Our knowledge of the Karankawa language comes from these individuals:
- Jean Baptiste Talon in an interrogation at Brest, France (1698)
- Jean Beranger in his Report (1720)
- Jean-Louis Berlandier (1828)
- Historian Albert Gatschet’s interviews with Old Simon (1884)
- Historian Albert Gatschet’s interviews with Sallie Washington (1884)
- Historian Albert Gatschet’s interviews with Mrs. Alice W. Oliver (1888)
The list below is comprised of 414 words from the prior six sources. But Karankawa Alex Perez has a more complete and comprehensive list of over 600 words that he has preserved. If you are interested in learning more about the Karankawa language, Alex is the expert. You can reach him, at the following email: Apmystic@gmail.com.
* – 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 believed this to be the first collective list of the Karankawa language ever to be published, but after some research I found a similar list published in 1994 and 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 |