Our catch phrase is on its way.
Dear Fellow Earthlings,
In my most recent session with Gajehsöh I went over 31 gestures that I had found in the dissertation by Hazel Virginia Jimerson Dean-John (See installments 280 and 282.) -- and for which I needed various voice samples from Gajehsöh in order to have the resonances of the sub-gestures (consonants, vowels, semi-vowels, suprasegmentals) in those samples analyzed.
The first sample I tried to say was o:eohgo:t (which means “cattail”). Gajehsöh was unable to figure out what I was trying to say. So I had to say “cattail”in English -- and then she corrected my pronunciation and had me say it.
Next I tried to say waeoa:ö’ -- which means “She makes a small mound of earth.”. Gajehsöh was unable to figure this out at all. So we put this item aside and moved on to the next segment, tahše:h. Gajehsöh came up with taseh (“You can go there.”). But Dean-John’s entry indicated a meaning of “You must do” or something along that line...
So we went on to the fourth of the 31 gestures: Eswa:a’t ... Upon hearing my attempt to say this gesture, Gajehsöh offered up: “All of you passed by.”??? I then told her that it was glossed as “You will catch something that you are chasing.” Gajehsöh then said, “Oh! Then the word is äswa:a’t : “You are chasing something and you catch up to it.”
And so we continued chasing the sounds, the intonations, the pauses, the synergies that comprise Onö(n)dowa’ga:’ ! Gajehsöh was able to recognize 25 of the remaining 27 gestures that we worked with.
Right now, efforts to revitalize the Seneca language are being carried out on 3 fronts: Montessori is now running Gajehsöh’s children’s school as it seeks to reacquaint the children with Onö(n)dowa’ga:’. Brandon Martin of the State University of New York in Buffalo, New York (See Installment 278.) is heading a project to have adults start learning Onö(n)dowa’ga: in earnest starting this autumn. And then there is me, Steve Walker, with my gaënö’!!
Over and above all this is Gajehsöh! May her efforts lead to fruitful results! She says that at Montessori:
“Everybody lets me help them. They listen to me.”
May all concerned help each other and listen to each other as we try to save Seneca!
Very truly yours,
Hadënöhšyö:nis (English name: Steve Walker) Earthsaver and Gaënö’ composer
© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.