Choctaw language
Spoken in
- Muskogee languages Western Muskogean languages Choctaw
-
Cho
Cho
The Choctaw Chahta or Anumpa ( often simply Chahta ), the language of the Choctaw ( Chahta ), a once powerful Indian people in southeastern forest land in the southeastern United States, is one of the Western Muskogean languages. The Chahta language was well known as a lingua franca for the marginal men of the early 19th century, including the President Andrew Jackson and William Henry Harrison.
The language is very closely related to the Chikasha language ( Chickasaw ). Some linguists consider them two dialects of a single language, although recent reports suggest that Chahta spokesman Chikasha deem incomprehensible.
Other related languages are the following Eastern Muskogean languages: Alabama ( Alibamu or Albaamo innaaɬiilka ), Coushatta ( Koasati or Kowassá: ti ), Creek ( Muskogean or Mvskoke ) and Hitchiti - Mikasuki.
Dialects
There are three Chahta dialects ( Mithun 1999):
Other Chahta - speakers live in Tallahassee, Florida, and at the Koasati ( people ) in Louisiana.
Phonology
Consonants
Some orthographies use < š > and < č > for / ʃ / and / ʧ /;
other
Vowels
[ ɪ ], [ ʊ ] and [ ə ] appear in closed syllables as allophone variants of / i /, / o /, and / a /.
In the orthography of nasal vowels are normally displayed to the vowel (eg
Syllabary
The Chahta - syllabary was adapted from Sequoyahs Cherokee syllabary.
Examples
Some common Chahta phrases:
- Hi: halito
- Thank you: yokoke
- What's your name? Chi hohchifo Nanta?
- I'm ... sa hohchifo ut ...
- Yes: a
- No: Keyu
- I do not understand: Ak akostinincho
- Do you speak Chahta: Chahta imanumpa ish anumpola hinla ho?