Immigrant Oral Histories

Lesson Two: Dakota Alphabet

You will hear each letter of the Dakota alphabet followed by a Dakota word that begins with that letter. Listen carefully to hear the correct pronunciation.

a a, ate
b b, bdo
c c, canku
ĉ ĉ, ciĉu
d d, do
e e, ŝak´pe
g g, ŝuŋgmanitu
ġ ġ, hoġan
h h, haŋpi
ĥ ĥ, wo´wiĥa
i i, ina
k k, ka´ta
ķ ķ, ķa
m m, mni
n n, nina
ŋ ŋ, taŋ´ka
o o, to
p p, pa
Þ Þ, Þo
q q, qa
s s, ska
ŝ ŝ, ŝi´ca
t t, tonana
ŧ ŧ, ŧe
u u, du´ta
w w, wo´wapi
y y, yam´ni
z z, ma´zaska
ż ż, pe´tiżaŋżaŋ

Sentence Shape


The shape of Dakota sentences, while very melodic, is usually downward sloping. While English sentences traditionally sound very bouncy, with the sounds of the words going up and down, Dakota sentences usually have a downward step shape. Listen to the difference between the English and Dakota sentences:

Hello my relatives. Today I greet you with an open heart. Hello my relatives. Today I greet you with an open heart.,
Hau mitakuyepi. Anpetu de cantewaŝteya nape ciyuzapi do. Hau mitakuyepi. Anpetu de cantewaŝteya nape ciyuzapi do.,

Selected U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 commemoration projects and programs are made possible by the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, through the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008.