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Social Science Indigenous Studies

A Dictionary of Kanien'kéha (Mohawk) with Connections to the Past

by (author) Gunther Michelson, Karin Michelson & Glenda Canadian Deer

Publisher
University of Toronto Press
Initial publish date
Jul 2024
Category
Indigenous Studies, Dictionaries, Native American Languages
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781487548438
    Publish Date
    Jul 2024
    List Price
    $150.00
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781487548483
    Publish Date
    Jul 2024
    List Price
    $70.00
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781487548452
    Publish Date
    Jul 2024
    List Price
    $70.00

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Description

This dictionary provides a record of the Kanien’kéha (Mohawk) language as spoken by fluent first- and second-language speakers at the Kanien’kéha Mohawk Territory outside of Montréal, Canada.

 

The Kanien’kéha language has been written since the 1600s, and these dictionary entries include citations from published, archival, and informal writings from the seventeenth century onwards. These citations are a legacy of the substantial documents of missionary scholars and several informal vocabulary lists written by Kanien’kéha speakers, among others. The introduction to the dictionary provides a description of the organization and orthography of the historical works so that they can be used in the future by those studying and learning the language.

 

A Dictionary of Kanien’kéha (Mohawk) with Connections to the Past allows scholars and students to learn the meaning, composition, and etymology of words in a language known for its particularly complex word structure. The organization of the entries, according to noun and verb roots, highlights the remarkable potential and adaptability of the language to express traditional concepts, as well as innovations that have resulted from contact with other customs and languages that have become part of the contemporary culture of the Kanien’kehá:ka.

About the authors

Gunther Michelson (1920–2005) was a journalist with CBC Radio Canada and an independent scholar who immersed himself in the study of Haudenosaunee history, traditions, and language.

Gunther Michelson's profile page

Karin Michelson is an Associate Professor of Linguistics, Department of Linguistics, State University of New York.

Karin Michelson's profile page

Glenda Canadian Deer taught the Kanien’kéha (Mohawk) language at Kahnawà:ke, Québec, for 24 years.

Glenda Canadian Deer's profile page

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