The Ainu Language - A Língua Ainu

The ainu language spoken area in the 1800's comprised of the following:

- South Sakhalin
- Kuril islands
- Hokkaido
- North edge of Japan main island

The power struggle between Japan and Russia caused the Ainu people to move. Therefore, in Sakhalin and Kuril islands Ainu language is no longer spoken, and these areas are located in the Russian territory now.

In the North edge of Japan main island, Aomori-ken, it's said that Ainu language was spoken until 1950's, but now only Japanese is spoken there.

In 1999, the Ainu language was little spoken in Hokkaidou, the cold island in northern Japan. However, in 10 years the movement to revive Ainu language has promoted language classes and speech contests in many places.

The Ainu people might have lived with other people in North Sakhalin and Amur river area.(since 1300's). The "Yuan Dynasty of China", funded by Tatar, fought several times against the locals who may have been Ainu, because of invasions in the area under "Yuan"’s control.(AC 1264-1308). The first accounts on the Ainu in China may date back from that time.

During the "Sin" age, the last Chinese empire, the Ainu traded with the Chinese in order to go upstream the Amur river. Some people in Amur area then passed down an oral tradition on their supossed “Ainu forefathers”.

In Japan main island, the Ainu might have settled in the island’s northern part, namely in the provinces of Aomori, Iwate, and Akita (in the 700's). The contact between the Ezo (that is, the barbarian peoples around Japan) and the Japanese was recorded in the Shoku-Nihon-Gi, that means “Japanese Archive Part 2”. This might be the first detailed file about the Ezo,

In the sourthen portion of Japan, some places were given Ainu names, such as the “Sirakawa” Barrier and the “Nakoso” Barrier. But it is believed that there are other place names left all over the country with roots in the Ainu language.

SOME SAMPLE SENTENCES

Come in please! Ahup yan!

(Formal greeting) Irankarapte!

Hi, grandmother! Huci he!

Hi, aunt! Unarpe he!

How are you? Eywanke ya?

I’m fine. Kuywanke wa!

Sit down please. Hetak rok yan!

Thank you (formal). Iyayiraykere!

Thank you (informal). Hioy’oy.

Have a good night. Apunno sini yan!

Good bye (to a remaining person)! Apunno oka yan!

Good bye (to a leaving person)! Apunno paye yan!

See you again! Suy unukaran ro!

What’s this? Tanpe hemanta an?

This is a bowl. Tanpe anakne itanki ne.

Well, what’s is that? Orano, toanpe hemanta an?

That’s a chopsticks. Toanpe anakne pasuy ne.

Do you see? Eeraman ya?

I see. Kereman wa.

Orano, inanpe itanki ne ya?

It’s this. Tanpe ne.

It’s that. Toanpe ne.

What’s that grass? Toan kina hemanta an?

That grass is a royal fern. Toan kina anakne sorma ne.

Who’s that? Toankur hunna an?

That woman is my older sister. Toankur anakne kusapo ne.

Which is your son? Inankur epoho ne ya?

This one. Taankur ne wa.

May I open the window? Puyar kumaka yakka pirka ya?

May I come in? Kahun yakka pirka ya?

May I eat candy? Topenpe ke yakka pirka ya?

May I drink? Kuiku yakka pirka ya?

May I stop the car? Kukor aop kusinire yakka pirka ya?
May I smoke? Tanpaku kuku yakka pirka ya?

May I take rest? Kusini yakka pirka ya?

I finished my work. May I go home? You may.

Kumonrayke okere korka tane kuhosipi yakka pirka ya? Yakun pirka.

You may stop the car in case there. Toanta yakun pirka.

You may have in case tea. Oca eku yakun pirka.

Must not drink! Iteki ku!

Must not come in! Iteki ahun!

Must not stop the car! Iteki aop sinire!

Must not smoke! Iteki tanpaku ku!

Must not open the window because it is cold today. Tanto mean kusu iteki puyar maka.

Must not drink because you drive the car. Aop eo kusu iteki iku.

What do you want to eat? Hemanta ee rusuy ya?

I want to eat candy. Topenpe ke rusuy

What do you want to drink? Hemanta eku rusuy ya?

I want to drink tea. Oca kuku rusuy

I want to go home soon. Tane kuhosipi rusuy

I want to rest because I am tired. Kusinki kusu kusini rusuy

I hope it would be fine tomorrow. Nisatta sirpirka yak pirkap!

I would be the wind... I would be a bird... Rera ta kune... cikap ta kune...

If I could be, ki wa ne yakun

I could meet my lover in this day! Kuyupo tananto or ta kunukar oka!

What is your name? Erehe mak aye?

My name is ______ . Kurehe anakne ______ ne.

How old are you? Epaha hempakpe an?

I am twenty eight years old. Kupaha anakne tupesan pa ikasma hotne pa ne.

Where do you come from? Hunak wa eek?

I come from Sapporo. Sapporo wa kek

Do you come alone? Sinen ne eek?

I come with mother. Hapo turano kek.

Where do you go to tomorrow? Nisatta hunak un earpa?

I go to Biratori. Biratori un karpa.

Please go with me! Entura wa enkore!

Let’s go! Uturano payean ro!

Good bye! Apunno paye yan!

Water, please! Wakka, enkore!

Chopsticks, please! Pasuy, enkore!

Bowl, please! Itanki, enkore!

Two bowls, please! Tu itanki, enkore!

Here you are. O.

Please put me up! Enrewsire wa enkore!

Please help me! Enkasuy wa enkore!

Please take me with you! Entura wa enkore!

Please wait for me! Entere wa enkore!

Please show me! Ennukare wa enkore!

Please tell me! Ennure wa enkore!

Please say it again! Na arsuyne ennure wa enkore!

Ok / alright. Pikka wa.

Let’s eat! Uturano ipean ro!

Let’s talk! Ukoisoitakan ro!

See you again! Suy unukaran ro!

Why don’t you drink water? Wakka eku hike makanak ne wa?

Why don’t you wait a moment? Na atere hike makanak ne wa?


SOME USESUL WORDS AND PARTICLES

a sit(It is singular form. cf.;rok)
ahun come in house (It is singular form)
ahup come in house (It is plural form)
-an we
apunno peaceful
e yes!
e- you
eywanke = e + iwanke
he (It means question)
hetak come on
hioy'oy (It means thanks)
huci grandmother,old lady
irankarapte (It means polite greeting)
iwanke be in good spirits
iyayiraykere (It means polite thanks)
ku- I
kuywanke = ku + iwanke
oka are,exist,live(It is plural form)
paye go(It is plural form)
ro (It means temptation)
rok sit(It is plural form. cf.;a)
sini take rest
suy times
unarpe aunt,lady
unukar meet
unukaran = unukar + an
Wa (the word soften them voice)
ya (It means question)
Yan (It means order to persons ,or one person politely)
ahun come in house (It is singular form)
aop vehicle
e Eat (foods)
e- You
hosipi go home
iteki (It means prohibition)
iku drink alcohol
kahun < ku-ahun
ke < ku-e
kor (goods) of (owner),have
korka but
ku drink (beverage)
ku- I
kusu in order to, because
maka open (window)
mean cold
monrayke work
o ride (vehicle)
oca tea (It is loan word from Japanese)
okere finish
pirka good
puyar window
sini take rest
sinire make (them) rest
tane already,no longer
tanpaku cigerette
tanpaku ku smoke
toanta there
topenpe candy
ya (It means question)
yakka pirka may
yakun in case,if
an be?(It is used with question)
anakne (It present subject)
e- you
eraman understand
hemanta what
hioy'oy (It means thanks)
hunna who
itanki bowl
inankur who,which man
inanpe what,which thing
keraman < ku-eraman
kina grass
ku- I
ne be,become
orano well
pasuy chopsticks
po son
poho (one's) son
sapo older sister
sorma royal fern
taankur this man
tanpe this
toan that (goods)
toankur that man
toanpe that
wa (the word soften them voice)
ya (It means question)
e- you
e eat (foods)
ki do (something)
ku- I
ku drink (beverage)
kusu in order to, because
ke < ku-e
sini take rest
sirpirka fine
sinki tired
- ta - oka (It means hope which is unlikely to realize)
tananto or ta today (It is used in verse. In usual sentense,"tanto")
tane already,no longer
cikap bird
topenpe candy
nisatta tomorrow
nukar meet (person)
ne be,become
hemanta what
hosipi go home
ya (It means question)
yak (It means condition)
yakun in case,if
yupo lover (It is used in verse to man. To woman,"tures". In usual sentense,it means older brother)
rusuy want to
rera wind
wa and
pirka good
-p (It nominalizes verb which is completed by vowel. By consonaunt, "-pe")
a- somebody
-an we
anakne (It present subject)
apunno peaceful
arpa go(It is singular form. cf.;paye)
e- you
ek come
en- me
hempakpe how many
hunak where
karpa < ku-arpa
kek < ku-ek
kore give (them goods)
ku- I
mak how
ne be,become
ne (It means situation. cf.;sinen ne)
nisatta tomorrow
pa year
paha (one's) year
paye go(It is plural form. cf;arpa)
re name
rehe (one's) name
ro (It means temptation)
sinen one parson
sinen ne alone
tura bring (them) with
turano together with
un to (place)
uturano together
wa from (place)
wa and
ye tell
arsuyne once
en- me
itanki bowl
kasuy help (them)
kore give (them goods)
na more
nukare show (them goods)
nure make (them) listen
o Here you are
pasuy chopsticks
pirka good
rewsire put (him) up (It is singular form)
tere wait (them)
tu two
tura bring (them) with
wa (the word soften them voice)
wakka water
a- we (It is used with transitive verb. cf;-an)
-an we (It is used with intransitive verb. cf;a-)
e- you
ku drink (beverage)
hike which (person do)
makanak how
na more
ne be,become
paye go(It is plural form)
ro (It means proposal)
suy times
tere wait (them)
ukoisoitak talk with
unukar meet
uturano together
wa (the word soften the voice)