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
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â
yes
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auka
no
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silak
weather; the environment; outdoors
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silak Kanuivâ
What's the weather like?
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silak Kanuivâ inigijanni?
How's the weather where you are?
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siKinik
sun
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siKinigâjuk
sunny (it's...)
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siKinigânngituk
sunny (It is not ...)
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silakKisuak
beautiful weather
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allaKijuk
clear skies
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silalujuk
rains (it...)
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Kannivuk
snowing (it's...)
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Kannivâ?
snowing (Is it...?)
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natiguvivuk
blizzard (there is a...)
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natiguvivâ?
blizzard (Is there a...?)
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natiguvinngituk
blizzard (there is not a...)
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nuvujavuk
cloudy (it is...)
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nuvujak
cloud
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nillatâttuk
cold weather
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Kisigijuk
drizzling (it's...)
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anugijuk
windy (it's...)
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anuginngilak
wind (There's no...)
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tattujuk
foggy (it is)
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akKunak
stormy weather
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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 -nngi- just before the verb ending:
| mingutu + nngi + lak = | |
| minngutunngilak | He/she is not tired. |
| Kuviasuk + nngi + tuk = | |
| Kuviasunngituk | He/she is not happy. |
The negative affix -ngit- is often followed by a veb ending that starts with -la:
| Kannik + nngi + lak = | |
| Kanningilak* | It is not snowing. |
| * -nngi- shortens to -ngi- after a double consonant. | |
| anuigik + kKau + ngit + lak = | |
| anugikKaungilak ullâk | It was not windy this morning. |
Here is a complete set of these endings:
| tukisianngilanga | I do not understand. |
| tukisianngilatit | You do not understand. |
| tukisianngilak | He/she does not understand. |
| tukisianngilaguk | We (2) do not understand. |
| tukisianngilatik | You (2) do not understand. |
| tukisianngilâk | They (2) do not understand. |
| tukisianngilagut | We (3+) do not understand. |
| tukisianngilasi | You (3+) do not understand. |
| tukisianngilat | They (3+) do not understand. |
Note that the negative affix -ngit- deletes a consonant sound that comes immediately before it :
| silalu + lât + nngi + lak = | |
| Kauppat silalulânngilâk | It will not rain tomorrow. |