Hinono'eitiit - Arapaho Language

Spoken by the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes (Hitesiino' noh Hinono'eiteen)

Thanks to Andrew Cowell for helping me with this language.

Heebe Boo'oobe'!

[hɛːbɛ baʔabɛʔ] (heh-beh bah-'ah-beh'!)

Note: "Hello" in Arapaho is "heebe," (man to man); or "tous," pronounced [tous] (toce) (+ name if a woman is involved).

Source: Salzmann, Zdenek. "Dictionary of the Northern Arapaho Dictionary." Internet: <http://www.colorado.edu/csilw/arapahoproject/language/dictionary/dic_frame2.html> September 24, 2005.

téécxo’ hinóno’éíno’, tih’íínoo’éí3i’, tih’ííne’etiiwóohú3i’, nih’iinóonóyoo3óó3i’ cése’ehíího. nohcí’nih’iinóónoyéí3i’ niiciihéhe’ noh ni’éci’. nuh’úúno notóyeicii nenééniní’i nihí’iitéíxo’oní3i’ noh nihí’iiyeih’í3i’. né’nih’iisííne’etiiwóohú3i’.

A long time ago, when Arapahos used to hunt, when they made a living for themselves, they trapped wild animals. And also, they fished in the rivers and lakes. They used hides for their clothing and their homes. That is how they lived.

Source: "Arapaho Use of Animals in Former Times." Internet: <http://www.colorado.edu/csilw/archives/narratives/Arapaho%20Use%20of%20Animals%20in%20Former%20Times.htm> August 23, 2005

Arapaho Sound System

The Arapaho alphabet, unlike English, is quite straightforward. Each sound in the language basically corresponds to a single letter.

Consonants:

b sounds like English b in some cases, more like p in others

c pronounced as in English ch in "chill"

h pronounced as in English

k pronounced as in English

n pronounced as in English

s pronounced as in English

t sounds like a mix of t and d in English

3 pronounced as in English "three", though sometimes closer to the sound in "the"

w pronounced as in English

x pronounced like ch in German "lach" or like Greek X

y pronouned as in English

' is a stop - it is what you hear in English as you say "oh oh", between the first and second "oh"

Vowels

Arapaho has four vowels, which can be either long or short:

e sounds like the vowel in English "set"

ee sounds like the vowel in English "hat"

i sounds like the vowel in English "sit"

ii sounds like the vowel in English "heat"

o sounds like the vowel in English "hot"

oo sounds like the vowel in English "saw"

u sounds like the vowel in English "put"

uu sounds like the vowel in English "food"

There are several combinations of vowels which are possible in Arapaho. Basic dipthongs are:

ei sounds like the vowel in English "say"

ou sounds like the vowel in English "sow"

ie sounds like the beginning of English "yes"

Arapaho vowels also have a "pitch" system. The vowels have a standard pitch, which is not marked. However, they can also have an elevated pitch, marked by ' , and a falling pitch, marked by ^.

Source: "Arapaho Sound System." Internet: <http://www.colorado.edu/csilw/arapahoproject/language/pronunciation.htm> August 23, 2005.