The Karankawa people speak Karankawan. This language is partially preserved with around 500 known words . Alex Pérez of the Karankawa Kadla is the reigning expert on Karankawan. For a guide to speak this language, purchase his book Karankawa Kadla Mixed Tongue: Medicine for the Land & Our Peoples.
Our knowledge of Karankawan comes mostly from eight individuals:
Jean Baptiste Talon (1698): Talon lived among the Karankawas as a child in the late seventeenth-century. He provides the most reliable source on the Karankawan language. An interrogator who interviewed Talon in Brest, France listed 29 words.
Jean Béranger (1720): Béranger was a French captain who associated with the Karankawas while repairing his ship in Aransas Bay. Béranger penned 100 words in his journal.
Jean-Louis Berlandier and Rafael Chovell (1828-1829): Berlandier was a young naturalist who encountered the Karankawas while touring Texas with the Mexican Boundary Commission under General Manuel Mier y Téran. Rafael Chovell also accompanied the Mexican Boundary Commission as a mineralogist. Berlandier and Chovell jotted down 158 words. At this point, Karankawa-cultured groups had intermixed with other Native peoples in Texas such as the Akokisas, Aranamas, Coahuiltecans, Mayeyes, and Tonkawas. The Karankawan language, therefore, had shifted and morphed. Even so, this is a phenomenal source of Karankawan.
Old Simon (1884): Simon was a Tonkawa informant for the ethnographer Albert Samuel Gatschet. Simon knew pieces of Karankawan because he lived among some Karankawas as a child. Gatschet believed Simon was around seventy-five years old, and stated that it “was a difficult matter to obtain any reliable information from him on account of an extreme debility of body and memory.”[1] Simon fuzzily remembered 17 words.
Sallie Washington (1884): Sallie Washington served as another Tonkawa source on Karankawan. Washington lived with a Karankawa man as a younger woman. Gatschet believed Sallie was around seventy-five years old, too. She recollected 6 words.
Alice W. Oliver (1888): Alice Oliver’s father settled in the Karankawas territory in 1838, and as a girl of around 10 years old, Alice met with Karankawas who seasonally visited her small farm. She learned some Karankawan words over the course of a decade, wrote them down, but lost her notebook. At the age of sixty, she tried to remember as many Karankawan words as possible for ethnographer Albert Gatschet. She recollected 137 words. Oliver is a problematic source. In her “Notes on the Carancahua Indians” at the beginning of Gatschet’s report, which is based off her memory, there are a litany of factual errors. Oliver, for example, states that the Karankawas had 3,000 warriors during the Texas Rebellion when in reality the number was likely around a hundred or two.[2] Regardless, the Karankawan she remembered is a decent match with the aforementioned sources.
Guy M. Bryan (late 1800s or early 1900s): Galveston physician Joseph Osterman Dyer interviewed Guy M. Bryan who claimed to know 7 words—how Bryan learned these words is unmentioned. This list is untrustworthy. Dyer is infamous for his misinformation. In one instance, he insisted that the Karankawas subsisted only off “roots, beetles, and the dung of deer,” in another he expounded that these peoples had “a mucous membrane unaccustomed to spiced and hot dishes” and therefore could only eat cold and raw fish.[3]
Anthony P. Grant, a linguist from the University of Bradford, has written extensively on the Karankawas’ language. His paper serves as the basis for this section.
[1] Gatschet, The Karankawa Indians, the Coast People of Texas, 79.
[2] Gatschet, The Karankawa Indians, the Coast People of Texas, 15.
Guide
* – ch = š voiceless postalveolar fricative; for example: ship, push, delicious (for more meaning behind the phonetic symbols click here)
? – source handwriting is ambiguous and educated guesses were made for spelling.
( ) – taken from source
[ ] – my comments
All spelling and accent marks replicated from sources.
An alphabetical list can be downloaded here: Excel | PDF
The categorized list as shown below can be downloaded here: Excel | PDF
I initially believed this to be the first collective list of the Karankawa language ever published, but after some research I found a similar list published in 1994 which may have a possible seventh source, see Anthony Grant’s.
Compiled Karankawa Language | Talon Brothers (1693) | Beranger (1720) | Berlandier (1828) | Gatschet: Mrs. Oliver (1888) | Gatschet: Old Simon (1884) | Gatschet: Sallie Washington (1884) |
English | Native | Native | Native | Native | Native | Native |
Gender and People | ||||||
A man | techoyou | alane | saylá | yámawe | úshi | |
father | béhema | |||||
he | tál | |||||
the woman | achadu | calí | ||||
virgin | fetscuem-cali | |||||
mother | kanínma | |||||
she | tál | |||||
girl | cali-cuan | kā’da | ||||
a boy | colohs | clox | gló-ěssěn | níktam | ||
a little man, youngster | ushi níktam | |||||
child, young, babe | kwā’n | |||||
Indian man | choygnea* | |||||
Indian woman | choygnea-calem* | |||||
the Spainards (“people of the land” because they came by land) | cahamqueamy | kahe or ka | ||||
the French (“people of the sea” because they came by sea) | calbasses | |||||
Tonkawa Indians | Tchankáya | |||||
Body, Appearance, and Health | ||||||
blood | fechandelman* | |||||
the foot | eham | hei-yú | kékeya (foot) | |||
toes | hei-yosam | |||||
ankle | iclea ? | |||||
heel | ik-dota | |||||
sole of the foot | ik-aal | |||||
the leg | emanpocq | schemi * | ||||
veins? of the entire leg | acuynu ? | |||||
the knee | enelus | |||||
the thigh | emedale | |||||
the arms | sumahaha | chigmia (arm) | ||||
upper arms | cha(j)egual | |||||
the entire arm | laaje | |||||
the hand | hooyo | étsma | ||||
fingers | hooyo-am | étsma | ||||
to touch | tchaútawa; | |||||
nails | hooymblé | |||||
the back of hand | cuama (the back of hand) | |||||
palm of the hand | ho-yal | |||||
from the elbow to the shoulder | schotum | deeya | ||||
the shoulder | enidschota | eel-em | ||||
the stomach and the abdomen (belly/womb) | alouo | coog ? (belly or bowels) or enauza ? (stomach) | ||||
the eyes | emicout | leca (eye) | ||||
to see | om | tchá | ||||
the eyebrows | imlahoué | |||||
eyelash | leguems | |||||
eyelid | lesayma | |||||
pupil of the eye | lacuim | |||||
the neck | emubecq | sebilool ? | ||||
the head | enoquer | daal | ||||
face | iancú ? | |||||
the hair | equioay couy | equa (hair of head) or ecun-eche (hair from animal?) * | ||||
the chin | emimian hauma | agnena (chin or beard) | ||||
the nose | emay aloumy | lóo (nose) or lóo-dulm (large nosed) | ||||
the mouth | emy aquoy | agg | ||||
the teeth | dolonaquin | e(y) or(g) (tooth) | é, é tesselénia(toothbrush) | |||
the tongue | ascune | len (tongue) | ||||
lip | aggmach * | |||||
to speak | aal | |||||
to whistle | áksōl | |||||
gums | eclenemac ? | |||||
palate | elcon | |||||
clavicle or collar bone | lemoolmá | |||||
ribs | guen, ay(?) | |||||
forehead | mekloó | |||||
the broad faced man? (Cado?) | veloó-dulm | |||||
face | lesáyom or iancú ? | |||||
cheek | agui | |||||
ear | aisoyna or ai(g) or ai(y) | |||||
ear wax | aigenal | |||||
heart | láhama | |||||
breast | al | kanín (teat) | ||||
breasts of a woman | (ev)em | |||||
testicles | en | |||||
the private parts of a man | emibacq | baj (penis) | ||||
the uterus | hacha culo* | |||||
buttock | mooj | |||||
muscle | eel | |||||
the entire body | quismatamac ? | |||||
tattoos (the pricks or punctures they have on them) | bachmanae | |||||
sick | a bas | kwátcho | ||||
in good health, healthy | klabán | |||||
tall, large | yá-an | |||||
small, little | kwā’n | |||||
round | lá-akum | |||||
wide | yá-an | |||||
Clothing, Trinkets, Trade, and Other Odds and Ends | ||||||
a shoe | cameplan | |||||
a hat | calamu | |||||
all kinds of clothes | sams | |||||
woman’s dress, gown | kwíss kádla | |||||
textile fabric | kwíss | |||||
cloth | kwíss | |||||
hat | dalmac-cama | |||||
trousers | yenna-cama ? | |||||
shoe | camepel | |||||
blanket | lams | |||||
shirt | chacama | gusgáma | ||||
glove | oñecada | |||||
handkerchief | lams-santle ? | |||||
pins and needles | beschena | aguíya (from Spanish) | ||||
to sew | tecsilea | |||||
pretty woman | calee-malem | hamála (handsome, pretty in general) | ||||
ugly woman | calee-bat | |||||
bell | selabaya | |||||
brush | tesselénia | |||||
glass trinkets | quiahin | |||||
paper | imeter a coum | |||||
to read | gwá | |||||
vermilion | cadrum | |||||
to give | báwûs | |||||
to manufacture, to produce, to create, to make | káhawan, kosáta | |||||
to work | takína | |||||
Elements, Environment, and Celestial Bodies | ||||||
fire | cohoille | quoylesem (fire) | cuacha * | kwátchi (also used to refer to fever) | húmhe | |
smoke | ánawan | |||||
live coal | alm | |||||
ashes | ahonae | |||||
heat | schoj* | |||||
the sun | colonu | clos | clon (sun) | dó-owal | ||
the moon | a ovil | tayk | ||||
the wood | cohab | quesoul (wood) | ||||
ocean, saltwater, sea | cocomden (saltwater) | tacui (sea, ocean) | gllé-i (ocean, water, open water) | |||
water | clay | clé | gllé-i | |||
the wind | eta | bá | ||||
the cold | delin | gláy (cold) | ||||
the rain | ampaje | g(ü)ss or g(ii)s | wíasn (to rain) | |||
star | caguan | |||||
clouds | quapan | |||||
air | lun | |||||
sand | cohon | |||||
tree | etsquequi | akwiní | ||||
field | do(ps)á | |||||
a cane (reed, walking stick) | coln | |||||
dwarf pine | quesis-maille | |||||
resin or tar | couja | |||||
Tree type?(of a certain wood with which they start fire by rubbing one piece of it against eachother) | demaje | |||||
an oak apple (oak gall) | aix quitoula | |||||
tree | etsquequi | akwiní | ||||
mountain | euajadan | |||||
day | bákta | |||||
grass | awtchzōl | |||||
Animals and Insects | ||||||
A horse | canonaium | kuwáyi, kuwaí (from Spanish caballo) | kwá, kwán | |||
mare | cuay-nen | |||||
colt or immature stallion | cuaanñam | |||||
stallion | cuaflekuen | |||||
dog | quez | queche | qüeche (male) qüeche-nen (female) * | kíss | ||
pig, sow | quez calbasses “French Dogs” | queche | tech-lo-disa or tech-lo-nem ? (female pig – probably nen isntead of nem) * | madóna | tapshewá (hog) | |
an ox/buffalo | dedotte | oola-lá (bison or buffalo) | ||||
an oxhorn | deyuedolan | homo (horn) | ||||
bull | chool-la | |||||
female cow | chool-nen | |||||
calf | chool-cuain | |||||
buffalo hide | oola-jay | |||||
cattle | téts’oa | |||||
cow | téts’oa | |||||
deer | edochin | dó-atn | ||||
doe | edochin-nen | |||||
a deerskin | quesoul | |||||
octopus | ám tchúta | |||||
oyster | dă’ | |||||
fish | guylera | am | ám | |||
bird | coocho* | k’udn | ||||
feather | coochcam* | |||||
feathers | humdolucq | |||||
bird’s feet | cuch-lú | |||||
a plover | cebé | |||||
a lark | cout sest aeta | |||||
a pelican | ammane | |||||
a water hen (coot) | ouapa | |||||
chicken | kútně wólya (prarie chicken) | |||||
crane | kědō’d | |||||
a duck | coué | |||||
duck (canvasback duck) | medá-u | |||||
cock | co(nnuan)guila | |||||
hen | (connua)-gnen | |||||
turkey | sam kei(a)solote or sam kei(se)solote | |||||
turkey hen | samnen | |||||
goose | lá-ak | |||||
egg | dáhome | |||||
male cat | catum | |||||
female cat | catum-nen | |||||
calico | kádla | |||||
domestic cat | gáta (from Spanish) | |||||
kitten | gáta kwán | |||||
a fly | camoje | |||||
mosquito | gă’ or gá’h | |||||
turtle | chaube* | haítnlokn (green turtle) | ||||
alligator | oñase | hókso | ||||
serpent, snake | aúd | |||||
bear | ŏ’s | |||||
coyote | cuba | |||||
female coyote | cuba-nen | |||||
wolf | quez, queche | badolú | ||||
female wolf | badolú-nen | |||||
young of animal | kwā’n | |||||
to kill | ahúk | |||||
dead | mál | |||||
guts | (t)ach* | |||||
animal entrails | trach-sá* | |||||
intestines for sausage? | clax ? | |||||
bone | fechedall* | |||||
meat, beef | fechi* | téts’oa, tétsoa | tíkěmai | |||
grass or hay | quay | awtchzōl | ||||
to grow (said of animals and plants) | kwān or kw únakwan | |||||
Hunting, Tools, and Weapons | ||||||
a bow | crouin | gaí | ||||
arrow | demo (an arrow) | děmóa | ||||
a knife | cousila | chela | silekáyi | |||
a gun | quesoulp | |||||
the powder | calmel | |||||
a musketball | quechila-demoux | |||||
a cannon | esjam | |||||
an ax, a hatchet | quiaen | matchíta | ||||
an oyster catcher | quojol | |||||
a pistol | caayuuane | |||||
a rope (cord) | bachina | |||||
an adze (tool used to shape wood) | cousilca | |||||
a pickax (mattlock) | queune | |||||
a dart,harpoon, or fish spear | cousila | |||||
rifle | chelacuy ? | |||||
gunpowder | con-mel | kû’nmil | ||||
rock or stone | cay | |||||
iron | chelneday* | |||||
silver | cheledame* | |||||
gold | chelee-cheman* | |||||
hoe or pickaxe | chelee-nagut* | |||||
to catch | haítn | |||||
to shoot | ódn | |||||
to break, to tear | táhama | |||||
a gimlet (drilling tool) | cluny | |||||
Food, Cooking, and Smoking | ||||||
fire pot | cocomden | coje eun (a mess tin) | ||||
a pitcher (jug,jar) | cahan | |||||
a flask (bottle) | quedim | |||||
a kettle | couquiol | |||||
a cask | caucouum | |||||
a tin (or pewter) plate | quesil-acouan | koláme (tin bucket [Gatschet questioned “Aztec comalli?”]) | ||||
a bowl | locq | |||||
a bucket, pail, or bowl | cocq | |||||
a grindstone | hunca | |||||
barrel | búdel (from Spanish baril) | |||||
frying-pan | koláme | |||||
food | cousilami | |||||
to eat, eatable | aknámus | |||||
meat, beef | fechi* | téts’oa, tétsoa | tíkěmai | |||
an oak acorn | calache | |||||
biscuit (or hardtack) | comjam | |||||
bread | cocam (fresh bread) | cuama-maya | kwiamóya (cornbread) | |||
tortilla | cuampà | |||||
peas and beans | coudeche | |||||
potato | yám | |||||
egg | dáhome | |||||
corn or maize | cuayc(un) or (cuayc(em) | kwiám (maize) | ||||
corn flour | ámhătn | |||||
molasses | téskaus-gllé-i | |||||
butter | fecha | |||||
flour | ámhätn | |||||
salt | quetache | |||||
liquid | gllé-i | |||||
to drink | coacaen | akwetén | ||||
wine | debeu | |||||
milk | schimucim* | tesnakwáya | ||||
whiskey or brandy | liban | labá-i | ||||
sugar, sweet | téskaus | |||||
tobacco | cahe | acanam | caje | |||
a calumet (long-stemmed Indian pipe) | cadiolle | |||||
cigarette | ka swénas | |||||
cigar | caje-tible | |||||
to grow (said of animals and plants) | kwān or kw únakwan | |||||
to pound | kássig | |||||
to suck | énno | |||||
hungry | ámel | |||||
Housing | ||||||
building, camp, Indian village, huts, house, wigwam, lodge, cabin | caham (cabin) | caha (house) | bá-ak | |||
a board | quouaham | |||||
a mat | didaham | |||||
to sleep | najanana | î’m | ||||
seat | ioyaiene ? | |||||
Spanish Religion | ||||||
church | catssé | |||||
God | dios (from Spanish) | |||||
Movement and Ships | ||||||
a ship | elouchoum | yualagle | awā’n | |||
a canoe, pirogue, dugout, boat, sailing vessel | ouhahim | awā’n | ||||
a paddle for a boat | emolouajem | |||||
a sail | emlamil | |||||
a mast | enyuesoul | |||||
a cane (reed, walking stick) | coln | |||||
resin or tar | couja | |||||
to walk (to march or to go) | stray | yé | ||||
pass from one side to another | lon | |||||
to arrive | gás | |||||
at present | messús | |||||
to fall | amóak | |||||
to come | gás, gá’hs | ewé-e, ewé, zankí (to come quick) | ewé-e (come, to come quick), ká’-as (come here!) | |||
get away! | ähä’mmish snî’n | |||||
to hasten, to hurry | kóta or zankée or ewé-e | |||||
to jump | ém | |||||
quick! | ewé-e or ewē | |||||
to run | tólos (also means to run fast) | zankéye (to run, to hasten, to hasten: See Old Simon’s “to come quick” – zankí | ||||
scat! | ähä’mmish snî’n (as said to dogs and cats; with a sharp accent) | |||||
let us go! or go away! | wána | |||||
to swim | nótawa | |||||
to skip | ém | |||||
to sit, sit down! | hákěs | háka, tchakwamé (sit down here!) | ||||
to push | dán | |||||
to go | yé | |||||
far off | wál nia or nyá | |||||
to find | tchá | |||||
to lie down | wú-ak | |||||
to stand | yétso | |||||
wide | yá-an | |||||
Emotion and War | ||||||
very angry | nazerúaza pára | |||||
brave | fechigua* | |||||
coward | fechi-chi-salem * | |||||
war | maché * | |||||
peace | biase | |||||
bad | tchuúta | |||||
to capture | haítn | |||||
to strike | gá-an | |||||
to cause pain | kassídshuwakn | |||||
to weep | owíya | |||||
desire | tá | |||||
give me! | (g)ajuch* | |||||
“when you give them what pleases them” | baa | |||||
to wish | tá | |||||
to want | tá | |||||
friend | aháyika (“the Spanish amigo was more used among them. When wanting to be on good terms with the whites, they preferred the term amigo and said: ‘mucho amigo!” | |||||
to laugh | kaíta | |||||
to love | ka | |||||
to cherish | ka | |||||
dear | mutá | |||||
nice, good | plá | |||||
want or love | qúachel* | |||||
I don’t love you | mi-qúachals | |||||
enemy | kóm aháyika | |||||
to hate | matákia | |||||
hostile or hostile enemy | kóm aháyika (“the Karankawas called so several of the tribes around them.”) | |||||
to hurt, to injure | kassídshuwakn | |||||
to kill | ahúk | |||||
dead | mál | |||||
obnoxious | tchúta | |||||
dangerous | tchúta | |||||
powerful, strong | wól | |||||
tired | kwá-al | |||||
pretty | hamála | |||||
to understand | kúmna | |||||
to know | kwáss or kúmna | |||||
fine [as in ok] | plá | |||||
shall we fuck? | hachi cooche* | |||||
get away! | ähä’mmish snî’n | |||||
let us go! or go away! | wána | |||||
I am going to (do etc.) | n’tchápn | |||||
hush! | ähä’mmish! (as said to children) | |||||
goodbye | atcháta | |||||
gone | budáma | |||||
Numbers | ||||||
one | nā’tsa | |||||
two | haíkia | |||||
three | kazáyi | |||||
four | háyo háln | |||||
five | nā’tsa béhema | |||||
six | háyo haíkia | |||||
seven | haíkia nā’tsa | |||||
eight | béhema | |||||
nine | haíkia dó-atn | |||||
ten | dó-atn hábe | |||||
Social Structures, Ceremony, and Entertainment | ||||||
whiskey or brandy | liban | labá-i | ||||
Ceremony [mitote Cabeza de Vaca?] | ||||||
tobacco | cahe | acanam | caje | |||
a calumet (long-stemmed Indian pipe) | cadiolle | |||||
cigarette | ka swénas | |||||
cigar | caje-tible | |||||
music | yŏ’ta | |||||
to marry | mawída | |||||
chief | hálba | |||||
to perform | kosáta | |||||
Colors | ||||||
black | p’al | má | ||||
blue | tsō’l | |||||
red | tamóyika | |||||
white | péka | |||||
Greetings, Time, and Location | ||||||
“Long ago I spoke” (the language) | gaziamétět upā’t | |||||
yesterday | tuwámka | |||||
where? | mudá? | |||||
yonder | nyá | |||||
soon | messús | |||||
to return | gás | |||||
presently | asháhak | |||||
past time (in times past) | tuwámka | upāt (long ago [emphatically upá-ā-āt]) | ||||
long past | budáma wál | |||||
now | asháhak | |||||
future tense | tá or tchápn | |||||
for a long while | mushawáta | |||||
far off | wál nia or nyá | |||||
farewell | atcháta! | |||||
how do you do? | m’ tchá áwa | |||||
to converse, to talk, to tell, to say, to say to | kaúpn, gaziamétět | napé-ni pátsim | ||||
after a while | messús | |||||
all the time | mushawáta | |||||
Syntax and Sayings | ||||||
that | tál | |||||
there | nyá | |||||
thine or thy | áwa | |||||
this | t;al | |||||
though | aá | |||||
too | ténno | |||||
well (adj) | klab;an | |||||
no! | kóm, kúm | kwó-om, kwōm | ||||
yes | hié-ě | |||||
not | kóm | |||||
mine or my | náyi | |||||
I | náyi or ná-i | napé-nai | ||||
future tense | tá or tchápn | |||||
it | tál | |||||
to do | kosáta or káhawan | |||||
be or to | in detail Oliver Sec | |||||
also | ténno | |||||
always | mushawáta | |||||
and a | a (when used in a sentence) or ténno (also) | |||||
much | wól | |||||
by and by | messús | |||||
behold | tch’a | |||||
great | yá-an | awátchzol | ||||
a great deal of, plenty of | wól | |||||
Uncertainties | ||||||
light [as in daylight or not heavy?] | est-day | |||||
be on the point of [I believe as in standing “on the point of”] | tchápn |