Abenaki
The major tribes located in New Hampshire and Maine are Abenaki, Pennacook, Penobscot, Maliseet, and Passamaquoddy. Four out of five of these tribes were allied together in what is called the Wabanaki Confederacy against the Iroquois tribe. All of these tribes speak a dialect of the Algonquian language. The variations spoken by these tribes are Abenaki-Penobscot and Maliseet-Passamaquoddy. These languages are not spoken widely today and are in danger of dying out completely. “The name Abenaki comes from the word "wabanaki", which means dawn or morning land - the rising sun” (Charland). It can also mean “people of the east,” because most of the Abenaki speaking tribes are located on the east coast. “[T]here are many similarities between the terms used by the tribes ranging from New England to Northeast and Central Canada, and often it is possible for these distinct groups to verbally communicate” (Abenaki Language). Abenaki was first written down by missionaries who took the language down orally and therefore there are not many spelling rules associated with it. “The main difficulty in understanding the Abenaki language from many published sources is that, unlike the English language, there is not always a literal translation for a word” (Abenaki Language).
Common Greetings
Kwai! Hello!
Kwai n'nidôba! Hello my Friend!
Kwai n'nidôbak! Hello my Friends!
Kagwi kd'eliwizi? = What is your name?
Pahanemok ta Winnoak! Ladies and Gentlemen!
Alamikawawôganal! Greetings!
Olispôzowi! Good morning!
Olikisokw! Good day!
Olipaskwak! Good afternoon!
Oliolôgwi! Good evening!
Oligek namihômek kia mina! It is good to see you again!
Kagwi llitôgwat! What is the news!
Kagwi'i nospiwi! What's up!
Haw! Hey!
N'wigôozi namihômek kia! I am happy to see you!
N'wanaskamitobena mina! We meet again!
N'paaknôwizi! I am glad to see you!
N'wigôozi namihômek kia mina! I am happy to see you again!
Olipaiôn! Welcome!
Olipaiôn wigwôm! Welcome home
Olipaiôn N'wigômgamigo! Welcome to my house
Tôni kd'ôllôozi? How are you?
Kwai n'nidôba! Hello my Friend!
Kwai n'nidôbak! Hello my Friends!
Kagwi kd'eliwizi? = What is your name?
Pahanemok ta Winnoak! Ladies and Gentlemen!
Alamikawawôganal! Greetings!
Olispôzowi! Good morning!
Olikisokw! Good day!
Olipaskwak! Good afternoon!
Oliolôgwi! Good evening!
Oligek namihômek kia mina! It is good to see you again!
Kagwi llitôgwat! What is the news!
Kagwi'i nospiwi! What's up!
Haw! Hey!
N'wigôozi namihômek kia! I am happy to see you!
N'wanaskamitobena mina! We meet again!
N'paaknôwizi! I am glad to see you!
N'wigôozi namihômek kia mina! I am happy to see you again!
Olipaiôn! Welcome!
Olipaiôn wigwôm! Welcome home
Olipaiôn N'wigômgamigo! Welcome to my house
Tôni kd'ôllôozi? How are you?