Dialogue: Weather
Sarah:
Silak Kanuivâ inigijatsini? Kannivâ?Silak Kanuivâ inigijatsini?How's your weather there? Is it snowing?
Johnny:
Auka, Kanningilak. Pitsilivâ Hopedalimi?Auka, Kanningilak. Pitsilivâ Hopedalimi?No, it's not snowing. Is there a blizzard in Hopedale?
Sarah:
Auka, siKinigâvuk mâni ullumi.Auka, siKinigâvuk mâni ullumi. No, it’s sunny here today.
Johnny:
Âhai, piuvuk.Âhai, piuvuk. Okay, good.
Vocabulary
|
|
â
yes
|
|
|
auka
no
|
|
|
silak
weather; the environment; outdoors
|
|
|
silak Kanuivâ
What's the weather like?
|
|
|
silak Kanuivâ inigijanni?
How's the weather where you are?
|
|
|
siKinik
sun
|
|
|
siKinigâjuk
sunny (it's...)
|
|
|
siKinigângituk
sunny (It is not ...)
|
|
|
silakKisuak
beautiful weather
|
|
|
allaKijuk
clear skies
|
|
|
silalujuk
rains (it...)
|
|
|
Kannivuk
snowing (it's...)
|
|
|
Kannivâ?
snowing (Is it...?)
|
|
|
natiguvivuk
blizzard (there is a...)
|
|
|
natiguvivâ?
blizzard (Is there a...?)
|
|
|
natiguvingituk
blizzard (there is not a...)
|
|
|
nuvujavuk
cloudy (it is...)
|
|
|
nuvujak
cloud
|
|
|
nillalatâttuk
cold weather
|
|
|
Kisigijuk
drizzling (it's...)
|
|
|
anugijuk
windy (it's...)
|
|
|
anugingilak
wind (There's no...)
|
|
|
tattujuk
foggy (it is)
|
|
|
akKunak
stormy weather
|
Grammar
9 » The Negative
In English we often use the word not to turn an affirmative sentence into a negative one:
| I am tired. | I am not tired. |
In Nunatsiavummiutitut, to express the negative, we often insert the affix −ngit− just before the verb ending:
| mingutu + ngit + tuk = | |
| mingutungittuk | He/she is not tired. |
| Kuviasuk + ngit + tuk = | |
| Kuviasungittuk | He/she is not happy. |
The negative affix -ngit- is often followed by a veb ending that starts with -la:
| Kannik + nngit + lak = | |
| Kanningilak | It is not snowing. |
| anuigik + kKau + ngit + lak = | |
| anugikKaungilak ullâk | It was not windy ths morning. |
Here is a complete set of these endings:
| tukisiangilanga | I do not understand. |
| tukisiangilatit | You do not understand. |
| tukisiangilak | He/she does not understand. |
| tukisiangilaguk | We (2) do not understand. |
| tukisiangilatik | You (2) do not understand. |
| tukisiangilak | They (2) do not understand. |
| tukisiangilagut | We (3+) do not understand. |
| tukisiangilasi | You (3+) do not understand. |
| tukisiangilat | They (3+) do not understand. |
Note that the negative affix -ngit- deletes a consonant sound that comes immediately before it :
| silalu + lât + ngit + lak = | |
| Kauppat silalulângilâk | It will not rain tomorrow. |