Dakota Language Bowl

Dakota Language Quiz Bowl

Wednesday, April 17th, 2024

10:00am

Oyáte Iápi Akíčhiyapi Wówapiska – Oyate Language Bowl Study Guide

Introduction This guide serves as a comprehensive framework for participants in the Oyate Language Bowl, emphasizing the use of the Dakhóta language. Teams will engage in a series of rounds designed to test and showcase their knowledge and creativity in constructing sentences in Dakhóta, with a focus on cultural and linguistic authenticity.

Part One: Round One – Creative Sentence Construction

  • Objective: Teams will construct original questions or statements in Dakhóta.
  • Rules:
    • Sentences must exceed one word, avoiding single-word responses.
    • Teams alternate turns, presenting their sentences aloud.
    • Repetition of previously stated sentences by other teams is not allowed.
  • Examples Provided: A list of example sentences is offered to guide participants in forming their own unique sentences. Examples include basic introductions, expressing likes/dislikes, and daily activities.

Part Two: Round Two – Prompt-Based Sentence Creation

  • Objective: Using provided prompts, teams will create contextually relevant questions or statements.
  • Prompts: A series of Dakhóta words indicating various questioning contexts (e.g., “Táku” for “what”, “Tuktéd” for “where”).
  • Rules:
    • Constructed sentences must be more than one word.
    • Teams take turns, ensuring no repetition of previously given answers.
  • Examples Provided: Participants are encouraged to use the prompts creatively, forming sentences that might include inquiries about surroundings, personal preferences, or future plans.

Part Three: Round Three – Advanced Prompt Utilization

  • Objective: Teams will again use prompts to generate complex sentences, potentially involving temporal or conditional constructs.
  • Prompts: Focus on temporal and situational contexts (e.g., “ȟtánihaŋ” for “yesterday”, “wétu” for “spring”).
  • Rules: Similar to Round Two, with an emphasis on crafting more complex sentence structures.
  • Examples Provided: Suggested sentences include expressions of actions in time, descriptions of the environment, and personal experiences.

Part Four: Final Round – Strategic Question and Statement Formation

  • Objective: Teams will select from final question prompts to construct a high-stakes question or statement, wagering points based on confidence in their answer.
  • Prompts: Focus on conjunctions and transitional phrases (e.g., “čha” for “and so”, “eštá” for “even though”).
  • Bidding: Teams bid points from their total score, adding a strategic element to the final round.
  • Rules:
    • Points can only be bid from scores earned in the final round.
    • The highest-scoring team wins, with subsequent places determined by points.
    • Ties are broken by additional rounds of question/statement formation.
  • Examples Provided: Illustrate the use of prompts in constructing complex, culturally rich sentences.