Algonquian Database Project

This project is an NSF-funded cross-linguistic database of the components which make up words in Algonquian languages. There are two main goals:

1. To provide tribes with a source for lexical expansion for their language revitalization/reclamation projects.

2. To provide a basis for comprehensive reconstruction of Proto-Algonquian.

This database will be a web-based, open-access, centralized resource for Algonquian word components, providing community members and linguists with a set of data that has previously been difficult to access.

Project Team

• Monica Macaulay (@monicamacaulay), Project Lead (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

• Hunter Lockwood (@HunterLockwood), Co-Project Lead (The Myaamia Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Oakland University)

• Daniel W. Hieber (“Danny”, @dwhieb), Lead Developer (University of Alberta)

• Tong Jiao (@TongJ05), Undergraduate Research Assistant, Developer (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

• Gabrielle Mistretta, Project Assistant (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

• Eleanor Sand, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Bibliographer (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Advisory Board

• Sarah Babinski, Yale University

• jessie little doe baird, Mashpee Wampanoag

• Daryl Baldwin, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Myaamia Center

• David Costa, Myaamia Center

• Marie-Odile Junker, Carleton University

• Will Oxford, University of Manitoba

• Yolanda Pushetonequa, Meskwaki Nation

• Michael Migizi Sullivan, Waadookodaading Ojibwe Language Immersion School

• Rand Valentine, University of Wisconsin

• Natalie Weber, Yale University

• Arok Wolvengrey, First Nations University of Canada

What Does Nisinoon Mean?

Nisinoon is an Ojibwe word meaning ‘there are three’. We chose it to represent the tripartite structure of Algonquian words: initial-medial-final. Click on the word to learn more about the word and hear it pronounced.

Algonquian Word-Structure Basics

Overview of word structure in Algonquian languages.

Read Algonquian Word-Structure Basics here.

Algonquian Components Bibliography

The Algonquian Components Bibliography is a set of resources used in the Nisinoon project to collect data on derivational morphemes in Algonquian languages. It was compiled by Monica Macaulay (University of Wisconsin-Madison) and Hunter Lockwood (Myaamia Center, Miami University) with the help of Savana Stauss, Anushri Kartik-Narayan, and Rachel Fedorchak. Please let us know if you find any errors in the references.

If you see an error in this bibliography, or would like to suggest any additions, please email Monica Macaulay at mmacaula@wisc.edu.

See the Algonquian Components Bibliography here.

License

The linguistic database in this repository is copyright to Monica Macaulay, and should not be copied, distributed, or modified without her express permission. The code in this repository is made available under an MIT license. See the license for more details.

Former Team Members

• Andrea Cudworth (@AMCudworth), Project Assistant (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 2018–2019

• Thaddeus A. Dockery (“Tad”, @TadDockery), Developer (Wisconsin Historical Society), 2019

• Rachel Fedorchak (@rf1123), Undergraduate Research Assistant, Bibliographer (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 2020-2021

• Alison Jozwiak, Project Assistant (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 2020

• Vade Kamenitsa-Hale (@vadekh), Undergraduate Research Assistant, Developer (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 2020-2021

• Anushri Kartik-Narayan, Bibliographer (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 2018–2019

• Naneque LaTender, Intern (College of Menominee Nation), 2021

• Sarah Lundquist, Project Assistant (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 2019

• Savana Stauss, Bibliographer (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 2018–2019

• Brock Wroblewski (@Calvin1119), Developer (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 2018–2020