LESSON 2

PEOPLE

Here are some words for people: Siny women, girl ‘iikwich man ‘elymaan child, little one ‘elymaan ‘iikwich boy ‘elymaan siny girl Kuseyaay doctor, medicine man Kwachemuuyuuw teacher Kuuchutt boss, leader, policeman Kurak old man Kunykuuy old woman Kwaaypaay, kway’paay chief Here now is a useful ending that you can use to make sentences. The ending is -ches. Thus siny means “woman” or “girl” and ‘elymaam siny means “(little) girl.” But if you want to say “It’s a woman, “you just add -ches to siny: Sinyches. It’s a woman. And you can make a sentence with ‘elymaam siny this way: ‘Elymaam sinyches It’s a girl. There is one important fact to remember about -ches It does not get any emphasis when you say it. The accent that goes on the last syllable of almost every word does not go on this ending, since it does not really count as part of the word. An, as we mentioned earlier, the vowel e never gets the accent. Exercise 1 Read aloud this conversation: Maria Haawka. Memeyuu temenyeway? Hi. How are you all? Rosita Haawka. ‘Aahan ta’-nyeway. Maapchu Hi. We’re fine. Who’s that? Jose Hosee wii nyechuuhii. ‘Ich wiich mechuuhii? Jose is my name. What’s your name? Rosita Rosita wii nyechuuhii. Rosita is my name. Maria Kwachemuuyuuwches. She’s a teacher. Jose Umaaw. Kuseyaayches. No. She is a doctor. Some more new words Eshash pretty, beautiful Nemeshap white Ehuu kumpattk car (Literally “stubby nose”) ‘aashaa bird Hechlyp happy Wellich bad, ugly ‘estik small Iikuu big ‘ehan good More About Making Sentences The ending -ches does not just go on nouns like siny oman, “or ‘aashaaa “bird”; it can also go on words like stick “small, “ or hechalyp “happy,”or even on tenay “late.” It does not change the meaning of the sentence, but it gives greater strength what’s being said, like adding “really” or “sure.” It does not be translated at all. Here are some sentences. ‘Aashaa ‘eshashches. The bird is pretty, really. Wellichches It’s sure ugly. Rosita hechalypches. Rosita is happy, she is . Tenayches. He’s late. Exercise 2 What do these sentences mean? 1. ‘Elymaam siny ‘eshashches 2. Ehuu kumpattk ‘estikches. 3. Kunykuuy kwaaypaayches 4. Kurakches 5. Iikwich kuuchuuttches 6. Iikwich ‘iikuuches 7. Siny kuseyaayches Exercise 3 Turn these sentences into Diegueno. 1. The bird is white. 2. It’s a car. 3. The car is ugly. 4. Juan is a policeman. 5. The old woman is happy. 6. The old man is the chief.