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)
ᓂᑭ ᔓᐳᐧᐃᓐ᙮		niki shop-uwin.	I am going shopping.

Although we do have a word for going out of town to go shopping ᓂᑭ ᒧᐧᐋᐱᓐ᙮ niki muwaapin. I am going for supplies.

Words borrowed from English

ᔔᑳᐤ		shuukaau	sugar
ᑏ		tii	tea
ᑏᐧᐹᑦ		tiipwaat	teapot
ᒫᒌᔅ		maachiis	matches
ᐧᑳᐦᐲ		kwaahpii	coffee
ᐹᐹᐤ		paapaau	pepper
ᐸᑦ/ᐱᑦ		pat/pit	butter
ᑲᐸᑦ/ᑭᐱᑦ		kapat/kipit	cupboard
ᐱᑖᑎᔅ		paataatis	potato
ᐧᐹᑭᑦ		pwaakit	pocket
ᐹᑎᑯᑦ		paatikut	petticoat
ᒑᑭᑦ		chaakit	jacket
ᒥᓂᑯᔑᔥ		minikushish	minute
ᒫᐦᑮ		maahkii	marquee
ᐱᐧᓛᒡ		pilwaach	badge
ᐊᓕᐱᓐ		alipin	ribbon
ᑭᒋᓐ		kichin	kitchen
ᐲᓂᓯᒡ		piinisich	beans
ᐴᑎᓐ		puutin	pudding
ᐧᐋᒡ		waach	watch
ᐹᐃ		paai	pie
ᐹᓂᑮᒃ		paanikiik	pancake
ᐧᔖᓐ		shwaan	shawl
ᐋᐦᐋᔅ		aahaas	horse
ᐱᔮᔅᒑᔮᐲᐦ		piyaaschaayaapiih	braces (for pants)
ᐱᓛᐅᔅ		pilaaus	blouse
ᒑᒻ		chaam	jam
ᐧᒑᑭᓕᑦ/ᐧᒑᑭᓂᑦ		chwaakilit/chwaakinit	chocolate
ᓰᐅᑏᔅ		siiutiis	candy/sweets
ᐁᐃᓐᒋᓪ		einchil	angel
ᐃᔅᑮᑑ		iskiituu	skidoo

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: butterfly translated by ᐱᑐᒑᐤ pituchaau (butter+fly) or chairman translated as ᑖᐦᑎᐱᐧᐃᓂᒋᒫᐤ taahtipiwinichimaau (chair+boss) instead of using ᑳᓃᑳᓂᐱᔥᑎᐦᒃ kaaniikaanipishtihk. These exist because of language contact and bilingualism. This is not considered a good way to make a 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.

Cree Word			Original Meaning	New Meaning
ᐊᔅᒋᐦᒄ		aschihkw	kettle, pail	engine
ᐊᐳᐃ		apui	paddle	propeller
ᐃᔥᑯᑖᐤ		ishkutaau	fire (ni)	battery, sparkplugs
ᒫᑎᔅ		maatis	flint	pellets for shells(GW)
ᐅᔥᑭᔒ		ushkishii	nail, claw	skidoo track
ᐅᑎᒋᔒᐅᐋᔮᐲ		utichishiiuaayaapii	guts, intestine	hose, extension cord
ᓯᔅᑳᐦᐋᐧᐋᒋᑭᓐ		siskaahaawaachikin	support pole in a tipi/tent	car insurance(Wemindji)

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.

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: ᐄᑖᐹᑭᒨ᙮ iitaapaakimuu. It (string-like) stretches from here to there.

iit	aapaak	imu	-u
so	string-like	stretch	3rd person (s/he)
INITIAL	MEDIAL	FINAL	Personal suffix
STEM			INFLECTION