Landon John | Choctaw Dictionary

CHOCTAW LANGUAGE DICTIONARY

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians


Landon John


1)

Chi hohchifo yat nátah? Issamanólána ho̱?

‘What is your name? Can you tell me?’
2)

Sa hohchifo at Landon John.

‘My name is Landon John.’
3)

Katimmako̱ ish ámíti? Okla áyásha?

‘Where are you from? The community?’
4)

Oka Homma.

‘Red Water.’
5)

Oka Homma. Community, yeah.

‘Red Water. Community, yeah.’
6)

Chishkít katah?

‘Who is your mother?’
7)

Sashki yat Rita Steve hikma̱ a̱ki ato Robert John.

‘My mother is Rita Steve and my father is Robert John.’
8)

Hikma̱, chimáfo hicha chi̱ pokni ato?

‘And what about your grandfather and your grandmother?’
9)

Amáfo ato Earl Billy Sr. hikmat,

‘My grandfather is Earl Billy Sr. and’
10)

a̱ grandma ato Mabel Billy.

‘My grandmother is Mabel Billy’
11)

Mabel Billy. M-hm. Oh, okay.

‘Mabel Billy. M-hm. Oh, okay.’
12)

Chahta ish ano̱poho̱li na katit fokálih?

‘About how long have you been speaking Choctaw?’
13)

Siyalla hikít mi̱tilitoka̱ hopáki taha himak atiya isht áha̱talih mómah.

‘I started when I was a child [which was] a long time ago and to this day I'm still at it.’
14)

Oh, okay. Hitokósh ish ano̱póli na himak a̱?

‘Oh, okay. So you’ve been speaking all this time?’
15)

M-hm.

‘M-hm.’
16)

Nátah, Náhollo im anno̱pa ano katit fokálitoko̱ ano̱polit hikít ish iyatok?

‘What is it, about when did you start speaking English?’
17)

Makáshi̱nih chohmi ayínatok kaníya, pí tato̱t [ittato̱klot] ano̱poli kat assanólilih átokósh, pí nánakiyoh.

‘It's about the same [time] too, I grew up speaking both, but it's alright.’
18)

Nátah chim alla alhíha ato, oklah ano̱polána ho̱?

‘What about your children, can they speak?’
19)

Ikka̱na kano ikka̱nakósh folótachi kásh ano̱poli kásh.

‘They do know and understand but they can't speak it back.’
20)

Chahta anno̱pa ano ano̱poli kaníya kiyokakósh, English akósh i̱ ma̱yah chohmih.

‘They don't really speak the Choctaw language, they have more English.’
21)

Nahollo im anno̱pa (Uh-huh, uh-huh).

‘The English language (Uh-huh, uh-huh).’
22)

Hikato, katitchish ish im ábachánah chim ahwah?

‘So, how do you think you can teach them?’
23)

Im ábachit pisálih okakósh,

‘I tried to teach them but,’
24)

Nahollo im anno̱pásh ima̱yya chohmi báno ahwah kaníya, hikakósh falollichikósh

‘the English language seems to be a lot more, but in speaking back’
25)

unders--understanding ikka̱na kano ikka̱nokakósh [ikkána hokakósh]

‘unders--understanding, they understand, they understand but’
26)

falollichikásh ikka̱na híkakósh ano̱políkakósh hofáya kiyaki̱ni chícho ahnilih or

‘they understand how to speak it back but speaking I hope they aren't shy or’
27)

kamóta kanat i̱ yoppáchi̱ ka̱, mako̱ ahnilih, anáto.

‘is embarrassed someone is going to laugh at them, that's what I think, myself.’
28)

Alla chipí̱ta la̱wat yohmih (híhókih) am ahwah fíhnah mano.

‘A lot of small children are like that (that's right) I really think that.’
29)

Yeah, híyókih.

‘Yeah, that's right.’
30)

Hikato, nátah,

‘So, what is it,’
31)

Chahta yakót ish ano̱polih yakoho̱mi ka̱, nátah,

‘you have been speaking Choctaw like this, what is it,’
32)

okla áyasha ittim ilayyoka̱ chim ahwah? Oklah ittimi̱la chim ahwah?

‘do you think the communities are different? Do you think they are different?’
33)

A̱h, híyókih.

‘Yes, that's right.’
34)

Naksíka community ish onakmat,

‘When you get to another community,’
35)

i̱la̱chi ish makah im ahwakma̱,

‘they think you say it differently,’
36)

folóla̱chit yappako̱ maka siyassanósh im áchikmat,

‘in return, I tell them this is how I grew up saying it,’
37)

iláppakósh i̱ community at ash--alhpísa im ahwachi oklah híyátokósh, pí

‘they act like their community is right and so, like’
38)

kaniht community naksika ish onahmat,

‘somehow, when you get to another community,’
39)

chi̱ makáchi̱ másh ohmih

‘they will probably just tell you’
40)

pí alhpísa yappak ish makah kiyoh chim ácháchi̱ másh ohmih.

‘you’re not saying this right, they will probably say to you.’
41)

Hiyatósh mano ish hakloh chohmi ho̱?

‘So do you hear that often?’
42)

A̱h híy, hí[h] bíkahíkatok.

‘Yes, I usually do.’
43)

Katimmásh oklah ittimi̱lah chohmih chim ahwah?

‘Which ones do you think are usually different?’
44)

Ikka̱nali kato

‘From what I know’
45)

Bók Chito hicha Koni Hata hat

‘Bogue Chitto and Conehatta’
46)

oklah a̱ ponaklot pisah.

‘they asked me before.’
47)

Oh híyo̱?

‘Oh really?’
48)

Uh-huh, Red Water--Oka Homma á mítili oka̱. Oklah i̱láchih. (Oklah ikka̱nah.)

‘Yes, I come from Red Water. They’re different. (They know.)’
49)

A̱h, i̱la̱chi ish maka ahwah kaníyah is-- is-- you know, alhpísa am anólih bannah.

‘Yes, they say it sounds like you’re saying it wrong, is, is, you know, they try to tell me the right way.’
50)

Oh.

‘Oh.’
51)

Hikósh "pako makat siyassanoh," álih átoko̱.

‘So then I say, “I grew up saying it this way.” ’
52)

Nátah, chishki, chimáfo yakómi kat oklah chim ábachi ka̱ mat oklah akostiníchittók chim ahwah?

‘What is it, your mother, your grandfather, those ones that taught you, do you think they understood?’
53)

Híyaki̱nittók másh ohmih.

‘They probably did.’
54)

Yakót oklah ittim ilayyokat iya ka̱.

‘This is how they were different from each other.’
55)

Mm-hm.

‘Mm-hm.’
56)

Hikósh Chahta im anno̱pa tahat iyah chim ahwah?

‘Do you think the Choctaw language is coming to an end?’
57)

Yeah, il íshi chá tikba il alhkoho̱lih kiyokmat,

‘Yeah, if we don’t get it and keep moving forward with it,’
58)

hikat a̱lháchi̱h am ahwah. (Mm-hm.)

‘I really believe so. (Mm-hm.)’
59)

Il im ábachi (Pí kaníyat taha ná) uh-huh, alla himitta pa̱,

‘We teach them (We can lose it) Uh-huh, this young child,’
60)

il im ábihi̱chih kiyokmat, anno̱pat o̱t pi̱ taháchi̱h am ahwah.

‘if we don’t keep teaching them, I think the language will be gone from us.’
61)

Nátah, chiyo̱si or chiyassanot mi̱tit hikít ish iya kat,

‘What is it, when you were little, or when you started growing up,’
62)

nátah, nátaho̱ chishki, chi̱ki oklah chim ábachih chim alla ish im ábachih?

‘what is it, what did your mother and father teach you that you are teaching your kids?’
63)

Pí hapi̱, am ábachi [hi]tokato culture imma pa̱,

‘Just our, the way they taught me these cultural ways,’
64)

isht a̱ya [hi]tokato, másh isht a̱ya mo̱mah.

‘the way they carried them, they still carry them.’
65)

Hikósh onáchilih kiyókih ikka̱nalih, pí time ako̱, im onálih kiyoh kaníkakósh

‘But I know I'm not there (completely with culture or language), like the time, sometimes I don't get to it, but’
66)

am alla assano mak ósh drum beating á hikít iyah bannatokósh, stickball,

‘my oldest child wanted to start drum beating so, stickball,’
67)

kabotcha yakómih pa̱ á washówa imí washówash takaka̱littók, this, this Indian Fair ásh.

‘at these stickball games, he was playing for them at the games, this, this past Indian Fair.’
68)

(Oh, okay) Hitoko̱ sa ná yokpa aki̱nitok ma̱ mihchih banna ka̱.

‘(Oh, okay) So I was really proud that he wanted to do that.’
69)

Katash im ábachih?

‘Who’s teaching him?’
70)

Pí, some of his, pí,

‘Like some of his, like,’
71)

alla alhíha ittibá takáli alhíha is- nátah? School yómika̱. (Mm-hm). Áyikkana, hitoko̱ achokma aki̱nitok.

‘the kids he hangs around with--what is it?--at school. (Mm-hm) School, so that's good.’
72)

Oh okay. (Yeah). Hikato, nátah

‘Oh okay. Yeah. And so, what is it,’
73)

chippokni nani ish ibá hoyoh bíkah? Yohmih atto̱?

‘did you used to go fishing with your grandmother? Was it like that?’
74)

Well, kanímikma̱ il ilhkólih bíkahíkattók.

‘Well, sometimes we used to go,’
75)

A̱ grandma fi̱hna kano nani mimmáno kíyotok hikakósh.

‘especially my grandma, but not to fish.’
76)

Peter ishki ako̱

‘Peter’s mother,’
77)

yammako̱ kaníkma̱ ibá nani hót iyalih bíkahíkattók, siyallahma̱.

‘is the one that I used to go fishing with sometimes, when I was a child.’
78)

Mat katiyako̱ nani hót hash ilhkólih?

‘Where was that, you'd all go to fish?’
79)

Yammat pí Tucker, Tucker community, yamma̱.

‘That is Tucker, Tucker community, there.’
80)

Abohli yómi kano áyi-- nani hót ish nówa ho̱?

‘Did you go to fish in those woods?’
81)

Uh-huh, yammak mako̱ hahíkattók.

‘Uh-huh, we did that too.’
82)

A̱ki makáshi̱nih oka̱, abohli nani á hoyoh im achokmah. (Mm-hm.)

‘My father is the same way, he likes fishing in the woods. (Mm-hm.)’
83)

Kaníkano ta̱kla ish iyáchi̱ ha̱?

‘One day are you going to go with him?’
84)

Yeah, hi̱nah.

‘Yeah, I can.’
85)

Nátah, nátaho̱?

‘What, what is it?’
86)

Sports ohmi kano, chim alla ish ibá washówah kiyah?

‘What about sports, do you play together with your kids?’
87)

Well, kanímikma̱ hahíkattók. Hikakósh ná washówáchi̱ ka̱ toblit a̱ttalih kiyoh. Iláp aki̱ni washówah bannakma̱ ahnili tokósh

‘Well, sometimes used to. But if they're going to play I don’t push them. I think if they themselves want to play’
88)

ibá chaffalih aki̱nisho̱, [yoh]mit nána kiya mihchih bannakmano.

‘I support them, if they want to do something like that.’
89)

Mat assano ma̱?

‘Is that the oldest one?’
90)

Uh-huh, assano ma̱, hikma̱ osi mato,

‘Yes, the oldest, and the youngest one,’
91)

mihchih bannakmano, hiyaki̱nikósh, ma̱ ayína ka̱ toblilih kiyoh.

‘if he wants to, he can, but I don’t push him either.’
92)

Mato nátah washówah?

‘What does that one play?’
93)

Mato football.

‘That one, football.’
94)

Hikma̱ assano mato?

‘And what about the oldest one?’
95)

Assano mato, soccer hahíkatok.

‘The oldest one, it used to be soccer.’
96)

Yeah, hitakósh himak a̱,

‘Yeah, but now,’
97)

pí nána yómih mihchih bannakma̱, you know, I just,

‘when he wants to do things, you know, I just,’
98)

ibá hikiki̱yah sannah.

‘I want to be around him.’
99)

Mm-hm

‘Mm-hm’
100)

You know, mako̱.

‘You know, like that,’
101)

Himakano pim alla ha̱ il ibá hikiki̱yah kiyokmat,

‘If we don’t stand with our children now,’
102)

nánah i̱la oklah o̱t chokowah yohmit,

‘they will get into other things,’
103)

alhpísa kiyoh mihchih bannah yohmi atok pí

‘they'll want to do the wrong things, like’
104)

pí il ibá hiki̱yah kiyokma̱, pí okpolot taháchi̱h, ahnilih átokósh.

‘like, if we don’t stand with them, then they'll just get messed up, I think.’
105)

Pí ibá hiki̱ya sannahíkatok. Alhpisat ná kiya mihchih ahnilih.

‘I just want to stand by them. I hope they do the right things.’
106)

Hitokósh Chahta im anno̱pa katihchish, nátaho̱? Like church yakót ish íyah?

‘So the Choctaw language, how do you, what is it? Like when you go to church?’
107)

Yakohmíchi̱h makkíno Chah-, Chahta i̱ Bible ako̱, hash use-ah chohmi ho̱?

‘If you do this [go to church], Cho-, do you all use the Choctaw Bible more?’
108)

Kíyo kato, nahollo im anno̱pa mako̱,

‘No we don't, that English language one,’
109)

nahollo yómi ka̱, i̱ church-a il iyah átokósh mako̱ il i̱ mihchih chohmih.

‘since we go those English [speakers'] church we mostly use that one.’
110)

Chahta i̱ church il iya bíkahíkatokósh,

‘We used to go to a Choctaw church,’
111)

il ákanallitoka̱,

‘since we left it,’
112)

afammít mishshíma onat tahah (Mm-hm) hitokósh

‘it’s been a few years (Mm-hm) and so’
113)

mako̱ [il] í mihchi kiyoko̱, hapim ásha kano híyaki̱ni hapi̱ chokka,

‘even though we don't do that, we have it at our home,’
114)

Chahta anno̱pa yómi ka̱.

‘the Choctaw language [Bible].’
115)

Nátah, Chahta im anno̱pa ittim ilayyoka̱ ákako̱, chishnáto katiht i̱la chim ahwah, chishno?

‘What is it, they say the Choctaw language [dialects] differ, how do you think they're different, yourself?’
116)

Ish makakásh ohmi earlier ato í makakásh

‘Like you said, earlier we were saying,’
117)

naksika community ish á mi̱tikmat,

‘if you come from another community,’
118)

ittim i̱la yohmit oklah im ahwátokósh mako̱,

‘that's why they think it’s different,’
119)

anakkiya mak am ahwah.

‘that’s what I think too.’
120)

Lha̱kkot ish i̱shih aki̱nih chim ahwah hihkiya?

‘Do you think you hold it firmly too?’
121)

Yeah, hiyaki̱nih. Alhpísah.

‘Yeah, I think so. That's right.’