Nanticoke language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nanticoke |
|
|---|---|
| Native to | United States |
| Region | Delaware, Maryland |
| Ethnicity | Nanticoke people |
| Extinct | 1840s, with the death of Lydia Clark |
| Language family |
Algic
|
The Nanticoke language was a special way of talking used by the Nanticoke people and other nearby tribes. These tribes lived in areas that are now Delaware and Maryland in the United States. Sadly, the Nanticoke language is now extinct. This means no one speaks it anymore as their first language. The last known speaker, Lydia Clark, passed away in the 1840s.
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The Nanticoke Language: A Lost Voice
The Nanticoke language belonged to a larger group called the Algonquian language family. This family includes many languages spoken by Native American tribes across North America. Nanticoke was part of the "Eastern Algonquian" branch.
Several different tribes spoke the Nanticoke language. The Nanticoke people were the main group, like the leaders of a big family. Other tribes who spoke it included the Choptank and the Assateague. It's also thought that the Piscataway and the Doeg tribes might have spoken it too.
Finding Old Words: How We Know About Nanticoke
Even though Nanticoke is extinct, we know a little about it from old lists of words. Some people thought Nanticoke was just a different way of speaking the Delaware language. But these word lists show that Nanticoke had its own unique words.
One important list was made in 1785 by a missionary named John Heckewelder. A missionary is someone who travels to share their beliefs. He wrote down 146 Nanticoke words after talking to a Nanticoke chief in Canada.
Another list, with about 300 words, was collected in 1792 by William Vans Murray. He was a US Representative, which is like a member of Congress. He got his list from a Nanticoke speaker in Dorchester County, Maryland. This area was part of the Nanticoke people's original homeland.
A Glimpse into Nanticoke Vocabulary
Here are some words from William Vans Murray's list. When he sent his list, Murray noted that there were only about nine Nanticoke speakers left. He also mentioned that the language didn't have words for "he" or "she." The exclamation mark (!) in some words means that part of the word was spoken with a strong, popping sound.
| Nanticoke | English |
|---|---|
| Nickpitq | Arm |
| Oaskagu | Black |
| Puhsquailoau | Blue |
| Matt Wheesawso | Brave |
| Wee Sawso Ak | Cowardly |
| Meetsee | to Eat |
| Nucksskencequah | Eye |
| Ah!skaahtuckquia | Green |
| Muchcat | Leg |
| Atupquonihanque | Moon |
| Psquaiu | Red |
| Untomhowaish | to Run |
| Nupp | to Sleep |
| Ahquak/Aquequaque/Aequechkkq | Sun |
| Waappayu | White |
| Weesawayu | Yellow |
Bringing Nanticoke Back to Life
Even though the Nanticoke language had not been spoken in everyday conversations for over 150 years, some people are trying to bring it back! In 2007, a group of Nanticoke people in Millsboro, Delaware, started working to revive their language.
They got help from Myrelene Ranville. She is from the Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba, Canada. Myrelene speaks Anishnabay, a language that is similar to Nanticoke. The group used the old word lists, like the one collected by Thomas Jefferson, to help them learn and teach the language again. This effort shows how important it is for people to connect with their heritage and history.
