mihku

Malecite-Passamaquoddy

An American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) on a feeding spot in James Gardens, Toronto.

Etymology

Cognate with Abenaki mikowa and Penobscot mìhkəwe.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmih.ku/, [ˈmiː˧˦.ku]

Noun

mihku anim

1. red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
2. (in general, by extension) squirrel

   Synonym: atutuwehc (“squirrel”)

Declension

Declension of mihku [animate, -iyik (e) or -uwok plural]

	singular	plural
unmarked / proximate	mihku	mihqiyik / mihkuwok / mihkuwiyik
possessed	mihqemol / mihkuwemol / mihkumol	mihqem / mihkuwem / mihkum
locative	—	mihqewihkuk / mihkuwewihkuk / mihkuwihkuk
diminutive	mihqehsis / mihkuwehsis / mihkuhsis	mihqehsisok / mihkuwehsisok / mihkuhsisok

References

• Passamaquoddy-Maliseet language portal
• LeSourd, Philip S. (1993) Accent and Syllable Structure in Passamaquoddy, New York: Garland Publishing