The Sounds of East Cree

Introduction

This section of the East Cree Reference Grammar describes how to pronounce, hear and spell East Cree sounds. When you learn a new language, you learn not only how to pronounce sounds, but also how to hear them. (That last idea might seem strange, but hearing sounds in a new language ‘properly’ is just something you have to learn.) When you want to write your language you need to pay attention to its sounds.

Acknowledgements

The Sounds of East Cree is a collaborative work produced by:

• Carrie Dyck (Memorial University)
• Marie-Odile Junker (Carleton University)

Research Assistants

• Christin Kirchhuebel (Carleton University) -2007
• Kelly Logan (Carleton University) – 2009-2011
• Nora McGruer (Memorial University) – 2009
• Mimie Neacappo (Carleton University) – 2007, 2010 to present
• Karen Nolan (Carleton University) – 2007
• Brandi Snow (Memorial University) – 2009 – 2010
• Kevin Terry (Memorial University) – 2007

The Cree examples that are the basis for this work were pronounced by:

Northern East Cree

• Luci Bobbish-Salt (Chisasibi)
• Alice Duff (Chisasibi)
• Christine Duff (Chisasibi)
• Darlene Bearskin (Chisasibi)
• Mary Shashaweskum (Wemindji)

Inland Southern East Cree

• Anna Blacksmith (Mistissini)
• Louise Blacksmith (Mistissini)

Coastal Southern East Cree

• Ruth Salt (Waskaganish)
• Pearl Weistche (Waskaganish)
• Erica Stephen (Waskaganish)

Research for The Sounds of East Cree was partially funded by Social Science and Humanities Research Council grants #856-2004-1028, #856-2009-008, #410-2008-0378 (The Chisasibi Child Language Acquisition Study, http://www.mun.ca/cclas/), and the Cree School Board, Quebec.