‘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 temewaa? | 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. |
Repeat each of the ‘IipayAa words and phrases that have been used so far.
Maria | Haawka Hwaan! Memeyuu Temewaa | Hi, Juan. How are you? |
Juan | Haawka, Maria. ‘Aahan ta’waa. Memeyuu temewaa? | Hi, Maria. I’m fine. How are you? |
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. |
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. |
‘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. |
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 |
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