Person Vocab

One cultural difference that may get lost in translation is related to the two words you just learned: gisigu and gisiguisgw. The English translation we give just says "old man" and "old woman", but in English both of those phrases may not seem as respectful as the Mi'gmaq words actually are.

In Mi'gmaq it isn't insulting to be called gisigu or gisiguisgw. These words indicate people who have fully matured and grown, who know as much as they are ever going to know. Somebody who is a gisigu or gisiguisgw is to be respected; it is not insulting to use those words (unless you are talking about somebody who is clearly not elderly).

Vocab 1

Vocab 2

Vocab 3