This Dënesųłıné example was taken from an article in the Caribou News. It’s a translation of the Globe and Mail article, “Wollaston People Blame Mines for Endangering Wildlife, Other Impacts”. I have attempted a transcription into traditional syllabics (both F-C and E-A) and modern Sayisi Dene syllabics. The Roman version of the text is in the orthography I have seen used in Saskatchewan. In the NWT, the standard writing system differs in its treatment of e-vowels.
Several of the E-A /u/ vowel syllabics are not included as distinct characters in Unicode, therefore I have used the non-spacing dot accent to attempt to put the dot above the syllabic. Note that depending on the font you are using, the dot may instead be somewhere in the middle of the syllabic instead of on-top.
F-C Syllabics
ᕫᔆ ᕲᐁ ᐅˈᐟᓯˋ ᑌᓀ ᕫ ᑦᑲᑕᓀᕳ ᑌᓀ ᑕˈ ᐁᐟᗯᑌ ᐟᗱ ᑕˈᑦᐃ ᑦᕊᓯ ᐊᓯˋᐁ ᐯᐢᕲᑦᕃ ᐊˈ ᑕᓂˋᒉᐣ ᖍ ᔭᕱ.
ᑦᑯ ᐯᕲˋᕊᐁ, ᑲ ᕲᐁ ᕫ ᑦᑯᓇᑕˈ ᐟᓭᐣ ᓂᒐ ᐃˈᕃ, ᐟᘚᕀᕄᐅᐣ ᐊᑎ ᐅ ᑦᑯˋᐅˈˋ ᐊᑌᔆᔪˋ ᐅˈᐟᓭᐣ ᕲˋᕊˋ ᓂᑕᕬ. ᐁᔆᕬ ᑐᑎ, ᐟᓴˋᐟᓴˋᓀ ᔦᐠᑕ ᒉᔦᐢᐥᐊ. ᓂ ᕬ ᖊᐢᐥᐬ,” ᐁˈᓂˋ, “ᐁᔨ ᓂ ᐅˈᐟᓯˋ ᐃᖌᐣ ᐟᗱ ᐟᕃᐢ ᐁˈᑕˋᓀˋ ᕄˋ ᐃ,” ᐁˈᓂˋ.
ᐁᔨˋ ᐃᑦᕃᐢᑐˋᓀᓇˋ ᐟᓭᐣ ᓱˋᕊˋᓇˋ ᑌᓀ ᕫˋᔆ ᕲᐁ ᑫˈ ᓇᑌᐥᐃ, ᕫ ᑦᑲᓄᕳ ᐅˈᐟᓭᐣ ᕲˋᓇˋ ᐟᓭᐣ ᓱᕍᖊ ᑌᐟᗯᐣ ᐮᓂᔆᕳ ᓇᑕᑌ ᓯˋ. ᐯᐁˈᓂˋ ᑫˈᐟᗴˋ ᑌ ᑦᑯᕊ ᐁᔦᙆ ᐯᐁˈᕲˋᕊᐁ ᐟᗱ ᐯᐁˈᓀᓀ ᑫˈ ᕫ ᑦᑲᑕᓄᕳ.
ᑦᑯᕬ ᐊᑦᕊˋ ᐅˈᐥᐊᘛˋ ᕫ ᑦᑯᑕᓄᕳ ᐊˈ ᓄˋᑕˈ ᓯˋ. ᐁᔦᙆ ᕫˋᔆ ᕲᐁ ᕳᐸˋᖊ ᑦᑯᕄ, ᕫ ᕲ ᔭᖊ ᐅˈᐟᓯˋ ᕬ ᑦᐮᔆᔦ ᓯˋ. ᔭᓇᒋ ᑦᕊˋᓇˋ ᓀᓀ ᑌ, ᐬᔆᑫˈ ᕳᖊ ᓄˋᔭᖊ ᕫ ᖍˋ ᓇᐟᓭᑌ ᐊˈ ᓯˋ.
ᕫˋᔆ ᕲᐁ ᑫˈ ᐅˈᐟᓯ ᐬᔆᐟᘕᘛˋ ᕲˋᕊᐁ ᐟᗱ, ᑕˈᑦᐃ ᕳᐬᔆ ᑫˈᓇᑕᑌᕀ ᑌᓀ ᐯᓂᑫˈᐟᗴ ᓯˋ ᐁˈᓂˋ, ᐟᘚᕀᕄᐅᐣ ᐊᑎᐥᐅ, “ᐊᑌᔆᔪˋ ᑌᓀ ᐁᐟᗴˋ ᓂ ᐅˈᐟᓯˋ ᕫ ᑦᑲᑕᓀᕳ ᐁˈᑐᑌᔆᐥᐬ ᐃˈᕃ ᓯˋ,” ᐁˈᓂˋ. ᐁᑎᓂ ᕫ ᑦᑲᑕᓄᕳ ᐅˈᐟᓯˋ ᑕˈᑦᐃ ᐁᐟᗯᑎ ᖍˋ ᐬᔆᐟᘕᘛ ᒉᑦᕍ ᑦᕄˋᓂ ᑦᕍˋ ᐃˈᕃ ᐃˈᐟᗴ ᐊ. ᐟᗰᘚ ᑦᕄˋᓂˋ, ᑦᑯ ᑐˋᐅˈˋ ᐟᗰᘚ ᑐᑎ. “ᓇˋᖋᒋ ᐟᗱ, ᕬ ᕫᔆᐟᘕᘛ ᑐᑎ ᐊᑕᐟᗴ. ᕲᐁ ᐁᔨ ᕫ ᓇᐟᓭᙆ ᑌ ᑦᕃ ᕬ ᑦᕃᖍˋᑌ ᐊˈ,” ᐁˈᓂˋ. ᑦᑯ ᐁᔨ ᑕˈᑦᐃ ᓂ ᐅˈᐟᓯ ᕫ ᓇᔆᐟᓯ ᐊˈ, ᐊᔆᑕˋᓀ ᐯᖍˋ ᔭᖋˋᕱ ᐅ ᑦᐫ ᐢᓂˋᐥᐅ ᕬ ᔭᓇᒉ ᐅˈᐊˈ ᕬ ᓂ ᐸᘛˋ ᐊˈ ᓭᐅˈᐟᗴ, ᕫˋᐢ ᕲᐁ ᑌᓀ ᐯᓂᑫˈᓯ ᐃˈᕃ ᓱˋᓂ ᑦᑯᕊ.
E-A Syllabics
ᕫᐟ ᕥᐁ ᐅᘚ ᑌᓀ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓀᕦ ᑌᓀ ᕦ ᐁᗯᑌ ᣮ ᕦᗁ ᒢᕊᓯ ᐊᓯᐁ ᐯᐢᕤᒢᕃ ᐊ ᑕᓂᒉᐣ ᗃ ᔭᕠ.
ᑯ ᐯᕥᣡᐁ, ᗃ ᕥᐁ ᕫ ᑯᓇᕦ ᘛᐣ ᓂᒐ ᐃᕃ, ᐨᘛᕀᕄᐅᐣ ᐊᕠ ᐆ ᑰᐆ ᐊᑌᐟᔪ! ᐅᘛᐣ ᕥᣡ ᓂᑕᕬ. ᐁᐟᕬ ᑐᑎ ᘔᘔᓀ ᔦᐠᑕ ᒉᔦᐢᐊ. ᓂ ᕬ ᐊᑕᐟᑌᒢᐆ, “ᘔ, ᕥᐁ ᒢᕃᗃᓂᑌ ᓯ, ᑕᗀᕃᐟ ᕬ ᗀᐢᐃ,” ᐁᓂ, “ᐁᔦ ᓂ ᐅᘚ ᐃᑐᐣ ᣮ ᖆᐢ ᐁᑕᓀ ᕄ ᐃ,” ᐁᓂ.
ᐁᔨ ᐃᒢᕃᐢᑐᓀᓇ ᘛᐣ ᓱᕊᓇ ᑌᓀ ᕫᐟ ᕥᐁ ᑫ ᓇᑌᐃ, ᕫ ᑲᓄᕦ ᐅᘛᐣ ᕤᓇ ᘛᐣ ᓱᕍᗀ ᑌᗯᐣ ᐊᓂᐟᕦ ᓇᑕᑌ ᓯ. ᐯᐁᓂ ᑫᗴ ᑌ ᑰᣡ ᐁᔦᐡ ᐯᐁᕥᣡᐁ ᣮ ᐯᐁᓀᓀ ᑫ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓄᕦ.
ᑰᕬ ᐊᒢᕊ ᐅᐊᓯ ᕫ ᑯᑕᓄᕦ ᐊ ᓅᕦ ᓯ. ᐁᔦᐡ ᕫᐟ ᕥᐁ ᕦᐸᗀ ᑰᕄ, ᕫ ᕥ ᔭᗀ ᐅᘚ ᕬ ᗃᐟᔦ ᓯ. ᔭᓇᒋ ᒢᕊᓇ ᓀᓀ ᑌ, ᐃᐟᑫ ᕦᗀ ᓅᔭᗀ ᕫ ᗃ ᓇᘛᑌ ᐊ ᓯ.
ᕫᐟ ᕥᐁ ᑫ ᐅᘚ ᐃᐟᐨᣱᓯ ᕥᣡᐁ ᣮ, ᕦᗁ ᕦᐱᐟ ᑫᓇᑕᑌᕀ ᑌᓀ ᐯᓂᑫᗴ ᓯ ᐁᓂ, ᐨᘛᕀᕄᐅᐣ ᐊᑎᐆ, “ᐊᑌᐟᔫ ᑌᓀ ᐁᗴ ᓂ ᐅᘚ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓀᕦ ᐁᑐᑌᐟᐃ ᐃᕃ ᓯ,” ᐁᓂ. ᐁᑎᓂ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓄᕦ ᐅᘚ ᕦᗁ ᐁᗯᑎ ᗃ ᐃᐟᐨᣱᓯ ᒉᒢᕍ ᒢᕄᓂ ᒢᕍ ᐃᕃ ᐃᗴ ᐊ. ᗰᓭ ᒢᕄᓂ, ᑰ ᑑᐆ ᗯᓭ ᑐᑕ. “ᓇᗁᒋ ᣮ, ᕬ ᕫᐟᐨᣱᓯ ᑐᑎ ᐊᑕᗴ. ᕥᐁ ᐁᔨ ᕫ ᓇᘛᐡ ᑌ ᒢᣡᐁ ᕬ ᒢᕃᗃᑌ ᐊ,” ᐁᓂ. ᑰ ᐁᔦ ᕦᗁ ᓂ ᐅᘚ ᕫ ᓇᐟᘚ ᐊ, ᐊᐟᑕᓀ ᐯᗃ ᔭᗁᕠ ᐆ ᗀ ᐢᓂᐆ ᕬ ᔭᓇᒉ ᐅᐊ ᕬ ᓂ ᐸᓯ ᐊ ᓭᐅᗴ. ᕫᐟ ᕥᐁ ᑌᓀ ᐯᓂᑫᓯ ᐃᕃ ᓲᓂ ᑰᣡ.
Roman Orthography
Tthɛ̨ł Túɛ́ Hots’į Dɛnɛ Tthe Kádánɛta Dɛnɛ́ T’á Ɛch’ɛrɛ chu T’ahhi Łosi ʔasįɛ Bɛstołé Ha Dánįdhɛn Ghą Yati.
Kú bɛtųluɛ́, Gah Túɛ́ tthe kónat’a ts’ɛ́n nidhá hílɛ, Dzeylion ʔadi ʔú kųhų́ ʔarɛlyų́ hots’ɛ́n tųlų níráhtthi. Ɛltth’i dódí, tsątsą́nɛ́ yɛk’dá thɛyɛ́sʔá. Níh tth’i háráldethʔú, “tsá, túɛ́ łɛghą́nįdɛ́ sí, dághɛlɛl tth’i ghɛsʔí,” hɛ́nį, “Ɛyi níh hots’į iron chu tłɛs hɛdą́nɛ̨́lį ʔí,” hɛ́nį.
Ɛyį iłésdǫnɛ́ną ts’ɛ́n sǫlǫ́ną dɛnɛ Tthɛ̨ł Túɛ́ k’ɛ nádéʔi, tthe kánota hots’ɛ́n tǫ́ną ts’ɛ́n solághɛ dɛchɛn ʔąniłta nárádé sį. Bɛhɛnį́ k’ɛ́ch’ą dɛ́ kúlú ɛyɛr bɛhɛtųluɛ́ chú bɛhɛnɛ́nɛ́ k’ɛ tthe kádánota.
Kútth’i ʔałǫ́ hoʔázį́ tthe kódánota ha nų́t’á sį. Ɛyɛr Tthɛ̨ł Túɛ́ tabą́ghɛ kúli, tthe tu yághɛ hots’į tth’i hhąlye sį. Yanadhi łǫ́ną nɛ́nɛ́ dɛ́, įłk’ɛ́ taghɛ nų́yághɛ tthe ghą náts’ɛdé ha sį.
Tthɛ̨ł Túɛ́ k’ɛ hots’í įłdzuzį tųluɛ́ chu, t’ahhi tabį́ł k’ɛnárádéi dɛnɛ́ bɛník’ɛ́ch’a sį hɛnį, Dzeylion adiʔú, “ʔarɛlyų́ dɛnɛ́ ɛją níh hots’į tthe kádánɛta hɛdórɛ́lʔį́ hílɛ sį,” hɛ́nį. Ɛdini tthe kádánota hots’į t’ahhi ɛch’ɛri ghą ʔįłdzuzi thɛła łį́ni łą hílɛ híjá ʔá. Chízɛ łįnį, kú dųhų́ chízɛ dódí. “Nąghídhi chu, tth’i tthełdzuzi dódí ʔarájá. Túɛ́ ɛyi tthé nátsɛr dɛ́ łuɛ tth’i łeghą́de ha,” hɛ́nį. Kú ɛyi t’ahhi níh hots’i tthe náltsí ha, ʔałdąnɛ́, beghą yaghįti ʔú hhɛ́ snįʔú tth’i yanadhé hoha tth’i níh bazį́ ha sɛhújá, Tthɛ̨ł Túɛ́ dɛnɛ bɛník’ɛ́sí hílɛ sų́ni kúlú.
Sayisi Orthography
ᕫ ᕤᐁ ᐅᐤᘚ ᑌᓀ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓀᕦ ᑌᓀ ᐨᕦ ᐁᗯᑌ ᗱ ᐨᕦᗁ ᕊᐤᓯ ᐊᓯᔦ ᐯᐢᕤᐤᕃ ᐊ ᑕᓂᒉᐣ ᗃ ᔭᕠ.
ᑯ ᐯᕤᕊᐁ, ᗃ ᕤᐁ ᕫ ᑯᐤᓇᕦ ᘛᐣ ᓂᒐ ᐃᕃ, ᘛᐩᕄᐅᐤᐣ ᐊᑎ ᐅ ᑯᐅ ᐊᑌᐟᔪ ᐅᐤᘛᐣ ᕤᕊ ᓂᑕᕬ. ᐁᐟᕬ ᑐᐤᑎ, ᘔᘔᓀ ᔦᐠᑕ ᒉᔦᓴ. ᓂ ᕬ ᐊᑕᐟᑌᒢᐅ, “ᘔ, ᕤᐁ ᕃᗃᓂᑌ ᓯ, ᑕᗀᕃᐟ ᕬ ᗀᐢᐃ,” ᐁᓂ, “ᐁᔨ ᓂ ᐅᐤᘚ ᐃᐡᐅᐣ ᗱ ᖆᐢ ᐁᑕᓀᕄ ᐃ,” ᐁᓂ.
ᐁᔨ ᐃᕃᐢᑐᐤᓀᓇ ᘛᐣ ᓱᐤᕊᐤᓇ ᑌᓀ ᕫᐟ ᕤᐁ ᑫ ᓇᑌᐃ, ᕫ ᑲᓄᐤᕦ ᐅᐤᘛᐣ ᕤᐤᓇ ᘛᐣ ᓱᐤᕍᗀ ᑌᗯᓇᓂᐟᕦ ᓇᑕᑌ ᓯ. ᐯᐁᓂ ᑫᗴ ᑌ ᑯᕊ ᐁᔦᐨ ᐯᐁᕤᕊᐁ ᗱ ᐯᐁᓀᓀ ᑫ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓄᐤᕦ.
ᑯᕬ ᐊᕊᐤ ᐅᐤᐊᓯ ᕫ ᑯᐤᑕᓄᐤᕦ ᐊ ᓄᕦ ᓯ. ᐁᔦᐨ ᕫᐟ ᕤᐁ ᕦᐸᗀ ᑯᕄ, ᕫ ᕤ ᔭᗀ ᐅᐤᘚ ᕬ ᗃᐟᔦ ᓯ. ᔭᓇᒋ ᕊᐤᓇ ᓀᓀ ᑌ, ᐃᐟᑫ ᕦᗀ ᓄᔭᗀ ᕫ ᗃ ᓇᘛᑌ ᐊ ᓯ.
ᕫᐟ ᕤᐁ ᑫ ᐅᐤᘚ ᐃᐟᘕᓯ ᕤᕊᐁ ᗱ, ᐨᕦᗁ ᕦᐱᐟ ᑫᓇᑌᑌᐩ ᑌᓀ ᐯᓂᑫᗴ ᓯ ᐁᓂ, ᘛᐩᕄᐅᐣ ᐊᑎᐅ, “ᐊᑌᐟᔪ ᑌᓀ ᐁᗴ ᓂ ᐅᐤᘚ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓀᕦ ᐁᑐᐤᑌᐟᐃ ᐃᕃ ᓯ,” ᐁᓂ. ᐁᑎᓂ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓄᐤᕦ ᐅᐤᘚ ᐨᕦᗁ ᐁᗯᑎ ᗃ ᐃᐟᘕᓯ ᒉᕍ ᕄᓂ ᕍ ᐃᕃ ᐃᗴ ᐊ. ᗰᓭ ᕄᓂ, ᑯ ᑐᐅ ᗰᓭ ᑐᐤᑎ. “ᓇᗁᒋ ᗱ, ᕬ ᕫᐟᘕᓯ ᑐᐤᑎ ᐊᑕᗴ. ᕤᐁ ᐁᔨ ᕫ ᓇᘛᐨ ᑌ ᕊᐁ ᕬ ᕃᗃᑌ ᐊ,” ᐁᓂ. ᑯ ᐁᔨ ᐨᕦᗁ ᓂ ᐅᐤᘚ ᕫ ᓇᐟᘚ ᐊ, ᐊᐟᑕᓀ, ᐯᗃ ᔭᗁᕠ ᐅ ᗀ ᐢᓂᐅ ᕬ ᔭᓇᒉ ᐅᐤᐊ ᕬ ᓂ ᐸᓯ ᐊ ᓭᐅᗴ, ᕫᐟ ᕤᐁ ᑌᓀ ᐯᓂᑫᓯ ᐃᕃ ᓱᓂ ᑯᕊ.
