Observation

nishu	deux	nishutipishkua	during 2 nights
nanishu	deux par deux	nishuapiss	two dollars
nishtu	trois	nisht	us too (Mamit)
nanishtu	three by three	nishtupipuna	over 3 years
kanishtu	a three (in cards)	nishtu-ńińikau	something has 3 fingers

DIFFICULTY
The identification of the labialized sh and t (phonetically [∫w], [tw]) is a bit more difficult than that of ku because, at the end of a word, we don’t really hear a different between shu and sh, or tu and t. However, when we add a suffix to these labialized consonants, we clearly hear the presence of the [u] or [w], like for ku.

Problem Description

The problem with sh^u and t^u is not the same as that of other labialized consonants, because it only concerns two words and their derived forms: nish^u and nisht^u. Labialization is not generally pronounced at the end of a word (except for nish^u which can be pronounced [ny∫] in the Mamit languages and of Sept-Îles-Schefferville). However, it reappears when these words enter into compounds with another word: nishupipuna two years, nishtupishimua three months.

Spelling Solutions

The spelling solution retained to write labialized consonants in Innu is to indicate the labialization with an exponent (or suspended) u: k^uDIALECTOLOGY: Other Algonquian languages use the shw spelling instead. This solution was not retained in Innu because the letter w is not used. and t^u. The adoption of this solution was done later in the elaboration of Innu spelling than for the labialized kThis explains why, in the Drapeau (1991) and Mailhot & Lescop (1977) dictionaries, on don’t yet mark m^u. This consonant’s particular behaviour (vowel harmonization or suffixation) finally convinced the participants to the standardization of spelling that it was a good solution for all labialized consonants.
– Mailhot, J. et K. Lescop. 1977. Lexique montagnais-français du dialecte de Schefferville, Sept-Îles et Maliotenam. Québec : Ministère des Affaires culturelles. Direction du Patrimoine.
– Drapeau, L. 1991. Dictionnaire montagnais français. Presses de l’Université du Québec., at the same time as the adoption of the solution for m^u.

Tool

The online dictionary is a good tool to find words ending in sh^u and t^u because we can search by the ends of words. The printed dictionary is useful for verifying the spelling of particular words.

LABIALIZED CONSONANTS

LABIALIZED CONSONANTS: ku

LABIALIZED CONSONANTS: muu