Abi na awiya? | Is any one at home? |
Enh, nindabimin, biindigen; aw sa noos eta gaawiin abisii. | Yes, we are at home, come in; my father only is not in. |
Boozhoo, mino-giizhigad. | Good day, it is fine weather. |
Enh geget, gabe-aya’ii sa eniwek gaa-ako-waabamigooyan. | Yes, it seems a long time since we have seen you. |
Enh, ningii-ondamishkaa. | Yes, I have been away. |
Aaniin dash enakamigak? | What is the news? |
Aakaa gegoo, aakoziibaniig aanind igiw anishinaabeg wiikwedong eyaajig, zhayiigwa dash mino-ayaawag. | Nothing much. Several of the Indians in the Bay were sick, but they are better now. |
Aaniin apii dash ge-ozhitamaadizoyeg waakaa’iganan dibishko iniw Gitigaan-Ziibiing eyaagin? | When are you Indians going to build yourselves houses, such as they have at Garden River? |
Endagwen, nindoonzaam-gitimishkimin ganabaj. | Oh, I don’t know, I suppose we are too lazy. |
Gete-aya’aa na maaba opwaagan? | Is this an old pipe? |
Geget, nimishoomisiban dibenimaagoban. | Yes, it belonged to my grandfather. |
Mii na gaye iw ogiishkibitaagan† debendamoogobanen†? | And was that his tobacco pouch? |
Aaniin ge-apiichitaayamban ji-ozhigeyan? | How long does it take to build a wigwam? |
Maagizhaa ningo-diba’igan. | About an hour. |
Aanind wiigiwaaman gichi-agaamiing niso-biboon odindazhiikaanaawaan†. | Some houses in England take three years to build. |
Taayaa, geget maamakaadakamig, gichi-michaamagadoogenan ganabaj. | Ah, indeed, that is wonderful, they must be very big. |
Mii na ogo gwayak mitigoog gaa-aabaji’indwaaban ji-wiigiwaamikeng? | These trees are the right sort for building a log house, are they not? |
Gidaa-ondinaawaag nabagisagoog gaye apakoojiganag† iwidi daashkiboojiganing. | You could get lumber and shingles at the saw-mill. |
Izhaawag na giniijaanisag endazhi-giginoo’amaading? | Do your children go to school? |
Gaawiin noongom, gaawiin omakizinisiiwag. | Not just now, they have no shoes. |
Giga-giishpinada’aawaag sa makizinan adawewigamigong, apii adaaweyeg ziinzibaakwad. | You must get shoes for them at the store, when you sell your sugar. |
Gigii-ayaa na anamihewigamigong gii-anamihe-giizhigak? | Were you at church on Sunday? |
Gaawiin, ningii-aakoz, wiin dash niwiidigemaagan gii-izhaa. | No, I was sick, but my husband went. |
Aa, boozhoo dash, wiiba giga-bi-waabamin miinawaa. | Well, goodbye, I will come again soon to see you. |