Kwenyur - That which is colored
Nyilly (Nyiilly)
Hepeshiw (Hepeshiiwch) 'Ehwatt 'Ekwas Nemeshap (Nemeshaap) Hemoll |
Black, Dark Gray, Dark-Colored
Blue, Green Red, Orange, Brown (this is also the word for "blood") Yellow White, Light Gray, Light-Colored Gray, smoggy |
Plural form in parentheses, if there is one
More Colors
From other dialects
Hemull
Halyhaly Kunemshap helhaay 'Esemay hepeshiw Peshiw Hepeshiw mewas Hepeshiw sepir 'Ehwatt hayhaay 'Ehwatt mewas 'Ekwas sepir 'Ekwas hayhaay Kwash |
Gray (practically same as hemoll)
Grayish, off-white Light gray (near white?) Grass-green (as opposed to blue) Green Light blue (Lit. soft blue) Purple (strong blue) Pink (hayhaay is similar to haykaay, next to) Pink (soft red) Orange (strong yellow) Brown (next to yellow) Brown (pronounced "kwésh") |
Almost Colors
'ehwatt hwallhwall
'ehwattehwatt 'ekwasekwaas nyily nyilynyiily nyillynyiilly |
Light red
Reddish, almost red Yellowish A little black Grayish black, darkish all over Blackish, almost black |
Usage and examples
Colors in 'Iipay Aa are not adjectives, but verbs. For example, "nemeshap" can be a sentence by itself, meaning, "it is white." Some colors have a plural form, such as hepeshiiwch, "they are blue/green".
You can say something is a certain color by placing the verb of color after a noun:
'Aashaa 'ehwatt. A/The bird is red.
With the optional -ch nominative suffix on the noun:
'Aashaach 'ehwatt.
And/or with the optional emphatic -ches suffix on the final verb:
'Aashaa 'ehwattches. A/The bird is really red.
To make the verb act like an adjective, you must make it into a noun and place it after the noun it describes:
'Aashaa kwa'hwatt. A bird that is red/a red bird.
Now you can use that compound noun with another main verb:
'Aashaa kwa'hwatt weman. A red bird flew.
You can say something is a certain color by placing the verb of color after a noun:
'Aashaa 'ehwatt. A/The bird is red.
With the optional -ch nominative suffix on the noun:
'Aashaach 'ehwatt.
And/or with the optional emphatic -ches suffix on the final verb:
'Aashaa 'ehwattches. A/The bird is really red.
To make the verb act like an adjective, you must make it into a noun and place it after the noun it describes:
'Aashaa kwa'hwatt. A bird that is red/a red bird.
Now you can use that compound noun with another main verb:
'Aashaa kwa'hwatt weman. A red bird flew.
What color is it?
One way to ask, "What color is it?" is to say, "Wenyur mu'yuuchu?" How is it colored?
Another way is simply, "Wenyura?" Literally, "Is it colored?"
You then respond using the color as a verb, or by saying "(color) wenyur." It is colored ___.
Another way is simply, "Wenyura?" Literally, "Is it colored?"
You then respond using the color as a verb, or by saying "(color) wenyur." It is colored ___.