David's Birthday

Today (April 17) is my darling David's 83th birthday. His mind is still very young - sometimes that of a seven year old. Otherwise, he is well from his knees up.
Ol'ga

Hi Ol'ga,

Best wishes to David on his birthday. I'll raise a glass to him.

mokuan

Thank you, Mokuan! Thank you very mcuh for David, too. He has a question - did you learn any Yup'ik when you were in Alaska?
Love, Ol'ga

Happy Birthday, David! I hope you and Ol'ga have a wonderful day together

Lise

Hi Ol'ga,

Waqua. Camaii.

If I could remember how to spell in Yup'ik, I could say to you today "how are you" and I could say "there's not much wind today" or "would you like sugar in your coffee." I took a class in Yup'ik, but it was tough especially since the teacher didn't allow anyone to speak English during it. The news on the one radio station and the one TV station was done in Yup'ik after the English version and I'd usually listen to it.

How is it David knows of the Yup'ik Eskimos? Most people know of the Innuit or the Inupiat, but not many know of the Yup'ik.

your aipaq,
mokuan

Dear Mokuan,
I found out about Yupik because I was interested in North American aboriginal languages. There is a very good grammar by Steven Jakobson published by the University of Alaska.
Thank you very much for your birthday wishes.
David

Good morning David,

Jakobson's book came out long after my time in Bethel, but I do remember seeing an interview with him when I lived in Anchorage and thinking how did you do it. It's not a language that has even remote similarities to my own.

Have you heard Yup'ik spoken? If you go to KYUK.org and then click on news and scroll around, you'll find the news in Yup'ik. This morning I heard the announcer talk about the wind, probably the wind chill factor. I did not hear her ask if anybody wanted sugar in their coffee.

It was fun to hear that language again and be able to pick out a few words here and there. Let me know if you listen.

warm regards,
mokuan