The Origins of Algonquin
The Wampanoag tribe originated in the New England region, specifically today's Massachusetts. Their language is called Algonquin, and their name, Wampanoag, actually means "eastern people" or "people of the dawn" ("The Wampanoag"). "The Wampanoag language is most closely related to those spoken by the Mohican and Pequot" ("Wampanoag Language"). That could imply that they Wampanoag tribe could at least be able to communicate with these two other tribes if they wanted to or needed to. Those two tribes were also located in the northeast, somewhat near the Wampanoag, so it would make sense that the Wampanoag had a similar language to them. Even in today's English language, we have taken some of the words from the Wampanoag. Words like moose, chipmunk, moccasin, squash, raccoon, and skunk were derived from Algonquin ("Wampanoag Language"). It's pretty amazing that the Algonquin words are still used in the English language today.
Language and Settlement
Because the colonists first arrived on the east coast when coming to America, they encountered the Wampanoag as one of the first people that were on this "new land." Those who came to settle in America wanted to learn the native language of the Wampanoag to be able to teach these new people Christianity ("Wampanoag Language"). In order to teach people religion, a person would have to have a thorough understanding of a language. It was important for the settlers to learn all parts of speech of the Algonquin language; additionally, they would make categories to help separate and understand words. Roger Williams was one of the first men to try and establish a concrete understanding of Algonquin, and eventually, John Elliot, was able to translate the Bible into their native language ("Wampanoag Language"). That would aid any Wampanoag that wanted to learn Christianity by giving them the Bible to worship on their own. The English language has been impacted by Algonquin, as well as the Algonquin being exposed to some English.
April 2005 "The Wampanoag." Native American People/Tribes. Dino-Dragon World. Electronic Document, http://www.snowwowl.com/peoplewampanoag.html, accessed March 23, 2015.
1994 "Wampanoag Language." MayflowerHistory.com. Mayflower History. Electronic Document, http://mayflowerhistory.com/wampanoag-language/, accessed March 24, 2015
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DeleteLanguage and Communication
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty amazing that each individual region in the world can have their own language, yet different people can still find a way to communicate with each other. For example, the Wampanoag originated in the New England area, as mentioned above. When the colonists from England, and different places in Europe, came to settle in America, they had to find some way to communicate with the Wampanoag. It must have taken a long time and a lot of patience to create a formidable language that was thorough enough to communicate and teach Christianity to the tribe. We learned that each language must have nouns and verbs, a way to ask questions, and a way to make something negative. Therefore, all languages have at least a few things in common.
From the video in class, the Wampanoag's language has been lost over time. There are only a few ancestors of the tribe that can speak the language anymore, so the few that are left are trying to keep it alive. I think that's very important because it's a part of their culture and that should never die. The older members should teach the younger, and so on to keep the language active. I know that language is specifically related to my culture because it helps define who I am.
Language is also a sign of progression of a culture. Over time, slang has developed, which might confuse people who are trying to learn Americanized-English. The word "bad" doesn't always mean harmful or poor quality; now, it actually means good and is a compliment. Language is a part of our culture, especially as young adults. I'm sure language will continue to evolve and change as time continues.
Language for me is my most important form of communication. I can only speak English, as of now, but would love to become fluent in at least one other language. It is helpful that I learned English as my primary language because it is the third most commonly spoke language in the world, and there are a lot of specifications with the grammar rules. My family mainly speaks English, but a few family members also speak Spanish because they are Mexican-American. I feel that I am privileged to speak English and be attending an American university to get my degree, because that isn't offered to everyone, especially women, in many places all over the world.
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