Mohawk Language


Mohawk is an Iroquoian language spoken by the Mohawk people, primarily in Canada and the United States. It is one of the six languages in the Iroquoian language family. Mohawk has three main dialects: Eastern, Western, and Southern.

Language Tree:

Mohawk belongs to the Iroquoian language family, which also includes Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora.

Where it was spoken in the past:

In the past, Mohawk was spoken in what is now upstate New York, as well as parts of Quebec, Ontario, and Vermont.

Where it is spoken today:

Today, Mohawk is primarily spoken in Kahnawake and Akwesasne in Quebec, as well as Tyendinaga and Six Nations in Ontario. There are also some speakers in New York State and Wisconsin.

Written Alphabet:

Mohawk has a written alphabet that is based on the Latin script. It consists of 12 consonants and 6 vowels. Here are the consonant sounds and their pronunciations:

  • h: pronounced like the “h” in “hat”
  • k: pronounced like the “k” in “kite”
  • kw: pronounced like the “qu” in “quick”
  • n: pronounced like the “n” in “no”
  • s: pronounced like the “s” in “sit”
  • sh: pronounced like the “sh” in “shoe”
  • t: pronounced like the “t” in “top”
  • th: pronounced like the “th” in “thin”
  • w: pronounced like the “w” in “way”
  • y: pronounced like the “y” in “yes”
  • z: pronounced like the “z” in “zip”
  • zh: pronounced like the “s” in “measure”

Here are the vowel sounds and their pronunciations:

  • a: pronounced like the “a” in “father”
  • e: pronounced like the “e” in “bed”
  • i: pronounced like the “i” in “bit”
  • o: pronounced like the “o” in “go”
  • oo: pronounced like the “oo” in “boot”
  • ai: pronounced like the “i” in “time”

Number of Fluent Speakers Today:

According to the 2016 Canadian Census, there were 3,750 speakers of Mohawk in Canada. In the United States, there are estimated to be around 1,500 speakers. Many of these speakers live on reservations, including Kahnawake and Akwesasne in Quebec, Tyendinaga and Six Nations in Ontario, and Saint Regis Mohawk Reservation in New York.

Words in the Mohawk language:

  • Kwe: woman
  • Onenh: peace
  • Kanenhariyo: love
  • Otsitsakaion: medicine
  • Tsi: yes
  • Kaha: no
  • Skennen: thank you
  • Wakhahston: welcome
  • Ratiristos: friend
  • Katsitsitsatstahs: butterfly

Online Translation Tool:

One online translation tool for Mohawk is the Kanien’keha (Mohawk) Translator.

Online Dictionary:

One online dictionary for Mohawk is the Mohawk Language Standardisation Project

 
Listen to audio files of Mohawk spoken by a native speaker.