Karankawa
Keles
Native toUnited States
RegionTexas coast, from Galveston Island to Corpus Christi
EthnicityKarankawa people
Extinct1858
unclassified
Language codes
ISO 639-3zkk
zkk
Glottologkara1289
Pre-contact distribution of the Karankawa language, lacking the historical inclusion of the Houston-Galveston area

Karankawa /kəˈræŋkəwə/[1] 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

Consonant sounds
Bilabial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
nor. lab.
Plosive voiceless p t k ʔ
voiced b d ɡ
Nasal m n
Affricate ts
Fricative s ʃ x h
Approximant w l j
Vowel sounds
Front Central Back
Close i iː u uː
Mid e eː ə o oː
Open a aː

[2]

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.[3]

  • 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).[4]

glossKarankawa
about totcápn
acornkalac
adzekusila
affectionatemutá
after a whilemessús
all the timemucawáta
alligatorhókso
alsoténno
alwaysmucawáta
andténno
angry, to be verynapé-nai naxerúaxa pára
arm (forearm)se-cotan
arm (upper)se-imahaha
arrowdemo
ashesahona
at presentmessús
axkialn
babekwā́n
badtcúta
ball for musketkecila-demuks
barrelbúdel
basinkoje ön
beadskujahin
beanskudec
bearǒ's
beefdidot, tíkĕmai
behold, totcá
bellya-luk
bigkunin
birdkúdn
bird, a commontekotsen
biscuitkuejam
bisondidot
blackma, pál
bluetsō'l
boardkuaham
boatawán, elucun
bow, agái, kruin
bowlkok
boykolohs, níktam
breadkwiáṃ
bread, freshkokam
break, totáhama
breastkanín
brushtesselénia
bucket of tinkoláme
build (a fire), tokosáta
buildingbá-ak, kaham
bulldidot
by and bymessús
cabinbá-ak, kaham
calfkoco
calicokádla
calumetkadiol
campbá-ak, kaham
can
cannonetjam
canoeawā́n, elucun, uahahim
capture, tohaítn
caskkaa-konam
catgáta
catch, tohaítn
cattledidot
cherish, toka
chickenkúdn, wólya
chiefhálba
childkwā́n
chinem-imian hanéna
cigarettekáhe, swénas
circularlá-akum
clothkwíss
clothinga-lams
colddelin
come!éwē
come, togás
come here! éwēgás, wána
come quick!éwē
converse, tokaúpn
cordbacina
comkwiáṃ
cow, anen, didot
cowhornteke-dolan
cranekĕdō'd, koln
curlewkwojol
dangeroustcúta
dartkusila
daybákta
deadmál
dearmutá
deerdóatn, tekomandotsen
deerskinkesul
desire, to
disk-shapedlá-akum
do, tokosáta
dogkec
don't cry!ăhămmic
dresskádla, kwíss
drink, tokouaen
duckkue, medá-u
dugoutawā́n
eaglebalsehe
eat, toaknámas
eggdáhome
eighthaíkia
exhaustedkwá-al
eyeem-ikus
eyebrowsim-lahue
fabrickwíss
fall, toamóak
far offnyá wól
farewell!atcáta
fatherbéhema
feathershamdolok
femalenen
fineplá
fingerétsma
firehúmhe, kwátci, kwoilesem
fire-potkoko
fire-sticksakta demaje
fisháṃ, kiles
fish-hookkusila
fivenā́tsa
flagonkedika
flourámhătn
fly, akamej
footeham, kékeya
fourhayo
French, thekalbasska
friendaháyika
get away!ăhắmmic
gimletklani
girlkā́da
give, tobáwûs
glasskusila
glasswarekujahin
globiformlá-akum
go, togás, yé
go away!wána
going totcápn
gonebudáma
goodkuìst-baha, plá
good bye!atcáta
gooselá-ak
gownkádla, kwíss
grassawátcxol
greatyá-an
grindstonehama
grow, tokwā́n
gunkisulp
gunpowderkalmel
hairekia aikui
handétsma
handsomehamála
harpoonkusila
hasten, tokóta, xankéye
hatkalama
hatchetmatcíta
hate, tomatákia
hetál
headen-okea
healthyklabán
heartláhama
henkúdn, wólya
hogtapcewá
horn of cowteke-dolan
horsekanueüm, kuwáyi
housebá-ak, kaham
hungryámel
hurry, tokóta, xankéye
hurt, tokassítcuwakn
hushăhắmmic
hutbá-ak, kaham
Ináyi
injure, tokassítcuwakn
ittál
jugkahan
jump, toéṃ
kettlekukujol
kill, toahúk
kittengáta
kneeen-klas
knifebekekomb, kusila, silekáyi
know, tokúmna, kwáss
largeyá-an
larkkutsen
laugh, tokaíta
legem-anpok
let us go!wána
lie down, towú-ak
littlekwā́n, níktam
lodgebá-ak, kaham
longwól
long agoupāt
love, toka
maizekwiáṃ
make, tokáhawan, kosáta
manahaks, tecoyu, úci, yámawe
manufacture, tokáhawan
marry, tomawída
mastkesul
matdidaham
menáyi
metalkusila
milktesnakwáya
minenáyi
molassestéskaus
moona-uil
mosquitogắ
motherkanín
mouthemi-akwoi
muchwól
musicyŏ'ta
musket-ballkecila-demuks
mynáyi
neckem-sebek
needleaguíya, besehena
niceplá
ninehaíkia
no!kóṃ
noseem-ai aluak
notkóṃ
nowacáhak
oak-appleēkskitula
obnoxioustcúta
octopusáṃ
onenā́tsa
oysterdắ
paddleem-luajem
pailkok
pain, to causekassítcuwakn
pan, frying-koláme
paperimetes akuam
pastbudáma
peaskudec
pelicanōkman
perform, tokosáta
pickaxkialn
pigkalbasska, madóna
pimentokesesmai
pinbesehena
pinnaclekesesmai
pipekadiol
pistolka ai kuan
plaiceampaj
plate made of tinkesila-konan
plenty ofwól
ploversebe
potatoyám
pound, tokássig
powerfulwól
prairie chickenkúdn, wólya
presentlyacáhak
prettyhamála
produce, tokáhawan
push, todán
quick, to comexankéye
rainwí-asn
read, togwá
redtamóyika
return, togás
roundlá-akum
run, toxankéye, tólos
saberteheye
saila-lams
saltdem, ketac
sandkohon
satisfaction, expression ofbaa
say, tokaúpn
scat!ăhămmic
see, totcá
serpentaúd
sevenhaíkia, nā́tsa
sew, toteksilea
sexual organs, maleem-ibak
shetál
shipawā́n, elucun
shirtgusgáma
shoekameplan
shoot, toódn
shoulderem-sehota
sicka-eas, kwátco
side to side, to pass fromlon
sit, toháka
sit down!háka
sixhaíkia, háyo
skin of deerkesul
skip, toéṃ
sleep, toĭṃ, neianana
smallkwā́n
smokeánawan
snakeaúd
soonmessús
Spaniardskahamkeami
speak, togaxiamétĕt, kaúpn
stagtekomandotsen
stand, toyétso
stomacha-luk
strike, togá-an
strongwól
suck, toénno
sugartéskaus
sunklos, dóowal
sweettéskaus
swim, tonótawa
talk, tokaúpn
tallyá-an
tarkuja
tattooingsbacenana
tear, totáhama
teatkanín
tell, tokaúpn
tenhábe
textilekwíss
thattál
therenyá
thighem-edal
thineáwa
thistál
thouáwa
threekaxáyi
thyáwa
tiredkwá-al
tobaccoa-kanan, káhe, dé
tonguea-lean
Tonkawa IndianTcankáya
tooténno
toothdolonakin, é
tooth-brushtesselénia
touch, totcaútawal
treeakwiní
turtle, a large greenhaítnlokn
twohaíkia
understand, tokúmna
usefulplá
vermilionkadüm
vesselawā́n, elucun
walk, toshak, yé
wallkesul
want, to
waterklai, komkom
water-henuapa
weep, toowíya
wellklabán
where?mudá
whiskeylabá-i
whistle, toáksōl
whitepéka
wickedtcúta
wideyá-an
willtcápn
windbá, eta
wineklebö
wish, to
wolfkec
woman, aacade
woodkesul
work, totakína
yesihié-ă
yesterdaytuwámka
yondernyá
youáwa
young of an animalkwā́n
youngsterníktam

References

  1. "Karankawa". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  2. Grant, Anthony P. (1994). Karankawa linguistic Materials. University of Kansas: Kansas Working Papers in Linguistics.
  3. Gatschet, Albert S. (1891). The Karankawa Indians: The Coast People of Texas. Vol. 1. Peabody Museum, Harvard University.
  4. Swanton, John. 1940. Linguistic material from the tribes of southern Texas and northern Mexico.
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