Datapoint Michif/Syllable onsets

Initial syllables in Michif can consist maximally of an obstruent plus liquid or glide: tram 'white poplar', pleum 'feather', vyey 'old', kwadriy 'square dance', and zhveu 'hair'. These are all words of French origin.

Words of Cree origin start with single vowels, or a sequence kw-, which may be one phoneme, a labialized velar.

Word-medially, three consonants may be found, as the sequence /shkw/ in doo-kwaashkweepich-
ikeetaak 'Let's go fishing', and /stw/ in istweer 'story'.

Values

Onsets at most moderately complex

Example 75-28:
kat lii sheezh
kat
four
lii
art.pl
sheezh
chair
four chairs

Source: Fleury 2007

Example 75-30:
Kahkiyaw kaanihtaweehtaman kamiyitin.
Kahkiyaw
all
kaa-nihtaweehtam-an
rel-need.inan-2sg
ka-miy-iti-n.
2sg.fut-give-inv-1sg
Everything that you need, I will give you.

Source: Fleury 2007

Example 75-98:
Kwaashchipayin neema li shaan.
Kwaashchi-payi-n
??-MOVE-3
neema
dem.inan.dist
li
def.art.m.sg
shaan.
field
It goes beyond that field.

Source: Laverdure and Allard 1983: 41

Example 75-278:
Ekoshpi kahkiyaw kiikishkamwak, lii gros reuban dan leu zhveu.
Ekoshpi
then
kahkiyaw
all
kii-kishkam-w-ak,
pst-wear-3-pl
lii
pl
gros
big.f
reuban
ribbon
dan
loc
leu
3pl.poss
zhveu.
hair
At that time they wore everything, big ribbons in their hair.

Source: Fleury 2007

Example 75-290:
dret
dret
right
right, correct
Confidence:
Certain