Mitakuyepi (all my relatives)

Here is daily e-mail in Lakota

1. are you going to the meeting? Male speaker: omniciye ekta ni kta
hwo?

female speaker: omniciye ekta ni kta he?

o-mni-chee-ye

omniciye: meeting
ekta: over there
ni: you
kta: (intention) when/will
hwo: male gender ending (question) he: female gender ending (question)

2. come to the meeting. Male speaker: omniciye ekta u wo.

female speaker: omniciye ekta u we.

o-mni-chee-ye

omniciye: meeting
ekta: over there
u: come
wo: male gender ending we: female gender ending

3. no, I am too busy. Male speaker: hiya, lila omakan sni yelo.

female speaker: hiya lila omakan sni ksto

            o-ma-Kan (guttural K, nasal n)

hiya: no
lila: very (too)
omakan sni: too busy
yelo: male gender ending ksto: female gender ending

anpetu waste yuha po (have a good day)

Bryan Charging Cloud
Director, Lakota Language Institute
Oglala Lakota College