Chapter 2 — Akiing: Numbers, Colors & Animate-Inanimate¶
Summary¶
Chapter 2 dives into the Ojibwe number system, color terms, and the foundational grammar concept of animate vs. inanimate nouns. Students discover that in Ojibwe, whether something is considered "living" or "not living" is a grammatical category with profound cultural implications — raspberries are animate, but a shoe is not. This chapter pairs naturally with AIS 112 content on traditional Anishinaabe trade systems, wampum, and how counting and exchange were embedded in broader relationships.
AIS 112 Cultural Context — Weeks 5–8¶
Trade Networks and Exchange
Before European contact, the Anishinaabe people were part of vast trade networks extending from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast and the Rocky Mountains. Copper from Isle Royale, wild rice from northern Wisconsin, and furs from the northern forest moved along these routes. Trade was embedded in diplomatic relationships — you traded with allies, and trade maintained alliances.
Wampum (shell beads) served not as currency but as memory devices, treaties, and sacred communication. When Europeans arrived, they misunderstood wampum as "Indian money," a misunderstanding that shaped centuries of bad-faith trade relationships.
Wild Rice — Manoomin
Wild rice (manoomin) is animate in Ojibwe — it is not merely a food but a relative, a gift, and a being with spirit. The Ojibwe people were led to the Great Lakes by prophecy partly through the direction to "find the food that grows on water." Manoomin remains central to Ojibwe identity, ceremony, and treaty rights today.
Concepts Covered¶
This chapter covers the following 14 concepts:
- Numbers 1–10: bezhig, niizh, niswi, niiwin, naanan, ingodwaaswi, niizhwaaswi, ishwaaswi, zhaangaswi, midaaswi
- Numbers 11–20 and tens to 100
- The word for 1,000: midaaswaak
- Color terms and their animate/inanimate verb forms
- The animate/inanimate distinction — what it is and what it affects
- Animate plurals: -wag and -ag
- Inanimate plurals: -an
- Demonstratives: a'aw (that animate), i'iw (that inanimate), wa'aw (this animate), o'ow (this inanimate)
- Quantity expressions: aaniindi (how many?)
- Colors as verbs: ozhaawashkwaa (it is blue/green — animate), ozhaawashkwan (it is blue/green — inanimate)
- Wild rice vocabulary: manoomin
- Basic adjective-noun agreement
- Counting things: ___-oon (counting suffix)
- The verb "to be [color]": conjugation patterns
Prerequisites¶
- Chapter 1 vocabulary and pronoun prefixes
- Understanding of the animate concept from Pronunciation Guide
📋 How to Complete This Chapter — Step by Step
Follow these steps in order. You do not need a teacher — everything you need is on this page.
⏱ Estimated total time: 2.5–3 hours (spread over ~4 weeks)
Step 1 — Prepare (5 min)
Review vocabulary from Chapter 1 greetings, pronouns, and dodem vocabulary. Skim the Concepts Covered list below so you know what to expect.
Step 2 — Read and Study (~90 min total, across multiple sessions)
Work through each section in order. Do not skip ahead.
- Read and study Section 1 — Numbers 1–20 — read every vocabulary table aloud
- Read and study Section 2 — The Animate-Inanimate Distinction — read every vocabulary table aloud
- Read and study Section 3 — Colors — read every vocabulary table aloud
Step 3 — Complete the Exercises (~30 min)
- Complete Exercise 1 — Count in Ojibwe
- Complete Exercise 2 — Animate or Inanimate?
- Complete Exercise 3 — Color Sentences
Write your answers on paper or in a notebook. There are sample answers in collapsible boxes below each exercise.
Step 4 — Practice Interactively (~15–20 min)
- Play at least one game from the Games tab at the top of the page
- Suggested: Flashcard Drill for vocabulary, Sentence Scramble for grammar
Step 5 — Check Yourself (~10 min)
Scroll to the Completion Checklist at the bottom of this page. Complete Part 1 (task list) and Part 2 (self-reflection) honestly.
Step 6 — Submit Your Exit Ticket (~2 min)
Scroll to the Exit Ticket at the bottom. Rate your confidence and note anything that seemed incorrect.
Step 7 — Take the Quiz
Go to Quiz when your checklist shows you're ready.
You're ready when: you can rate yourself 🟢 or ⭐ on at least 6 of the Self-Reflection concepts.
Introduction¶
In English, we divide the world into living things and non-living things, roughly. In Ojibwe, the division is different: animate (bimaadizi) vs. inanimate (inanimate) — and the categories do not always match English intuitions.
Animals? Animate. People? Animate. Trees? Animate. The sun and moon? Animate. Wild rice? Animate. But a rock? Usually inanimate — unless it's a special ceremonial stone, in which case it may be animate.
This is not arbitrary: it reflects a worldview in which many things have spirit, agency, or relational significance. Knowing whether a noun is animate or inanimate is not just grammar — it's a window into how Anishinaabe people understand life and relationship.
Section 1 — Numbers¶
Numbers 1–10¶
| Number | Ojibwe | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | bezhig | BEH-zhig |
| 2 | niizh | neezh |
| 3 | niswi | NIH-swih |
| 4 | niiwin | NEE-win |
| 5 | naanan | NAH-nan |
| 6 | ingodwaaswi | in-GODD-wahs-wih |
| 7 | niizhwaaswi | neezh-WAHS-wih |
| 8 | ishwaaswi | ISH-wahs-wih |
| 9 | zhaangaswi | ZHAHN-gas-wih |
| 10 | midaaswi | mih-DAH-swih |
Numbers 11–20 and Tens¶
| Number | Ojibwe | Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | ashi-bezhig | ashi = plus, then the unit |
| 12 | ashi-niizh | |
| 20 | niizhtana | niizh + -tana (tens suffix) |
| 30 | nisimidana | |
| 40 | niimidana | |
| 50 | naanimidana | |
| 100 | ningodwaak | one hundred |
| 1,000 | midaaswaak | ten hundreds |
Grammar: Counting Suffix
When counting specific objects, Ojibwe adds a counting suffix. For animate nouns, use -oon + animate plural; numbers often take the form bezhigoon for "one of them," niizhoon for "two of them," etc. This is introduced here and developed further in Chapter 3.
Morpheme Analysis: Niizhwaaswi (7)¶
Word Breakdown: niizhwaaswi — "seven"
| Part | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ROOT | niizh- | two |
| ROOT | -waaswi | related to "six" (ingodwaaswi) |
Analysis: Seven in Ojibwe is literally "two [from] six" — 6 + 2 in a base-pattern that reflects older counting systems. Similar patterns appear in other Algonquian languages. This morphological transparency means that once you know 1–5, you can decode much of 6–10.
Section 2 — The Animate-Inanimate Distinction¶
This is one of the most important concepts in Ojibwe grammar and one of the most culturally significant.
What is Animate?¶
| Category | Examples | Ojibwe |
|---|---|---|
| People | man, woman, child, elder | inini, ikwe, abinoojinh, akiwenzii |
| Animals | bear, eagle, deer | makwa, migizi, waabishkizi |
| Trees & plants | birch, cedar, wild rice | wiigiwaasiimizh, giizhik, manoomin |
| Sun, moon, stars | sun, moon, star | giizis, dibik-giizis, anang |
| Some objects | pipe, drum, snowshoes | opwaagan, dewe'igan, aagim |
| Some foods | raspberries, strawberries | miskomin, ode'imin |
| Category | Examples | Ojibwe |
|---|---|---|
| Most manufactured objects | chair, door, book | agoodoojiimaan, ishkwaandem, mazina'igan |
| Most rocks, metals | stone, iron (usually) | asin (usually IN), biiwaabiiko |
| Most foods | bread, corn | bakwezhigan, mandaamin |
| Body parts | (many are inanimate) |
You Must Memorize Animacy
There is no foolproof rule for deciding whether a new word is animate or inanimate — you must learn each noun's animacy as part of learning the word. Vocabulary lists in this course always mark AN (animate) or IN (inanimate).
A good strategy: learn the plural form of each noun. If the plural ends in -wag or -ag, it's animate. If it ends in -an, it's inanimate.
Plural Suffixes¶
| Animacy | Singular Ending | Plural Suffix | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animate | most endings | -wag or -ag | makwa → makwag (bears) |
| Inanimate | most endings | -an | asin → asinan (stones) |
| Animate (ending in -e) | -e | -g | ikwe → ikweg (women) |
Demonstratives¶
| Animate | Inanimate | |
|---|---|---|
| This (near) | wa'aw | o'ow |
| That (far) | a'aw | i'iw |
| These (near) | ongow | onigow |
| Those (far) | agiw | iniw |
In Context
- Wa'aw makwa — This bear (animate "this")
- O'ow mazina'igan — This book (inanimate "this")
- A'aw migizi — That eagle (animate "that")
- I'iw ishkwaandem — That door (inanimate "that")
Section 3 — Colors¶
Color Vocabulary¶
Colors in Ojibwe are verbs, not adjectives. They describe the state of being a certain color, and they change form depending on whether the subject is animate or inanimate.
| Color | Animate form | Inanimate form | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | miskozii | miskozan | it is red (AN / IN) |
| Blue/Green | ozhaawashkwaa | ozhaawashkwan | it is blue-green |
| Yellow | ozaawaa | ozaawan | it is yellow |
| White | waabishkaa | waabishkan | it is white |
| Black | makadewaa | makadewan | it is black |
| Brown | ozhaawaa | — | it is brown (mostly AN) |
Grammar: Colors as Verbs
In English, colors are adjectives: "the red ball." In Ojibwe, colors are intransitive verbs: "the ball is-red." This means you need to know whether the colored thing is animate or inanimate before you can say the color correctly.
- Wa'aw makwa miskozii. — This bear is red. (animate form)
- O'ow asin miskozan. — This stone is red. (inanimate form)
Morpheme Analysis: Ozhaawashkwaa¶
Word Breakdown: ozhaawashkwaa — "it is blue/green (animate)"
| Part | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| PREFIX | o- | third person singular animate |
| ROOT | -zhaawashk- | blue-green spectrum |
| SUFFIX | -waa | animate intransitive verb ending |
Analysis: Ojibwe, like many languages, combines blue and green in one root word (zhaawashk-). This is not a primitive confusion but a different categorical boundary — many traditional items (water, sky, plants, some beads) occupy this blue-green zone. The animate ending (-waa) marks that the subject is animate.
Wild Rice — A Special Case¶
| Ojibwe | English | Animacy |
|---|---|---|
| manoomin | wild rice | AN — animate! |
| manoominike | to harvest wild rice (VAI) | verb |
| manoominikejig | those who harvest wild rice |
AIS 112 Connection — Manoomin as Relative
The Ojibwe people have a treaty-protected right to harvest wild rice on ceded territory throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. These rights were established in the 1837, 1842, and 1854 treaties and reaffirmed in Lac Courte Oreilles Band v. Voigt (1983).
The animacy of manoomin in the Ojibwe language reflects a legal and moral stance: wild rice is not property to be bought and sold, but a relative to be protected. This understanding is why Ojibwe communities have fought pipeline projects and pollution that threaten wild rice lakes — it is not an "environmental" issue as English speakers might frame it, but a family protection issue.
Practice Exercises¶
Exercise 1 — Count in Ojibwe
Write out the numbers 1–10 in Ojibwe without looking at your notes. Then check your answers.
Exercise 2 — Animate or Inanimate?
Classify each noun as Animate (AN) or Inanimate (IN). Then give the correct plural form.
- makwa (bear)
- asin (stone)
- manoomin (wild rice)
- ishkwaandem (door)
- migizi (eagle)
- mazina'igan (book)
Answers: 1-AN (makwag), 2-IN (asinan), 3-AN (manoominag), 4-IN (ishkwaandeman), 5-AN (migiziiwag), 6-IN (mazina'iganan)
Exercise 3 — Color Sentences
Write one sentence for each color, using a noun of your choice. Make sure the color form matches the animacy of your noun.
Example: O'ow mazina'igan makadewan. (This book is black. — inanimate)
Chapter 2 Completion Checklist¶
Use this checklist before taking the quiz. Be honest — it's for you, not for a grade.
Part 1 — Tasks ✅¶
Check off each item as you complete it.
Reading & Study - [ ] Read the chapter Introduction - [ ] Studied all Section vocabulary tables (read aloud) - [ ] Read all example sentences and conversations
Exercises - [ ] Exercise 1 — Count in Ojibwe - [ ] Exercise 2 — Animate or Inanimate? - [ ] Exercise 3 — Color Sentences
Practice - [ ] Used at least one MicroSim or interactive element on this page - [ ] Played at least one game from the Games tab
Wrapping Up - [ ] Submitted the Exit Ticket at the bottom of this page - [ ] Completed Part 2 and Part 3 of this checklist (below)
📌 When all boxes above are checked, you are ready to take the quiz.
Part 2 — Self-Reflection 🎯¶
Rate yourself on each concept. Circle or highlight your rating in your notebook, or just make a mental note.
| Rating | What it means |
|---|---|
| 🔴 Not yet | I'm confused — I need to re-read this section |
| 🟡 Getting there | I understand it but would need to look it up |
| 🟢 Got it | I can do this without looking at my notes |
| ⭐ Can teach it | I could explain this clearly to someone else |
| Concept | My Rating |
|---|---|
| Count from 1 to 10 in Ojibwe without notes | 🔴 🟡 🟢 ⭐ |
| Form teen numbers using ashi- + midaaswi | 🔴 🟡 🟢 ⭐ |
| Explain the animate/inanimate distinction in Ojibwe | 🔴 🟡 🟢 ⭐ |
| Use the correct plural suffix (-ag vs -an) for a given noun | 🔴 🟡 🟢 ⭐ |
| Use the correct color verb form for an animate vs. inanimate subject | 🔴 🟡 🟢 ⭐ |
| Explain why manoomin (wild rice) is animate | 🔴 🟡 🟢 ⭐ |
Part 3 — Before You Move On 📝¶
Write or say this aloud before moving to [Chapter 3 — Bimaadizi]:
"The most important thing I learned in Chapter 2 — Akiing — is . One thing I'm still not sure about is . My next step to get better at that is ___."
What your ratings mean for next steps:
- Mostly 🔴 → Go back and re-read those sections. Try a different game. Don't take the quiz yet.
- Mostly 🟡 → Do one more practice session with the Flashcard Drill or a MicroSim, then take the quiz.
- Mostly 🟢 or ⭐ → You're ready. Take the Chapter 2 Quiz.
Exit Ticket¶
Take 90 seconds to reflect on what you learned and help us improve the course.
Previous: Chapter 1 — Aaniin | Next: Chapter 3 — Bimaadizi
Quiz: Chapter 2 Quiz