Pleasant Point event to highlight dictionary

PLEASANT POINT – “The Passamaquoddy-Maliseet Dictionary – Peskotomuhkati Wolastoqewi Latuwewakon” by David A. Francis and Robert M. Leavitt will be unveiled at 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8, at the Community Center Bingo Hall.

This dictionary of Passamaquoddy-Maliseet, an aboriginal language spoken in New Brunswick and Maine, is the result of more than 30 years of collaboration among native speakers, educators and linguists.

The collection of more than 18,000 words is enhanced with thousands of example sentences from contemporary conversations and from oral tradition as spoken and recorded over the past 125 years.

An important cultural document, the book contains detailed knowledge of the physical, intellectual, social, spiritual and emotional environments of the Maliseet and Passamaquoddy people. Sample sentences reveal details of Passamaquoddy-Maliseet thought and culture, personal attitudes, and humor as well as a linguistic ingenuity.

Presentations of the dictionary also will be made in coming days at three locations in New Brunswick and two more locations in Maine. The presentations are free and open to the public.