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Nanticoke Language [archive]
This article has been archived from the now-defunct Black Eagle site (members.tripod.com/imblackeagle/index.html) for educational purposes.
I believe the contents (and the attached letter) came originally from Vans Murray's 1792 manuscript, which belongs to the public domain.
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The Nanticoke Language
Letter from Mr. Murray to Mr. Jefferson:
Dear Sir:
The enclosed little attempt to make a vocabulary of the language of the Nanticokes, may remind you of a circumstance, and promise of mine, which probably have
escaped your memory. You gave me the printed list of words last spring. On the reverse of the printed side which is filled up, is added a number of words which
occurred to me. The tribe has dwindled almost into extinction. It is still, however, possessed of five thousand acres of land which were reserved to them by the
Assembly of Maryland in the first settlement of the Province. The little town where they live consists but of four genuine old wigwams, thatched over with the
bark of the Cedar--very old--and two framed houses--in one of which lives the queen, Mrs. Mulberry, relict of the Colonel who was the last Chief. They are not more
than nine in number. The others of the tribe, which in this century was at least Five hundred in number, having died or removed towards the Frontiers, generally to
the Six nations--perhaps by a comparison of the languages of them and of those a correspondence may be discovered. They went to the
Senecas often--you will find
that they have no word for the personals he or she. They were much at a loss for all terms to express abstract ideas. It is a little surprising they had
a word for Truth. They speak their language exclusively among themselves. A few years must totally extinguish the remains of this Tribe and it will be owing
to you, Sir, if a trace is left of their language.
I have preferred the very list which I filled in a Wigwam to any neater copy--and therefore have chosen that to transmit to you.
AIR ayewash
ARM nickpitq
ARROWHEAD ik-ke-hek
ASH paw-kawque
AUTUMN wee-saw-panu (little or Short)
AXE tummehek
BACK daduck-quack
BACK-CREEK pomamato
BAD mattitt
BANKS (River Banks) lemoack-coi-um
BASKET munnole
BEAR winquipim
BEARD nee-weeghtoniwaah
BEAVER nataque
BED dapp-in
BEECH (Red Beech Tree) Pah!scanemintz
BEES aamook
BELLY nut-ah!
BEND (to bend) ne wawk-kaw-quin-nimon
BERRY mee-eents
BIRD piss-seesques
BITTER wee-suck-un
BLACK oaskag-u
BLACKBERRY munch-qui-suck
BLACKBIRD husquinock
BLOOD puck-cuchque
BLUE puh-squai-loau
BODY no-waw-auh
BONE whis-scan
BONE HOUSE (house to put bones of the dead in) man-to-kump
BOW kullah! ow
BOY wahocki-a-wauntit
BRAVE (not cowardly) matt-whee-saw-so
BREAD app!ow
BREAK (to break) ne poick-shitt-own
BREAST noo-naque
BROAD manckapah-sai-u
BROTHER (my brother) ne-ee-mat
BUCK i-e-ape
BUTTERFLY aumaun-co-hunt
BUZZARD,TURKEY moh waas
CAT,WILD laa! Waa! quepuss
CEDAR weensquaaquah
CHANNEL an-da-timp
CHESTNUT TREE eh! qua-mintz
CHILD awauntet
CHIN unt-tampquet
CLOUD matchkatquot
COLD tagh!quiow
COWARDLY wee-saaw-.so-ak
CRAB tah!quah
CRANE ah!secque
CREEK pamptuckquaskque
CROW kuh!-hos
CRY(to) num-moam
DANCE (TO) zdocumb
DARKNESS samp-oo-somow
DAUGHTER hun tawn
DAY nucotucquon
DAY BREAK (dawn) wawpaney
DEAD (place for the dead) mutz--uck-zumpq
DEATH ungue-lack
DEEP timmoh
DEER attque also called youcat (four legs)
DEVIL matt-ann-tote
DEW quesuppost
DISTANCE wah!sow
DOE noose-at-q
DOG al!um
DOGWOOD ah!laawhunnimints
DOVE weetah-tomps
DRINK (to) minnih
DRY kow-kitt-ow-a
Duck quah!quamps
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