Woodland Indians Forum
You are not logged in.
Announcement
#1 Nov-15-2017 08:27:am
- Kavik
- Visitor
- Registered: Jul-15-2014
- Posts: 128
Quick Phrase
Hello,
Trying to figure out how to wish someone a "happy birthday" in Lenape.
Not sure if there is an idiomatic expression that is used, or if I can say something like "happiness for your birthday" -
"my birthday" seems to be 'nkatënami'. I don't think I need a double 'k' for 'your birthday', so maybe katënami?
Thanks!
Offline
#2 Nov-15-2017 11:13:am
- sschkaak
- Moderator
- Registered: Sep-17-2007
- Posts: 4390
Re: Quick Phrase
In NU, those words mean only "I am ---- years old" and "you (sg.) are ---- years old." They are always preceded by a number, and, usually, followed by a number. For example, nischaschtchenachke n'gatenami woak chaasch = "I am seventy-eight years old." Literally: "seven-so-many-tens I-am-years-old and eight."
The NU word for "birthday" is tpisgam. So, I guess you could say, Wulhattenamil k'tpisgamink! ("Be-happy on-your-(sg.)-birthday!")
Offline
#3 Nov-15-2017 11:19:am
- Kavik
- Visitor
- Registered: Jul-15-2014
- Posts: 128
Re: Quick Phrase
Thanks - I noticed that after (of course) I posted that it seemed to be more in reference to how many years a given person 'has'.
Ah, okay - the Locative! Didn't even think of that.
Offline