The world's most unusual mixed language - The Algonquian-Basque Pidgin

Further reading:

Basque Pidgin Vocabulary in European-Algonquian Trade Contacts. Peter Bakker, University of Amsterdam

"The Language of the Coast Tribes is Half Basque": A Basque-American Indian Pidgin in Use between Europeans and Native Americans in North America, ca. 1540-ca. 1640

[stephenpaul]

Hello. I'm Mikmaq and ive always known i was part Basque. And we. Confirmed it this year

[CheLanguages]

I made a video on Basque-Icelandic pidgin, but this pidgin is even crazier!

[y.ys.i.d]

8:00 the plurals of Mi’kmaq

I can attest with 100% certainty that it is indeed pure coincidence that plurals are pronounced with an “-ak” in both languages.

In universal Algonquian grammar, nouns are classified as either animate or inanimate (apparently in Basque too, even more coincidentally).
So plurals in Alg. languages will have two different ways of forming. Animate nouns are suffixed with the “-ak” while inanimate nouns are simply just “-a” for the plural.

This is the same across the Alg. family from The Blackfoot to the Mi’kmaq. An example in my language Cree, the animate word “moose” is *môswa* and the plural of moose is *môswak* . (English gets moose from the Algonquian languages)

[hallupnorth]

You’re very bright and your interest in my peoples language has enlightened me to the point of going to the tribal office and doing more research . I may be able to record an elder speaking and post it on my channel. If you have any questions feel free to ask me and I could ask my tribal office

[davidbrewer]

The Basques and other groups in the westernmost parts of Europe knew about the great cod fishing areas at the Grand Banks just to the east of Newfoundland as early as the 1300s if nor earlier.

[asiersanz]

As a basque speaker myself, I really appreciate your video. It is so moving the information you give about the good relations between both peoples, that happen to be somehow the aborigins of both continents. I've heard something about the friendship of basques with iroquian people, and a theory that says that iroquian comes from the basque term "hiruki" (triangle nowadays), because this people were ruled by a trirumvirate. But I don't know if the iroquian people is part of the algonquian family.
It also blows my mind to know that the plural form is the same in both languages. Regarding to the example you use to explain how the pidgin was, the correct form in basque would be: Anaia, kapitaina zu zara? and more prefect: Anaia, kapitaina zu al zara?
Than you so much for your hard work and interest for small peoples like ours!!! Eskerrik asko!

[likeableperson]

Had a case of whiplash at 5:50 cause of the mention of Le Jeune, thinking it was the guy who created Chinook pipa (a chinook Wawa shorthand)…. Lol
Awesome video, my dude! Incredibly well researched.

[Glassandcandy]

It might be time to get a clip on or portable mic. That echo is brutal

[yahia-jayelmozee]

What I love the most about your videos its not just the depth of history and detail you manage to explore from the development but also how you always piece it as a part of the collective human story. It makes me feel connected to what seemingly appeared at first as a small cultural interaction that happened centuries ago. You have definetly been expanding my world view and perspective of human history. It is always Surprisingly immensely inspiring yo watch you videos. On a sidenote Mi'kmaq sounds like Big Mac ( concidence or is there a secret historical

[matf]

Ça là, c’était très intéressant! Merci… l’explication et l’humeur aussi était bon😊

[OldWorldMicmac]

I am fluent Mi'kmaq, therefor half Basque?

[joenicholas]

We have our own languages that evolved from the Algonquin language with is L'nu , but every tribe all spoke the old Algonquin language, which was most likely what the Basque spoke and where there unique version of Algonquin came from .

[alecpayne]

Wow I never heard about any of this. I'm from the west coast of us but I know a family that has mikmak ancestry. This is fascinating. I didn't even know about French basques coming to the Americas, but it makes sense since the bay of Biscay was a huge send-off point for voyages for the Americas.

[Biscaine]

I really enjoyed the video, but without sounding patronizing, the name that the classics used to refer to my ancestors is it not pronounced VaSones but with K VasKones, furthermore like with the words Wine or Gasconie the V of VAsK would sound more like those 2, so it'd sound as Waskones
( Guaskones)

Paldies (Eskerrik asko!)

PS btw the image used starting around minute 2:04, looks very familiar.:)

[leeema]

Can you do a video Yama/Mobilian Jargon? Apparently one of my great grandparents spoke it and while its extinct officially I know of some Choctaw speakers have learned it today. David V. Kaufman has a booklet on it thats 10$ usd, only one person has reviewed it on YT. I hope one day it can come back to use like Chinuuk Wawa has, having remembered many old videos now gone from YT this platform was very important in its readoption. Thank you for your work and your clear enthusiasm for North American languages.

[hallupnorth]

Very nice information, i myself am Mi’kmaq and from the Arostook band

[jaycorwin]

I like your videos, your ideas and your unprejudiced view of people. That's how I would like everyone to be.

[MatthewMcVeagh]

So that makes three languages related to Basque, usually thought of as a language isolate.
Basque-Algonquian pidgin.
Basque-Icelandic pidgin.
And Erromintxela...

[justfrosty]

I love these videos more then most food

[NeutralLizHotel]

Phenomenally researched and put together video. In depth, well explained, and engaging. Happily subscribed for more :^)