Ojibwemowin Spelling & Sounds 

Ojibwe phonology features a system of seven oral vowels (three short and four long) and four nasal vowels. Consonants are distinguished by lenis/fortis or voiced/voiceless contrasts, with some dialects having undergone sound changes like mergers. Stress is not phonemic, but English influence can cause stress shifts. 

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Sound changes and dialectal variation can be distinguished as follows:

• Syncope:

  Some dialects, like Odaawaa, exhibit syncope (deletion of short vowels), creating new consonant clusters and variations in pronunciation. 

• Merging:

  In some Nakawē dialects, /sh/ and /zh/ have merged with /s/ and /z/, respectively. 

• Nasalization:

  Nasal vowels may be derived from vowel + /n/ sequences, especially before sibilants. 

• Stress:

  While not traditionally phonemic, English influence can cause stress shifts in Ojibwe. 

Anishinaabemowin is highly agglutinating, meaning it forms words by stringing together morphemes (the smallest unit of language that contains meaning), rather than using multiple affixes to convey different information. Various auxiliaries (helping elements adding meaning and information to a given word) are added or removed to create morphological changes.

In terms of word formation, the language is notably polysynthetic, characterized by a high ratio of morphemes to words. In Ojibwe, every syllable has significance, allowing a single word to serve as a full sentence. When expressing ideas, emphasis is placed on sounds and morphs ("in-between-sounds") rather than grammatical rules. The language's verbal phrasing and pronunciation are distinct from English intonation.

Phonetics (speech sound) and grammar are by definition interconnected. Phonetics does not substitute grammar; instead, it acts as a means to understand how words are formed and how they sound when joined together. In Ojibwe speech, a sentence that is grammatically correct but doesn't sound right appears terrible (or may even be unintelligible) to a fluent first-language speaker.

Phonetics have been overlooked in the modern teaching and learning methods of grammar and collegiate institutions in the US and Canada. Since the 1970s, the focus has shifted from sound to grammar. To express and preserve the richness of Anishinaabemowin, a phonetic and phonic approach to the language is vital. Morphemes (the smallest units of language that carry meaning) and phonemes (a set of speech sounds that can distinguish one word from another) are fundamental to Anishinaabemowin. The richness of our speech is determined by how we utilize the richness of inwewin, the language.

After all, Anishinaabemowin is a SPIRITUAL language where the concept of INCLUSIVENESS (the establishment of relationships with one's community and the spirits and an effort to make sense and order of the world) is central. Thus, in learning correct Ojibwe, sounds are not dependent on grammar, yet grammar should always depend on sounds ("phones").

An important rule of thumb in learning the Anishinaabe/Ojibwe language is that whatever you wish to express, whether spoken or written, must sound right.

Let's examine the significance of a single speech sound ("phone") in the Ojibwe language.

For instance, when you want to say, "Is that right?" or "Do you agree?" many Anishinaabemowin speakers, especially new learners, would use "geget ina." Geget translates to sure, certainly, really, indeed; ina is a yes/no question word. Grammatically, "geget ina" is a perfectly proper (though not necessarily correct) way to express this, and most modern language teachers, who adhere to strict grammar rules, will affirm this. However, elder speakers raised in a traditional Ojibwe setting, and thus deeply familiar with the old language, understand something that many modern teachers may overlook or deem unimportant. To them, even a small sound can make a significant difference. They perceive a substantial distinction between "geget ina" and "gegetina." To them, "ina" implies "our (mine and your) agreement," while "tina" signifies "your agreement." Therefore, geget ina means "is that right for US?" whereas gegetina (pronounced as a single word, in one breath) means "is that right for YOU?" — making it a phrase of courtesy. Using "tina" ("tin-nuh") is more respectful because it carries the T from gegeT. By linking the last letter to the next word, the expression gains a sense of cordiality. Thus, SOUND proves to be more crucial than adhering to grammatically "correct" word patterns...

In the old language, emotion was generally expressed through particles rather than vocal tones. However, in Ojibwe influenced by Dakota and Ojibwe influenced by French and English, tonal cues are also present, though they differ from those in the other languages. Additionally, in Anishinaabemowin, certain important words are highlighted by slightly lengthening the word, similar to slowing down the sentence cadence, but only for that specific word.
 

Interjection of particles convey certain shades of meaning, such as doubt, assertion, evaluative, etc.

Some examples of Ojibwe particles are:

ahaaw — alright; okay; okay then; O.K.; once more

aaniish naa — you see; well then; well now; well; that is ; how; why?!; what in the world!; how are you? (as greeting only)

aaniin — greetings!, hello!, hi!

da — please, come on (clarification marker)

da naa! — damn it!

daga — please, by all means, come on, well

ehe — yes

eye — (female speaking)

enʼ — yes (male speaking)

enyanhʼ — yes

gaawesaa — Impossible! No way! Can't be done!

gaawiin ingodinoo — I don't care, no matter, forget about it; It's ok (that)

gaye — also; and;as for; as well; or; plus; too

giiwenh — so the story goes; so it is said. Example: Mewinzha giiwenh gaawiin ogii-siigwebinanziinaawaa ziinzibaakwadwaaboo.

go — expressing affirmation, assertiveness, assurance (emphasis marker) (see igo)

haw sa — yes!

igo — expressing affirmation, assertiveness, assurance (emphasis marker) (see go)

iko — used to, formerly, previously, some time ago, it was the custom to.
Example: Anaamoonag iko ningii-tazhi-odaminomin. We used to play under the boat.

ina — question marker for yes/no questions (always placed after the first word in the sentence; used after words ending in a consonant). Da-gimiwan ina? Is it going to rain. Giwiisin ina? Are you eating? but: Gigii-anokii na bijiinaago? Did you work yesterday?

iidog — maybe; must be. Example: Aabiding iidog gii-pabimose 'aw mindimooyenh imaa miikanaang. Once upon a time there was an old lady walking along on the road.

miigwech — thank you

miigwech gayegiin — you're welcome! (literally: it is enough-and-you)

miinawaa — (coordinating conjunction) again; also; and also; and; more and more; once more; other; then

na — Question marker for yes/no questions. It is always placed after the first word in the sentence. If the first word ends in a vowel, use the particle na; if it ends in a consonant, use ina.

nahaaw — okay (assent)

naa — well! (emphatic particle)

oo — oh! oh my!

sa — emphasis marker. Example: Mii sa go ozhiitaawaad igo. They were getting ready.

(a)tayaa — good golly; great many; hey!; indeed!; oh boy! ; oh my! ; too much; well!

way — exclamation. Example: Way, yay, wewiib enda-gizhigaawan iniw ininaatigoon. Goodness gracious, hurry, the maples are running just fast.

waa — my! (exclamation)

yay — exclamation. Example: Way, yay, wewiib enda-gizhigaawan iniw ininaatigoon. Goodness gracious, hurry, the maples are running just fast.