- Source: Karankawa language
Karankawa is the extinct, unclassified language of the Texas coast, where the Karankawa people migrated between the mainland and the barrier islands. It was not closely related to other known languages in the area, many of which are also poorly attested, and may have been a language isolate. A couple hundred words are preserved, collected in 1698, 1720, and 1828; in the 1880s, three lists were collected from non-Karankawa who knew some words.
Karankawa has sometimes been included with neighboring languages in a Coahuiltecan family, but that is now thought to be spurious.
Phonology
There were also possible lateral affricate sounds [tɬ, dɮ] which were represented as
Vocabulary
Though only a few hundred words of the Karankawa language are preserved, the following are selected words recorded by Albert Gatschet, a late Victorian anthropologist and linguist, referenced from the last fluent speakers of the language.
Nāt’sa "one", counted on the right pinky
Haikia "two" or "second", counted on the right ring finger
Kaxayi "three", counted on the right middle finger
Hayo hak(ě)n "four", or "fourth", counted on the right index finger
Do-aḍ "Four", or "fourth", literally "deer", counted on the right index finger
Nāt’sa Behema, "five" or "fifth", literally "First Father", counted on the right thumb
Hayo Haikia, "Six" or "Sixth", literally "Three two", counted on the left pinky
Haikia Nāt’sa, "Seven" or "Seventh", literally "Second one", counted on left ring finger
Haikia Behema, "Eight" or "Eighth", literally "Second father", counted on left middle finger
Haikia Do-aḍ, "Nine" or "Ninth", literally "Second deer", counted on the left index finger
(Do-aḍ) Habe "Ten" or "Tenth", literally "Ten(th deer)", counted on the left thumb
Kaup(ě)n "Speak"
Yamawe "Man"
Glo-essen/Glos(ě)n "Boy"
Kaninma "Woman" or "Mother"
Ka'da "Girl"
Glle-i "Water"
Ahayika "Friend"
Dōwal "Sun"
Kiss "Dog"
Peka "White"
Pal/Ma "Black"
Aknamus "Eat"
Tcha "See"
Ye "Go" or "Walk"
= Swanton (1940)
=The following vocabulary list of Karankawa is from John Swanton (1940).
References
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- Karankawa language
- Karankawa people
- Bidai language
- Coahuiltecan languages
- Comecrudan languages
- Aranama language
- Languages of the United States
- Copano people
- Same-sex marriage in Texas
- List of language families