It’s easy to think of English and French as being the only native languages in Canada—after all, these are the official languages, and most of the population speaks at least one of them. But this view ignores the diverse history of the American continent, which has been inhabited by indigenous people for thousands of years. Atlantic Canada was home to the Mi’kmaw people long before the English and French reached its shores, and while the language has faced heavy repression, some Mi’kmaq still proudly speak their heritage language.
It’s difficult to find professional translation services for languages like Mi’kmaq because most translation agencies don’t see endangered and minority languages as profitable. However, there’s more to translation than just profit. At TranslationServices.com, we recognize the rich history and value of Mi’kmaw culture and language, and we believe the Mi’kmaq deserve high-quality translation services as much as anyone else in Atlantic Canada. So, we’re proud to offer professional Mi’kmaq translation services, both to and from this proud language.
For a free quote for our Mi’kmaq translation services, get in touch with us today.
Learn about the language of the land: Mi’kmaq
The Mi’kmaq have inhabited Mi’kma’ki, which stretches over much of Atlantic Canada, for thousands of years. For most of their history, they have spoken an Algonquian language known to the rest of the world as Mi’kmaq, although speakers know it as L’nuismk or Mi’kmawi’simk. Mi’kmaq roughly translates to “my friends,” with mi’kmaw as the adjective form. Today, approximately 7,000 people speak Mi’kmaq, with a large concentration in Unama’ki, or Cape Breton, and is classified as a “vulnerable” language by UNESCO.
As a polysynthetic language, Mi’kmaq is intimidating to learners used to European languages. Since grammatical relationships are indicated through grammatical markers, a strict word order isn’t necessary. Verbal inflection can be incredibly complicated, as verbs typically include markers for both the subject and object. Various affixes are also added to verbs to convey information about tense, aspect, and more. Animacy also plays a large role in Mi’kmaq, with verbal markers changing depending on whether the subject and object are animate or inanimate.
Given the complexities of this rich Algonquian language, if you’re looking for a high-quality translation, you should hire a professional Mi’kmaq translator. Our team is here for all your Mi’kmaq translation needs.
Translations to and from Mi’kmaq
As one of the only indigenous languages of the Americas to have its own writing system prior to colonialization, Mi’kmaq has long been an important language in the region. We’re proud to offer translation services both to and from Mi’kmaq—this works whether you want to translate Mi’kmaq-language stories and literature into English to spread Mi’kmaw culture and knowledge or if you’re aiming to increase access to Mi’kmaq by making stories, games, and apps available in the language. Our Mi’kmaq translators are passionate about enhancing the influence of their language and work hard to produce great results.
What are you looking for in Mi’kmaq translation services? Contact us today to discuss your needs.