Days of the Week
(Lower North Shore Dialect)
Excerpts from the La Romaine dictionary (La Romaine Montagnais Cultural Committee 1978) revised and completed by José Mailhot, with the collaboration of Yvette Mollen, Madeleine Menicapo and Christine Kaltush, February 2006.
vii = Inanimate intransitive verb
ni = Inanimate noun
peikuminashtakan tshishikua : days of the week
Sheshatshiu-aimun
Mushuau-aimun
Verb Forms
minashtakanu vii: it’s Sunday
Sheshatshiu-aimun
Mushuau-aimun
lit: week
Menashtakaniti katshi natshi-aiamiaiani, eku epushian.
Every Sunday, after going to mass, I go out in the row boat.
Tshi minashtakanniti tshe mishakat natukunish itakanu.
They say it’s next week that the doctor will arrive.
ushkat-atushkanu vii: it’s Monday
Sheshatshiu-aimun
Mushuau-aimun
lit: first work
Ushkat-atushkanu ume anutshish.
Today is Monday.
Ueshkat-atushkaniti apu nita nutenakanit atauitshuap.
The store is never open on Mondays.
Ushkat-atushkaniti, apu tshika ut nutenakanit atauitshuap.
Next Monday, the store won’t be open.
Ka ushkat-atushkannit pushipan innu-utshimau.
The chief left on a trip last Monday.
nishu-tshishikau vii: it’s Tuesday
Sheshatshiu-aimun
Mushuau-aimun
lit: second day
Nishu-tshishikati nika natshi-kussen.
Next Tuesday, I’ll go fishing.
Ka nishu-tshishikat ishpanipan tshekuan.
Last Tuesday, something happened.
nishtu-tshishikau or tetau-tshishikau vii: it’s Wednesday
Sheshatshiu-aimun (nishtu-tshishikau)
Mushuau-aimun (nishtu-tshishikau)
Sheshatshiu-aimun (tetau-tshishikau)
lit: third day or middle day
Nishtu-tshishikati nika uapekaitshen.
Next Wednesday, I’ll do the laundry.
Neshtu-tshishikati nanitam nipinikutshen
On Wednesdays, I always play bingo.
neu-tshishikau vii: it’s Thursday
Sheshatshiu-aimun
Mushuau-aimun
lit: fourth day
Nieu-tshishikaniti ishkuteu-ush meshakat.
It is usually on Thursdays that the boat arrives.
nameshu vii: it’s Friday
Sheshatshiu-aimun
Mushuau-aimun
lit: fish
Shash nameshu, tshika punnanu e atussenanut.
It’s finally Friday, we’ll stop working.
Nameshuti nika natashtikushen.
Next Friday, I’ll go shopping.
Ume nameshuti, nika tshiuen.
This Friday, I’ll go home.
Ka nameshunit pushipan innu-utshimau.
Last Friday, the chief left on a trip.
Nemeshuti, apu nita atusseian.
I never work on Fridays.
mashten-atushkanu vii: it’s Saturday
Sheshatshiu-aimun
Mushuau-aimun
lit: last day
Eshku apu mashten-atushkanut.
It’s not Saturday yet.
Miashten-atushkaniti nanitam nitshishtaputshimitshuapen.
I always wash the floor on Saturday.
Nouns
minashtakan ni: Sunday
Sheshatshiu-aimun
Mushuau-aimun
Ume minashtakan nika tshiueun.
This Sunday, I will fly home.
Minashtakannu takushipatapan ninapem.
My husband arrived by car on Sunday.
ushkat-atushkan ni: Monday
Sheshatshiu-aimun
Mushuau-aimun
Ipet nuapamati ushkat-atushkannu.
I saw Yvette on Monday.
Ushkat-atushkan nika pinikutshen.
On Monday, I’ll play bingo.
Ushkat-atushkan ume anutshish kashikat.
Today is Monday.
namesh ni: Friday
Sheshatshiu-aimun
Mushuau-aimun
Namesh ume anutshish kashikat.
Today is Friday.
Nanitam atusseu nameshinu.
He always works on Friday.
mashten-atushkan ni: Saturday
Sheshatshiu-aimun
Mushuau-aimun
Mashten-atushkannu apu tshishkutamuakaniht auassat.
On Saturday, the kids don’t have school.