Chahta anumpa
Choctaw
Muskogean
Choctaw (Chahta anumpa) is the largest Muskogean language and was the basis for the Mobilian Trade Jargon used across the Southeastern US. The Choctaw Nation's school system has actively promoted the language since 1819, including a 19th-century syllabary that was later replaced by Latin. About 10,000 fluent speakers, mainly in Oklahoma and Mississippi.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Choctaw
Water
oka
/oka/
Fire
luak
/luak/
Sun
hashi
/haʃi/
Moon
hashi ninak
/haʃi ninak/
Star
fichik
/fitʃik/
Mother
ishki
/iʃki/
Father
inki
/inki/
I
ano
/ano/
You
chishno
/tʃiʃno/
Name
hohchifo
/hohtʃifo/
Eye
nishkin
/niʃkin/
Hand
ibbak
/ibbak/
Heart
chunkash
/tʃunkaʃ/
Love
hullo
/hulːo/
Tree
itti
/itti/
House
chukka
/tʃukka/
Dog
ofi
/ofi/
Cat
katos
/katos/
Eat
impa
/impa/
Drink
ishko
/iʃko/
One
achafa
/atʃafa/
Two
tuklo
/tʊklo/
Hello
halito
/halito/
Thank you
yakoke
/jakoke/
Good
chukma
/tʃukma/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Muskogean languages
| Meaning | Choctaw | Chickasaw | Muscogee | Trinitario Mojeño | Bemba | Jaqaru | Pijin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | oka /oka/ | oka' /okaʔ/ | uewv /oíwə/ | oka /oka/ | amenshi /amenʃi/ | uma /uma/ | wata /wata/ |
| Fire | luak /luak/ | lowak /lowaʔ/ | totkv /tótkə/ | yuku /juku/ | umulilo /umulilo/ | nina /nina/ | faea /faja/ |
| Sun | hashi /haʃi/ | hashi' /haʃiʔ/ | hvse /həsi/ | choo /tʃo/ | akasuba /akasuba/ | inti /inti/ | san /san/ |
| Moon | hashi ninak /haʃi ninak/ | hashi' ninak aya /haʃiʔ ninaʔ aja/ | hvresse /həɾisːi/ | moõ /moõ/ | umweshi /umweʃi/ | phaxshi /pʰaχʃi/ | mun /mun/ |
| Star | fichik /fitʃik/ | fochik /foːtʃik/ | kocvmpv /kotʃámpa/ | wai'i /waiʔi/ | intanda /intanda/ | wara /waɾa/ | sta /sta/ |
| Mother | ishki /iʃki/ | ishki' /iʃgiʔ/ | ecke /itʃki/ | meme /meme/ | bamayo /bamajo/ | mama /mama/ | mami /mami/ |
| Father | inki /inki/ | inki' /ingiʔ/ | erke /iɾki/ | tata /tata/ | bataata /bataːta/ | awki /awki/ | dadi /dadi/ |
| I | ano /ano/ | ano /anóʔ/ | vne /ani/ | nuti /nuti/ | ine /ine/ | naya /naja/ | mi /mi/ |
| You | chishno /tʃiʃno/ | chishno /tʃiʃnoʔ/ | cēme /tʃiːmi/ | piti /piti/ | iwe /iwe/ | juma /huma/ | iu /iu/ |
| Name | hohchifo /hohtʃifo/ | hohchifo /hoːtʃifoʔ/ | hocefkv /hotʃífka/ | ini /ini/ | ishina /iʃina/ | suti /suti/ | nem /nem/ |
| Eye | nishkin /niʃkin/ | — /—/ | torofke /toɬofki/ | ugua /uɣwa/ | ilinso /ilinso/ | nayra /najɾa/ | ae /ae/ |
| Hand | ibbak /ibbak/ | — /—/ | enke /iŋki/ | wokõ /wokõ/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | ampara /ampaɾa/ | han /han/ |
| Heart | chunkash /tʃunkaʃ/ | — /—/ | fēke /fiːki/ | nokõ /nokõ/ | umutima /umutima/ | chuyma /tʃujma/ | hat /hat/ |
| Love | hullo /hulːo/ | — /—/ | vnokeckv /ənokitʃkə/ | timosi /timosi/ | ukutemwa /ukutemwa/ | munasiña /munasiɲa/ | lavem /lavem/ |
| Tree | itti /itti/ | itti' /itːiʔ/ | eto /itoː/ | iti /iti/ | icimuti /itʃimuti/ | qhura /qʰuɾa/ | tri /tri/ |
| House | chukka /tʃukka/ | — /—/ | cuko /tʃoko/ | tano /tano/ | ing'anda /iŋːanda/ | uta /uta/ | haos /haos/ |
| Dog | ofi /ofi/ | ofi' /ofiʔ/ | efv /ifə/ | wai /wai/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | anu /anu/ | dogi /doɡi/ |
| Cat | katos /katos/ | kowi' /kowiʔ/ | pose /pose/ | ojchi /otʃi/ | pushi /puʃi/ | phishi /pʰiʃi/ | puskat /puskat/ |
| Eat | impa /impa/ | apa /apa/ | hompetv /hompitə/ | chika /tʃika/ | ukulya /ukulja/ | mankaña /mankaɲa/ | kaikai /kajkaj/ |
| Drink | ishko /iʃko/ | — /—/ | eskvketv /iskəkitə/ | chimo /tʃimo/ | ukunwa /ukunwa/ | umaña /umaɲa/ | dring /driŋ/ |
| One | achafa /atʃafa/ | chaffa /tʃafːa/ | hvmken /həmkin/ | poime /poime/ | cimo /tʃimo/ | maya /maja/ | wanfala /wanfala/ |
| Two | tuklo /tʊklo/ | toklo /tokloʔ/ | hokkolen /hokkoːlin/ | apina /aˈpina/ | fibili /fibili/ | paya /paja/ | tu /tu/ |
| Hello | halito /halito/ | chokma /tʃokma/ | hensci /hinsdʒi/ | pejamikpo /pehamiho/ | muli shani /muli ʃani/ | kamishti /kamiʃti/ | halo /halo/ |
| Thank you | yakoke /jakoke/ | chokma'shki /tʃokmaʔʃgi/ | mvto /məto/ | meri /meri/ | natotela /natotela/ | yuspaa /juspaː/ | tagio /taɡio/ |
| Good | chukma /tʃukma/ | achukma /atʃukma/ | herv /hiɾə/ | uri /uri/ | chisuma /tʃisuma/ | shuma /ʃuma/ | gud /ɡud/ |
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