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Dakota Dictionary Online
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Mnisota      Mni-so¿-ta
n

Minnesota. Literal translation: Clear water. (Also see: Mnißota)
n the Minnesota River.



Cultural Notes There are a variety of opinions about the Da¶ota word for Minnesota. Some Dakota speakers pronounce the word Mnisota, which can be translated as clear water, referring to the Minnesota River. Others say it Mnißota, or cloudy water, describing the morning mist that rises over the lakes and valleys in Southern Minnesota during the warmer months.