanerátye. Yes, I'm well. Nyá:wen.2 Thank you. Ó:nen.1 Goodbye. Notes: Í:'i Me, I Í:se You Raónha Him Akaónha Her 1 Shé:kon and ó:nen do not literally mean hello and goodbye respectively, but is used to express as such. 2 Nyá:wen: It is considered etiquette for a guest, in finishing his or her meal, to say nyá:wen, to which the host responds: nyoh. Children are told that a failure to say nyá:wen will give them a stomach ache . References F.W. Waugh F.W. Waugh Iroquois Foods and Food Preparation Ottawa Government Printing Bureau Facsimile, 1973 September 1991 47