The Three Sisters
The Three Sisters of Iroquoian tradition are corn, beans and squash. Here they are in the Wyandot language
ahšęhk atiaˀtayeh yǫˀteˀyęˀąhą They (f) are three sisters.
[ah-shenhk]
atiaˀtayeh They (f) number three.
[ah-tyah-ah-tah-yeh]
ati- feminine-zoic plural agent ‘they (f)’
-aˀt- noun root ‘body’
-a- noun suffix
-ye- verb root ‘to number’
-h stative aspect
yǫˀteyęˀąhą They are sisters.
[yon-on-teh-eh-yen-en-an-han]
yǫ- feminine-zoic plural agent ‘they’
-ˀte- semi-reflexive voice
-yę- verb root ‘to be siblings’
-ˀ- stative aspect
ąhą diminutive aspect suffix
Corn -nęh-
unęhaˀ corn
[oo-nen-hah-ah]
u- feminine-zoic singular patient ‘it’
-nęh- noun root, ‘corn’
-aˀ noun suffix
anęhaęˀ It is my corn.
[ah-nen-hah-en-en]
a- feminine-zoic singular agent + 1st person patient ‘it-me’
-nęh- noun root, ‘corn’
-a- noun suffix
-ę- verb root, ‘to have’
-ˀ stative aspect
yaˀndutsaˀ an ear of corn
[yah-an-doo-tsah-ah]
ya- feminine-zoic singular agent ‘it’
-ˀnduts- noun root, ‘ear of corn’
-aˀ noun suffix
undrahęˀnyaˀ cornstalk (with green leaves)
[oon-drah-hen-en-nyah-ah]
u- feminine-zoic patient ‘it’
-ndrahęˀny- noun root, ‘green cornstalk’
-aˀ noun suffix
yaheraˀ dry cornstalk
[yah-heh-rah-ah]
ya- feminine-zoic singular agent ‘it’
-her- noun root, ‘dry cornstalk’
-aˀ noun suffix
ungwiraˀ corn tassels, treetops
[oon-gwee-rah-ah]
u- feminine-zoic singular patient ‘it’
-ngwir- noun root, ‘corn tassels’
-aˀ noun suffix
ungwirut standing corn tassels, treetops
[oon-gwee-root]
u- feminine-zoic singular patient ‘it’
-ngwir– noun root, ‘corn tassels’
-ut verb root, ‘to stand, standing’ + stative aspect
Squash/Pumpkin -nyǫhš-
unyǫhšaˀ squash, pumpkin (also with melon + cucumber)
[oon-yon-hshah-ah]
u- feminine-zoic singular patient ‘it’
-nyǫhš- noun root, ‘pumpkin, squash’
-aˀ noun suffix
Squash Blossom –akyaręht-
akyaręhtaˀ squash blossom
[ah-kyah-renh-tah-ah]
akyaręht- feminine-zoic singular agent ‘it’ + noun root ‘squash blossom’
-aˀ noun suffix
akyaręhtaˀatsih It is called squash blossom (i.e., it is yellow or orange). [ah-kyah-renh-tah-ah-ah-tseeh]
akyaręht- feminine-zoic singular agent ‘it’ + noun root ‘squash blossom’
-a- noun suffix
-ˀats- verb root ‘to name, be called’
-iˀ stative aspect
Beans
uyaresaˀ beans
[oo-yah-reh-sah-ah]
u- feminine-zoic singular patient ‘it’
–yáres- noun root, ‘squash blossom’
-aˀ noun suffix