LESSON 1

GREETINGS

‘Iipay Aa ‘uchewayph.                                                Let’s talk ‘Iipay

When you meet people, you probably say “Hi! “ or “Hello!”

And then “How are you?”  or “How’s everything?” And when you leave, you might say “Goodbye, “ I have to go now, “ or “See you soon.”

The Diegueno language has some similar expressions. When you meet someone, you say

Haawka.                                                                         Hello.

Unlike most words in the language, the first part of this word is pronounced with more accent. So it is pronounced HAAWka. The words you would use for “How are you?” vary according to how many people you are talking to. If you are talking to only one person, you say

Memeyuu temewaa?                                                  How are you? How have you been?

But if you are talking to several people, you say

Memeyuu temenyeway?                                           How are you all? How have you been?

Or sometimes just

Menyewaya?                                                                Are you(all) here? Have you been here?

There are also some much less common expressions that you should be able ro recognize, though you need not use them yourself. The word temewaa is best used to someone sitting down. To someone standing up, you could say

Memeyuu temeyuuw?                                                 How are you?

and to someone lying down in bed or on a couch or outdoors you could say.

Memeyuu temeyaq                                                      How are you?

But you can use memeyuu temewaa whether the person you are talking to in sitting, standing, or lying. The answer to Memeyuu temewaa? Is

‘Aahan ta’waa.                                                               I’m fine.

And the answer to Memeyuu temenyeway? Is

‘Aahan ta’n yeway.                                                     We’re fine.

To say “goodbye” just say

Nya’aamh.                                                                    I’m going now.

To which the person you are leaving might answer

Nyamaamh keyim. (keYIMa)     OK, then, go on.

Or

Keyima kenaam.                                                          OK, then, You all can go.

Exercise 1 Repeat each of the ‘IipayAa words and phrases that have been used so far.

Exercise 2 Read this conversation aloud:

Maria     Haawka Hwaan! Memeyuu Temewaa                     Hi, Juan. How are you?

Juan        Haawka, Maria. ‘Aahan ta’waa.                                Hi, Maria. I’m fine. How are you?

Memeyuu temewaa?

Maria     ‘Aahan ta’waa. Maapchu?(MAAPchu)                     I’m fine. Who’s that?

Juan       Peyaa Rosita.                                                                This is Rosita.

Maria     Haawka, Rosita. Tenays. Nya’aamh                         Hi, Rosita. It’s late. Goodbye.

Juan       Nyamaamh, Keyima.                                                   OK, then go on.

Introducing People If you are introducing someone, you can say:

Peyaa Huulyo                                                             This is Julio.

To ask someone’s name you say

‘Ich wiich mechuuhii?                                               What’s your name?

Julio’s answer would be

Huulyo wii nyechuuhii                                              My name is Julio

Or, speaking of someone else, you could say

‘Ich wiich chuuhii?                                                       What’s his name?

Hwaan wiich chuuhii.                                                His name is Juan.

Some useful vocabulary ‘e-en                                                                          yes umaaw                                                                    no maap                                                                         who? Maapchu?                                                              Who’s that? ‘elymaam                                                               child, little one Siny                                                                           women, girl ‘enyaa                                                                     me ‘iipay                                                                      Indian, Diegueno, person aa                                                                     language, mouth ‘Iipay Aa                                                          the Diegueno language ‘Uchewayph                                                         Let’s talk Tenay(s).                                                                It’s late. Exercise 3   Can you understand this conversation? Maria              Haawka, ‘elymaam siny. ‘Ich wiich mechuuhii? Rosita             Haawka. Rosita wii nyechuuhii. Maria              Memeyuu temeyuuw? Rosita             ‘Aahan ta’waa. Memeyuu temeyaq Maria             ‘Aahan ta’waa. Maapchu? Rosita             Peyaa Huulyo. ‘Iipay Aa ‘uchewayph. Julio                ‘E-en. ‘Uchewayph! Maria             Umaaw. Tenays. Rosita             Nya’aamh. Julio                Keyima, kenaam