The following is taken from: http://www.leveillee.net/ancestry/mariem.htm The symbol "8" in words of the Algonquian language stands for the sound "ou" after a consonant and "w" before a vowel. During the 17th-18th centuries, there were no "ou" or "w" sounds in the French language. Therefore, the Jesuits used the symbol "8" to represent these sounds. The symbol "8" in a word will indicate that it is of the Algonquian language, spoken by many tribes along the east of North America, one of which was the Algonkin or Algonquin. "1. The sound represented by /8/ is heard in Iroquoian and Algonkian languages. However, the languages of the Huron-Wendat-Outaouais and of the Haudenausonee (the peoples of the long houses), called «Iroquois» by the French, are both Iroquoian tongues. I mispoke, when I referred to Huron as an Algonkian language. 2. The sound represented by /8/ is used to transcribe the phoneme [ou] a vowel sound, and the phoneme [w], a consonant sound. 3. The vowel sound [ou] which is not a diphthong, but a simple vowel, is found in both French and English. The consonant [w] is found in English, but not in French. The difference can be seen clearly in the English and French transcriptions of the other two names of the Hurons: Wendat is clearly an English transcription; Outaouais, just as clearly French (in English, it is, of course, Ottawa). 4. It has been suggested that the /8/ should be transcribed as a consonant [w] before a vowel, and as a vowel [ou] before a consonant. For instance, the name Marie Mite8ameg8k8e, would be transcribed as Mitewamegoukwe." Fr. Owen Taggart, Message in Quebec-Research@rootsweb.com, 9 July 2002. By the way, the Marie mentioned above is my ancestress. It should also be mentioned that one of the reasons given for the use of the "8" symbol is that eight in French has the sound that the symbol "8" represents. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Farmer" <jsfrmr@hotmail.com> To: <MIMACKIN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 6:48 PM Subject: Re: [MIMac] Unidentified subject! > Regarding "8a8ab8k8e": what do the eights denote? I've seen them used in > other places, but I've never seen an explanation. > > Jeff > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "James P. LaLone" <jplalone@prodigy.net> > To: <MIMACKIN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 5:30 PM > Subject: Re: [MIMac] Unidentified subject! > > > > The oua can be pronounced wa or wah or wau (could she be related to > Barbara > > Wawa!!:) [sorry, I couldn't resist] > > > > One of the Chatfields from Mt. Pleasant had the name Wa-Wa-Sum which > > translates to something about Lightening (but you have to have "was" in it > > per my dictionary, this seems to denote something to do with light.). As > I > > said I do not speak the language. There is an instructor at Central > > Michigan University by the name of Helen Roy, perhaps she can help you. > > > > Do not know about the "boui" or "gou", sorry. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Joan Winner" <jebeau62@webtv.net> > > To: <MIMACKIN-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 3:38 PM > > Subject: [MIMac] Unidentified subject! > > > > > > > ok james, maybe you can give me some HELP, here, i have a grandparent > > > with the name Symphorose ouaouabouigne, or ouaouagoukoue 8a8ab8k8e, what > > > does this say? been trying for years on this one. > > > > > > Searching--Boyer== Bourassa== Belmer== Campau== . Calkins== Caron== > > > Cicotte== Curran== Chevalier== . Hunt== Harris== Jourdain== > > > Labadie== Lacelle== . Little == Laclere== Leblanc== Lynch== Moore== > > > Mahoney== . Norris== OuaOuaBouigne== Reaume== Reece== Stafford== > > > Tardiff== Walker== Withee==. > > > > > > > > > > > > >