CHOCTAW LANGUAGE DICTIONARY

This project titled Mississippi Choctaw Dictionary and Comparison of Community Dialects was coordinated between 2020-2025 by the Choctaw Tribal Language Program under the Department of Chahta Immi and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Primary funding was from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Documenting Endangered Languages award PD-2771355-20. Further funding for the translation and transcription of interviews and stories was provided by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and the Administration for Native Americans American Rescue Plan award 90XN0130.

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
Tribal Chief, Cyrus Ben
Department of Chahta Immi Director, Jay Wesley
Choctaw Tribal Language Program Coordinator, De Laura Saunders

The project was supported by numerous MBCI program staff members, community members, and external partners.

Choctaw Tribal Language Program
Lexicon Coordinator, Jason Lewis
Choctaw Language and Data Coordinators, Priscilla Williams & Palma Johnson
Translation/Transcription Assistants, Peggy Williams, Abrianna Tubby, Lynn Allen
Administrative Assistant, De’Jorae Williams
Graphic Designer, Kimberly Thompson

Consulting Linguists
George Aaron Broadwell, University of Florida
Jack Martin, William & Mary University
Matthew Tyler

Website and App Developer
Jacqueline Brixey, University of Southern California

FLEx Assistants
Michael Stoop, University of Florida
Dani Katenkamp, Yale University
Shea Husband, MacAlester College

Special Projects Media Program
Eddie Johnson
Ty Isaac
Sequita Phillips

Tribal Museum & Archives
Martha Spencer

Department of Chahta Immi
Rosemary John

Additional graphics and Illustrations for this website and updated storybooks
Theron ‘Duke’ Denson
Bradley Isaac, Jr.
Robin Tubby
Kimberly Thompson
Bonita Sevedge
Karienna Thomas
Sonny Mattera

MBCI Department of Schools

Choctaw Language & Cultural Integration Program
Roseanna Thompson

Current and previous principals at all Choctaw Tribal Schools’ Elementary Schools.

All previous and current Choctaw Language Teachers & Aides

MBCI Facilities
Jeremiah Harrison
William McMillan

Pearl River Resort
Tyler Bell

MBCI Administration
Office of the Chief
Jay Grisham
Rebecca Steve

Development Division
Sarah Medlock
John Cumberland

Grants Management
Nikki Comby

Finance
Tenecia Bell

MBCI Tribal Council
Culture Committee Chair, Hilda Nickey
Education Committee Chair, Debbie Martin

The featured Choctaw language speakers from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw include:

Dictionary Entry Voice Consultants
Randy Jim
Latricia Johnson
Palma Johnson
Donovan King
Peggy Williams
Priscilla Williams

Storybook Readers
Priscilla Williams
Peggy Williams
Fanny Williamson

Interview Consultants whose language informed the dictionary project, listed by MBCI community

Bogue Chitto
Shayla Chickaway
Sesaun Williams
Gilbert Thompson
Janet Chickaway
Effie Bell
Nancy Joe
Junior Willis
Karsyn Wallace

Bogue Homma
Pearlie Thomas
Dorothy Lewis
Norma Davis
Vita Johnson
Brenda Bell

Conehatta
Craig Anderson
Demetria Stephens
Marita Stephens
Lyndon Thomas
Jarret Thomas

Crystal Ridge
Lucille Cotton
Alexander Hickman
Tracie Gibson
David Hickman
Pandora Dixon-Sockey

Mashulaville
Earline Hickman

Pearl River
Darlene Willis
Sharron Thompson
Nancy Vaughn
Curtis Willis, Jr.
Priscilla Williams
Peggy Williams
Martha Ferguson
Bradley Isaac, Jr.
Lynn Allen
William Dan Isaac
Carl Isaac
Ajay Lewis

Red Water
Landon John
Myrtle Ben
Sabrina Wilson
Stacey Billy

Standing Pine
Ruth Williams
Barbara Sam
Lalania Denson
Carmen Denson
Alvina Mitch
Hugh Ralph Isaac
Linda Williams
Selma Denson

Tucker
Evaline Davis
Melissa Charlie
Mary Isaac
Shannon Wishork
Velma Henry
Marie Jim Dan

This project owes significantly to the first generation of workers, community members, and linguists that compiled the original project database in the 1990s and early 2000s. The original project was led by consulting linguist and former Tribal Language Program coordinator Patricia Kwachka with direct support from Sherry Jim, Jesse Ben, Curtis Willis, Jr., Peggy Williams, Nolita Chickaway, Patsy Tubby, Justin Wesley. The original database was built from George Aaron Broadwell’s lexicon that he wrote in the 1980s based on his research with MBCI. The database included entry data selected from lexicography work completed in the 1800s by Cyrus Byington, Allen Wright, Alfred Wright, and Ben Watkins.

The original database was built from George Aaron Broadwell’s lexicon that he wrote in the 1980s based on his research with MBCI. The database included entry data selected from lexicography work completed in the 1800s by Cyrus Byington, Allen Wright, Alfred Wright, and Ben Watkins. Broadwell expresses gratitude to Gus Comby for his many hours of time. Broadwell also thanks Ann Bell, Nellie Bell, Dolphus Henry, Claude Jackson, Prentice Jackson, Claude Joe, Archie Mingo, Charlie Steve, Gerald Steve, Nellie Steve, Nellie Willis, and Steven Willis of Bogue Chito; John Jim, Melvin Nicky, Riley Thomas, Austin Wallace, and Loni Wallace of Bogue Homma; Angela Farve, Eddie Gibson, Mary Lou Jefferson, Roseanne Tubby, Henry Williams, and Jimson Williams of Conehatta; Isa Bell, Dullie Billy, Herbert Comby, Theron Denson, Sarah Dixon, Laura John, Thallis Lewis, Daniel Tubby, Henry Tubby, Lewis Tubby, Marcella Vaughn, and Loretta York of Pearl River; Beatrice Steve of Red Water; Charlie Denson of Standing Pine; and Nelda Lewis of Tucker. Broadwell’s work also thanks Thallis Lewis, director of the Bilingual Education Project of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians until 1986, who was invaluable for introducing numerous speakers of Choctaw to him. Gene Franks, director of the project since 1986, continued the tribe’s strong support for research on the Choctaw Language. Finally, Nellie Steve, Annie Pearl Bell, Doris Billie, Emilee Denson, and Nelda Lewis, are thanked for being coworkers on the Broadwell lexicon during the summers of 1986 and 1987.

MBCI community members that contributed to the first generation of work included: Lunette Alex, Elizabeth Allen, Christine Amos, Elizabeth Anderson, Mary Sue Bell, Michael Bell, Susie Bell, Robert Bell, Velma Bell, Vera Bell, Adam Billie, Irma Bouley, Lee Chickaway, Lucille Chickaway, Noleen Chickaway, Theresa Chickaway, Zella Cravette, Selma Denson, Una Denson, Ensy Dixon, Mildred Dixon, Barbara Farve, Laline Farve, Clara Frazier, Jewell Frazier, Odell Frazier, Sr., Susan Frazier, Karen Gibson, William Gibson, Judy Isaac, Cutie Mae Jefferson, Melba Jefferson, Claude Jim, Reba Jim, Sarah Jim, Fannie John, Ruby John, Gwen Johnson, Grace Lewis, Lula Lewis, Reba Lewis, Victoria Lewis, Juanita Littlebells, Bobby Martin, Anna McMillan, Edward McMillan, Georgianne McMillan, Raphael McMillan, John Mingo, Jr., Joseph Mingo, Virginia Mingo, Lucy Morris, Bernice Nickey, Dora Nickey, Peggy Padron, Glenna Phillips, Deric Sam, Barbara Sato, James Shoemake, Jeris Shoemake, Eva Shumake, Edna Smith, Catherine Solomon, Joan Steve, Norma Steve, Rosalie Steve, Ina Solomon, Betty Agnes Thomas, Carlton Thomas, Cathleen Thomas, Jimmie Lee Thomas, Willie B. Thomas, Judy Thompson, Katie Tubby, Leon Tubby, Mary Tubby, Eleanor Vaughn, Vandall Vaughn, Jim Wallace, Leslie Wallace, Louise Wallace, Bobby Williams, Sr., Henry Williams, Rose Williams, Megan Williams, Frank Williamson, Nadine Willis, and Mary Lou Wilson.