Boozhoo! / Hello! translator Mary Ann Corbiere shares the names of some animals in Anishinaabemowin featured in Boozhoo! / Hello!, written and illustrated by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley.

Anishinaabemowin, pronounced ah-NI-shi-NAH-beh-MOH-win, is an Indigenous language centered around the Great Lakes homeland of the Anishinaabe. It is known by many different names, such as Ojibwemowin, Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Ojibway, or in the United States, Chippewa. Like many languages passed down from generation to generation, Anishinaabemowin varies in dialect.

As you read along with translator Mary Ann Corbiere, you may notice that some words in English sound quite similar to the Anishinaabemowin pronunciation, and that’s no coincidence! English settlers based many new words for places and things off the words they first heard in Anishinaabemowin.

Listen and say Boozhoo together with Mary Ann Corbiere! 🔊

A Special Note from Mary Ann Corbiere
 
Wii-gkendming yaawyaanh
Wiikwemkoong Mnidoo-mnising ngii-nji-kok; pane ngiibi-
Nishnaabemmi. Enweyaang nda-zhi-aan’kinoosdoon
gegoo. Msawaa go binoojiinyik zhibiimawndwaa mzin’igan,
gaawii wenpan-sinoo wii-aan’kinoosdoong. Niibna
ezhgiizhweng Zhaagnaashiimang, “Good night” dbishkoo,
gaawii zhigiizhwe-siim Nishnaabemang. Aanin gegoo,
gaawii memkaach kid-siim wii-gkendming edming;
aanin memkaach ekda-sing Zhaagnaashiimang, kidam
Nishnaabemang. Na’ii dbishkoo, giishpin niish nindwaa wiioo-
nbaawaat, “Nbaak” kidam, gaawii “Nbaan.” Niibna nching
dash, bezhik kidwin wii-aan’kinoosdoowaanh, nda-gchinsastamookii
ezhi-aanjnaagok kidwinan.
 
Translator’s Note
I grew up in Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin
Island with Nishnaabemwin (Ojibwe) as my first language.
My translations reflect this dialect. A book being for children
does not necessarily make its translation straightforward.
Many common English phrases such as “Good night” are not
expressed in Nishnaabemwin. Many ideas are implicit in a
word, but some detail not specified in English is explicit in
our language. “Nbaak,” for example, is said when telling more
than one person to go to sleep. Thus, when I am asked to
translate a single word, I usually end up saying a lot about
our grammar!

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