Course Description¶
Dakhotiyapi — Beginning Dakota Language (Year 1)¶
Level: High School Introductory
Duration: 160 instructional days (one academic year)
Prerequisites: None
Cross-listed with: AIS 112 — American Indian Studies
Course Overview¶
This course introduces students to the Dakota language alongside the history, culture, and sovereignty of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Seven Council Fires). Each chapter pairs language learning with AIS 112 content, reinforcing that Dakota language and Dakota history are inseparable.
Semester Structure¶
Semester 1 (Chapters 1–4)¶
| Chapter | Dakota Title | Topics | AIS 112 Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Háu / Haŋ | Greetings, identity, tiyóšpaye | Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, pre-contact society |
| 2 | Otóiyohi | Numbers, colors, descriptors | Trade networks, wampum, counting systems |
| 3 | Wóuŋsipi | Daily life, action verbs | Seasonal calendar, bison economy |
| 4 | Čhaŋté | Body, health, relationships | Medicine traditions, kinship systems |
Mid-Year Exam — Chapters 1–4 | ACTFL Novice Low–Mid
Semester 2 (Chapters 5–8)¶
| Chapter | Dakota Title | Topics | AIS 112 Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Wóčhekiye | Prayer, values, the sacred | Mitákuye Oyásʼiŋ, spiritual traditions |
| 6 | Makóčhe | Land, seasons, directions | Seasonal lifeways, celestial knowledge |
| 7 | Wóoyake | Story, ceremony, oral tradition | Oral tradition, ceremony, suppression |
| 8 | Oyáte | Nation, treaties, sovereignty | 1862 War, Fort Snelling, treaty rights |
End-of-Year Exam — Chapters 5–8 | ACTFL Novice Mid–High
ACTFL Proficiency Targets¶
| Level | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Novice Low | Isolated words and memorized phrases | Chapters 1–2 |
| Novice Mid | Lists of words, some phrase combining | Chapters 3–4 / Mid-Year |
| Novice High | Short phrases, some spontaneous production | Chapters 5–7 |
| Intermediate Low | Simple sentences, creates with language | Chapter 8 / End of Year |
The Očhéthi Šakówiŋ — Seven Council Fires¶
The Dakota course situates the language within the broader Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Seven Council Fires), the political and cultural alliance of seven related peoples:
| Council Fire | Common Name | Dialect |
|---|---|---|
| Bdewákhaŋthuŋwaŋ | Mdewakanton | Dakota |
| Waȟpékhute | Wahpekute | Dakota |
| Sisíthuŋwaŋ | Sisseton | Dakota |
| Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ | Wahpeton | Dakota |
| Iháŋkthuŋwaŋ | Yankton | Nakota |
| Iháŋkthuŋwaŋna | Yanktonai | Nakota |
| Thítȟuŋwaŋ | Teton / Lakota | Lakota |
This course teaches Dakota (the eastern dialect), the language of the Minnesota communities.
Learning Outcomes¶
After completing this course, students will be able to:
Remember¶
- Recall the gender-specific greeting forms (Háu / Haŋ) and their appropriate use
- List the numbers 1–1,000 in Dakota
- Name the Seven Council Fires (Očhéthi Šakówiŋ) and their dialect groupings
- Identify the Standard Dakota Orthography characters and accent marks
- Recall the four cardinal directions in Dakota
- Name the seven Dakota values (wačháŋtognaka, ohítika, ksapá, and others)
- Recognize the Dakota words for seasons, body parts, family relationships, and daily activities
- List the key events of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 in sequence
Understand¶
- Explain the Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order of Dakota and how it differs from English
- Describe how stative verbs function as color and quality descriptors in Dakota
- Explain the cultural significance of the tiyóšpaye (extended family band) as the basic social unit
- Summarize the events of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, the Fort Snelling imprisonment, and the Mankato executions
- Explain the concept of Mitákuye Oyásʼiŋ (All my relations) and its worldview implications
- Describe how the passive name construction (emáčiyapi) reflects Dakota values
- Explain how treaty language affected Dakota land, sovereignty, and community continuity
- Summarize the role of oral tradition (wóoyake) in Dakota cultural transmission
Apply¶
- Introduce themselves in Dakota using name, origin, and formal closing
- Form future tense (-kte) and negation (-šni) on Dakota verbs correctly
- Use Dakota vocabulary to describe seasons, land, and directions in context
- Apply the SOV sentence structure to construct original Dakota sentences
- Use stative verbs to describe colors and qualities in Dakota
- Count and perform basic arithmetic communication in Dakota (1–1,000)
- Apply gender-appropriate speech forms in greeting contexts
Analyze¶
- Compare Dakota SOV grammar to English SVO word order and explain the cognitive shift required
- Distinguish between stative verbs and action verbs in Dakota grammar
- Examine how the 1851 and 1858 treaties reduced Dakota land and examine the legal and cultural consequences
- Analyze how Dakota vocabulary encodes a relational and land-based worldview
- Compare Dakota and English name construction and explain what each reveals about cultural values
- Analyze the role of the boarding school era in disrupting Dakota language transmission
Evaluate¶
- Assess the significance of language revitalization efforts for Dakota communities today
- Evaluate the impact of U.S. federal Indian policy (boarding schools, Code of Indian Offenses) on Dakota language and culture
- Judge the role of oral tradition and ceremony in preserving cultural knowledge that was legally suppressed
- Evaluate the ethical responsibilities of non-Dakota learners engaging with the language
Create¶
- Compose a formal Dakota self-introduction (name, origin, closing) suitable for a community context
- Write a short paragraph about a season or place using Dakota vocabulary and SOV structure
- Design a short dialogue between two speakers using greetings, identity phrases, and at least one future tense sentence
- Produce a cultural reflection connecting a language concept to a historical event or contemporary issue
- Draft a written response to the question: "Why does Dakota language revitalization matter?"
Topics Excluded¶
This course does NOT cover:
- Lakota or Nakota dialects (cultural and political context provided, but language instruction focuses on Dakota only)
- Advanced Dakota grammar beyond Novice High / early Intermediate Low ACTFL level
- Writing systems other than the Standard Dakota Orthography
- Ceremonially restricted cultural content
- Speaking fluency beyond basic communicative phrases at the Intermediate Low threshold
- Detailed comparative linguistics of the Siouan language family
Grading Framework¶
| Component | Weight |
|---|---|
| Chapter Quizzes (8) | 30% |
| Mid-Year Exam | 20% |
| End-of-Year Exam | 20% |
| Participation / Oral Practice | 20% |
| Cultural Reflection Journals | 10% |