Here’s a recording in a mystery language.
Do you know, or can you guess, the language?
These quizzes are normally published every Sunday, and the answers are given the following Saturday here in the comments.
Here’s a recording in a mystery language.
Do you know, or can you guess, the language?
These quizzes are normally published every Sunday, and the answers are given the following Saturday here in the comments.
There are bits and pieces of English in there, I think, and it sounds like someone remembering a song or chant in another language, perhaps a Native American or Asian one … But I’m not too sure about any of this.
I would bet the rent it’s a North American indigenous language. I just now have to figure out which one!
Based on the range and habitat of the North American porcupine, we can probably rule out the southeastern US and Great Plains, and probably the coastal areas, A language from a forested area, probably mid to high elevation, is likely.
THe speaker seems not to use the language very often, but is probably an L1 speaker. That suggests very few surviving speakers.
Seems like some Native American language
I am going for a Sioux language. My guess is Hidatsa.
I think I’m hearing a word-initial voiced velar stop, which doesn’t fit Hidatsa. THat should only appear intervocalicly.
Yes, a word-initial /g/ would rule out Hidatsa. I can’t actually hear one, though. I think what I hear are word-initial, unvoiced velar stops without aspiration … But I might be wrong.
No, I think you’re right. Those are unvoiced stops without articulation.
Can you people make some (better) use (than me) of Simon’s clue that this language is spoken in North Dakota?
I would guess probably northern Minnesota, based on porcupine habitat
(Which is consistent with Siouan languages.)
The mystery language is Arikara (Sáhniš), a Northern Caddoan language spoken in Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota, USA.