Postings from the Washoe Culture/Language Department
Hello again,
For anyone interested in learning their body parts here is a simple lesson you can do at home:
lápuš – “my body”
The goal of this activity lesson is to start to identify the Wášiw names for each of the body parts listed.
For added difficulty you can also differentiate between “lápuš – my body” and mápuš – your body”
Remember that whenever you are talking about “my” body parts you use:
di- when the first letter of the root word starts with a consonant (for example to say “my eyes” you would add the prefix “di-“ or “my” to the root word “-wí∙gi” or “eyes” making it “diwí∙gi” or “my eyes”)
l- when the first letter of the root word is a vowel (for example to say “my body” you would add the prefix “l-“ or “my” to the root word “-ápuš” or “body” making it “lápuš” or “my body”)
Whenever you are talking to someone about “your” body parts:
Ɂum- when the first letter of the root word starts with a consonant (for example to say “your eyes” you would add the prefix “Ɂum-“ or “your” to the root word “-wí∙gi” or “eyes” making it “Ɂumwí∙gi” or “your eyes”)
m- when the first letter of the root word is a vowel (for example to say “my body” you would add the prefix “l-“ or “my” to the root word “-ápuš” or “body” making it “lápuš” or “my body”)
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