Mohawk Names
Here, you’ll find a list of plant names in Mohawk, complete with translations and phonetic pronunciations provided by Doris King. This resource is an excerpt from the curriculum, New York’s Natural Resources 4-H Wild Edibles: A Guide to Tradition, Safety, and Conservation, designed to help you explore the beauty and diversity of plant life through the lens of the Mohawk language. Whether you’re a language learner, a nature enthusiast, or simply curious, you’ll find valuable insights and practice opportunities to connect with the language and its cultural significance.
Quick Guides
Quick pronunciation guide for vowel sounds in Mohawk
-a- is pronounced like -aw- in Saw (with the -w- sound never being pronounced).
-e- is pronounced like -ay- in Hay (with the -y- sound never being pronounced).
-i- is pronounced like -ea- in Bead.
-o- is pronounced like -ow- in Bow (with the -w- sound never being pronounced).
-en- is pronounced like -un- in Sun but the -n- being half pronounced and nasal.
-on- is pronounced like -oon- in Moon but the -n- being half pronounced and nasal.
- ‘ - is pronounced like -t- in the word Gut.
Quick pronunciation guide for consonant sounds in Mohawk
-h- is pronounced like -h- in Hat (a -h- is always pronounced)
-i- is pronounced like -y- in Yes (in Eastern Mohawk the letter -i- has double duty).
-k- is pronounced like -g- in Get or like -k- in Hike.
-n- is pronounced like -n- in No.
-r- is pronounced like a Japanese -r- (think of the song “Domo Arigato… “) and it can also be pronounced like -l- in Ball.
-s- is pronounced like -z- in Zone or like -s- in Miss.
-t- is pronounced like -d- in Dog or like -t- in Tone.
-w- is pronounced like -w- in Way.
Quick guide for diacritical marks in Mohawk
Diacritical marks in Mohawk signify where the word is stressed.
Up stress – á/é/í/ó/én/ón (it signifies that the vowel is stressed quickly).
Up stress with colon – á:/é:/í:/ó:/én:/ón: (it signifies that the vowel is stressed and held).
Down stress with colon – à:/è:/ì:/ò:/èn:/òn: (it signifies that the vowel is stressed and held but with a low tone.
Think of how the Italians stress their words, it is similar to that).
