When we talk about the parts of the body in the Abenaki language, we see that most of the words begin with the letter (m). Some speakers have taken it upon themselves to drop the (m) from our words and just use the root word. Many speakers will use the third person singular to express a body part. However, when doing so they are actually saying his/her head, arm, leg, etc.

Please note: the majority of the body parts are considered inanimate. Some speakers have chosen to use an animate format. To make a body part animate would be incorrect, unless one is using a multitude of words or parts of an animate noun to express a body part. The Abenaki consider the body and all it's parts to be a part of the animate creation (all living things). Therefore, to show reverence to all that we are related to we bow ourselves to the state of inanimate.

Another unique thing happens when we apply the adjective possessive (n', k', or w') to all the body parts that begin with the letter (m).

Please note: we must first suppress the letter (m) and prefix it with (n, k, or w). Do not use the apostrophe sign. Examples:

mezid = a foot/the foot

mzabi = a hip/the hip

singular	singular
nezid = my foot	nzabi = my hip
kezid = your foot (one person)	kzabi = your hip (one person)
wezid = his/her foot	wzabi = his/her hip
kezidw� = your foot (more than one person)	kzabiw� = your hip (more than one person)
wezidw� = their foot	wzabiw� = their hip

plural	plural
nezidal = my feet	nzabial = my hips
kezidal = your feet (one person)	kzabial = your hips (one person)
wezidal = our feet	wzabial = our hips
nezidnawal = our feet	nzabinawal = our hips
kezidnow�l = your feet (more than one person)	kzabinow�l = your hips (more than one person)
wezidnow�l = their feet	wzabinow�l = their hips

body part words that do not begin with the letter (m) will be declined as follows:

(remember to use the apostrophe sign.)

zigwada = a/the skeleton

azibaskedon = a/the lip

singular	singular
n'zigwada = my skeleton	nd'azibaskedon = my lip
k'zigwada = your skeleton (one person)	kd'azibaskedon = your lip (one person)
w'zigwada = his/her skeleton	wd'azibaskedon = his/her lip
n'zigwadana = our skeleton	nd'azibaskedonna = our lip
k'zigwadaw� = your skeleton (more than one person)	kd'azibaskedonw� = your lip (more than one person)
w'zigwadaw� = their skeleton	wd'azibaskedonw� = their lip

plural	plural
n'zigwadaal = my skeletons	nd'azibaskedonal = my lips
k'zigwadaal = your skeletons (one person)	kd'azibaskedonal = your lips (one person)
w'zigwadaal = his/her skeletons	wd'azibaskedonal = his/her lips
n'zigwadanawal = our skeletons	nd'azibaskedonnawal = our lips
k'zigwadanow�l = your skeletons (more than one person)	kd'azibaskedonnow�l = your lips (more than one person)
w'zigwadanow�l = their skeletons	wd'azibaskedonnow�l = their lips

Please remember, do not become overwhelmed with the above information. Simply use it as a road map to construct your words/phrases.

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