Ojibwe People’s Dictionary
Developed by the Department of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota, the Ojibwe People’s Dictionary is a new online resource that provides words and illustrations for Ojibwe language, culture, and history. It is a resource for researchers, educators, and the general public. This dictionary will provide access to more than 5000 words and pictures and will link to digitized images and audio clips.
Ojibwe is a language of the Western Great Lakes region. It belongs to the Algonquian family of languages. Ojibwe is the heritage language of more than 200,000 Ojibwe people in the United States and Canada. The Ojibwe Country extends from Quebec to Saskatchewan in Canada and from Michigan to Wisconsin in the United States. The majority of the speakers of the Ojibwe language are elderly. However, the number of younger generations growing up with the language is increasing.
The Ojibwe language is composed of dozens of dialects. Those that are spoken in the United States are called Chippewa, or Southwestern Ojibwa. The language has been studied extensively, both by academics and Native Americans. For example, William Whipple Warren, Frances Densmore, and Charles Fiero have written about the language.
One of the first Ojibwe dictionaries was created by James Evans. He was a Wesleyan missionary who wanted to learn the language better. He used extant descriptions of the language, as well as contemporary grammars of related varieties of Ojibwe. He also designed a method of writing Ojibwe using the Latin alphabet. He also published a book about the language, Living Our Language.
The Ojibwe language has been in decline since the colonial period. Today, only fewer than a thousand people in the US are fluent in the language. Many of the elders speak the language and the younger generation is learning the language. In order to preserve the language, the Ojibwe language program is aiming to revitalize it. The Ojibwe People’s Dictionary aims to document and revive the Ojibwe language and culture.
The Ojibwe People’s dictionary is available for free online. It is a searchable resource that is a gateway to the Minnesota Historical Society’s Ojibwe collections. It is a talking dictionary that allows users to search for Ojibwe words and phrases. It also contains audio clips of Ojibwe speakers. In addition to these features, there are also a variety of related resources, including an audio CD with Ojibwe words, a double vowel chart, and a lexicon.
Ojibwe is an indigenous language of Minnesota and is similar to the Wisconsin Ojibwe and Ontario-Minnesola language. Ojibwe people live in the region around Lake Superior. They have been fishing and hunting for a long time. Their diet consists of wild rice, fish, and maple syrup. They use the maple syrup on vegetables, fish, and wild rice. The maple is a vital part of their culture.
The University of Wisconsin, Madison, has a site with information about Ojibwe language. They have several PDF files, including an introduction to the Ojibwe language, an on-line learner’s grammar, and bits of conversation. It also offers a set of lessons. The site can be accessed at: uw.edu/american-indian-studies.
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