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History
and Anthropology.
LAKOTA WORDS INDEX.
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The listing of words and phrases here are offered as an example
only, a very small
insight, into the language of the Lakota. But even within this group
spellings, because of the different dialects, are sometimes different. We have concentrated on
the Lakota spellings, but will give examples of Dakota and some Nakota. If you see something
that you think is wrong, or
that which you question, then please bring it to our attention. All
care has been made when creating this list, but mistakes can happen,
and remember there probably is more than one way to spell any given
word.
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When speaking Lakota it is important to remember the sounds of the
vowels.
A as the sound
of AH like the a in father.
E has the sound of EH or EY like the e in led, or the a in fate.
I has the sound of EE, like the i in machine.
O has the sound of OH like the o in rote.
U has the sound of OO like the oo in moon.
All s's and c's
are pronounced sh and ch, but no h in the spellin. (Where an h does
appear in our listing it is so that the beginner can see the actual
way the word should be pronounced.)
Also the Lakota
dialect only contains 20 letters that make up their words when spelt. The letters that do not appear
are d, f, q, r, x, and v.
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A
A-ah! - Watch out.
agles'ka - Lizard.
agli - to return.
aguipi - browned meat or food.
ahunka - coyote. (Nakota say S'ungmanitu)
akeeya - repeat.
akewancinyankin kte (or ktelo) - until I see you.
amba - goodbye (short version)
anapo - to count coup.
Ate - Father (also Uncle - his father's brothers)
awi - they.
B
blotan hunka - war leaders or
chiefs.
C
cahotska - frost
Canapegi Wi - September (moon when leaves turn brown.)
Canapekasna Wi - October (moon when leaves fall.)
canh'a - turtle
Canku Wakan - Holy Road (the Oregon Trail.)
Cannanpopa Wi - February (moon of popping trees.)
cansasa - tobacco (shredded inner bark of red willow, red dogwood or red alder.)
cansiyo - prairie chicken
canska - red legged hawk
cante - don't
canupa - pipe
ce - manhood (penis)
cetan - hawk
cha - without
Chaka dee Wapka - The Powder River
champah or chapa - beaver
chante - heart
chante ista - the one eye of the heart
chante sica - sad heart (cante chante sica yaun sai ye - don't have a sad
heart.)
chikala - little or small
chun - tree
chun humpi ska - sugar (literally translated as tree juice.)
cikala Lakota wowaglake? - Do you speak Lakota?
cola or kola - friend (colapi - friends.)
cunka - shield
E
esnella - a loner
ey-hee! - alas!
H
Hahawokpa - River of Canoes (Mississippi river.)
halhate - magpie
hanblecheyapi - vision quest (crying for a vision.)
hanhepi-wi - moon (literal translation is night sun.)
Hanskaska - Wolf society
hau, hou or hao - hello
hayhahkah - elk (bull - hehaka; cow - unpan the n's are only just pronounced)
hecheto aloe - It is finished
hecheto welo - It is done well, it is good
heech - owl
hechinshkayapi - mountain sheep
hehaka - elk or mouse
Hehaka Wakpa - Elk River (Yellowstone River.)
hehoka - contraries
Heska - the Shining Mountains (the Bighorn Mountains.)
hetukhasan - weasel
heyah - no
heyoka - clown
hin (or han) - yes
hinhan - owl
hohe - enemy
hoka - badger
hokagica - heron
hoppo - let us go
hunka - chosen
Hunkapi - The Making of Relatives Ceremony
hunkayapi - chosen relatives
hunkaschila - young men
hunkeshne - slow
hupacansakala - swallow (the bird)
hupakigulake - bat
I
i-g-mutanka - mountain lion (the
n is almost silent)
igmuhota or ig muguleza - lynx (also wildcat or bobcat.)
Ihoka - Badger Society (literal translation - badger mouth.)
iktomi - spider
ina - mother (used in the context of the dynamic and active power of the earth.)
inska - excuse me
inyan - stone
lotancila - I love you
Ishna Ta Awi Cha Lowan - Buffalo Ceremony (Preparing for Womanhood.)
ishta - she, female, girl
isnati - bleeding (menstruation.)
isn tipi - the alone lodge (where women went during menstruation.)
itaytkahlah or tashnahecha - chipmunk
iyotake - sitting
J jialepa
- meadowlark
jigala - little
K kaga
- demon
kangi - crow
kangi tanka - raven
Kangi yha - Crow Owners Society
kapi - story
kiksuyapi - remember
kimimila - butterfly
kin - this
kokipa - fear
ksape - knows or sees
kte - dead, killed
kuwapi - is chased by
L le
mita - mine
le mita cola - my friend
le mita pila - my thanks
leksi - uncle (his mother's brothers.)
lela - very
lela oosni - very cold
lochicha - mink
lowan - to sing (or singer.)
lowan henica? are you a singer?
luta - red
M ma
or maki - mother
maga - goose
magaksica - duck
magaska - swan
mahhapahskaychah - martin
mahpiya - sky
Mahpiyato - the Arapaho (Blue Clouds.)
mahpyua - cloud
Mahpyua Luta - Red Cloud
mahstinchala - snowshoe rabbit
mahstinshkah - jack rabbit
mahto - bear (grizzly - mahto-shahkay hanska; black - mahto-wahhay seecha; brown
- mahto-hotah.)
Maka - Earth
Maka Blu Wakpa - Shifting Sands River (Powder River.)
maka mani - to walk
makah - skunk
Kake Ska - White Earth River (White River of South Dakota.)
mato - bear
maya owicha paka - fate (literal translation - he who pushes you off the cliff.)
mayugo - I'm tired
maza - metal
maza canku - iron
maza ska - silver, white metal
meeyahslaychalah or ma shlecha - coyote
meeyah chah - kit fox
micaje - my name is
mieyobo - I am
minne (or mni) - waters
minne sota - many waters
minne wakan - holy water (usually used to describe whiskey)
mita - mine
Mita kuye ayasin - We are relatives (also Miataku
Oyasin)
Miwatini - Owl Society
Mnilusa - Running Water
river ( Niobrara river)
Mnisose - Muddy Water river ( Missouri river)
moksins - moccasins
N
na - and
nacacijin - loyal, faithful
nacha - great, noble
Nahan rei ni wayon heon - I am still alive
najin - standing
nakun - known
napin - necklace
Natan uskay! - Attackers are coming!
niyaha - feather
nunpi
(or nunpa) - two
O
ocheti -seven
ohan - wear this
ohinyan - forever
ohitka - brave, courageous
ohunka - false, untrue
oiowan - song
Okaga - the Spirit of the south
onikare - sweat lodge
Onjinjintka Wakpa - Red Flower Creek (Rosebud Creek)
oo-oohey - it is time
oosni - cold
opawinge - one hundred
opiaon - smoke vent
optate - to choose
otonwanhe - village, town
owa - wound
owa sicha - bad wound
owatamla - straight tongue
owotonna - honest, straight
Oyatenupa - the Omaha tribe (the Two Circle People)
ozuye - warrior
P
Paha Sapa (sometimes Pa Sapa) - The Black Hills
paha - mountain, butte
pah-hi - porcupine
palamo - thanks
Pani - the Pawnee
Pankeska Wakpa - Shell River (Platte river)
papa - dried buffalo meat (jerky)
pehan - crane
Pehingnunipi - May (moon of shredding ponies)
Peji Sluta - Greasy Grass
pejula - medicine
pejula sapa - coffee (literal translation - black
medicine)
pejula wacasa - medicine man (sometimes pejuta wicasa)
pesla - bald
peta - stone
pezuta wicasa - herbalist (healer) pi - to use for
pila
mita - my thanks
pispinza - prairie dog (the n is almost silent)
Psatoka - Crows (Absaroka)
ptan -
otter
pte - buffalo (cow)
ptecila - small buffalo
pteyahpa - cowbird
S
sahungka gelah or
shoghila - red fox
sapa - black
schila - old
shakowan -
council fires
shah-y-ela - those who speak a different tongue (the
Lakota name for the Tsististas)
shaychatungka - wolverine
sheo - sage hen
shinte or sinte - tail
Shinte Galeska - Spotted Tail
shunkaha - wolf (somtimes shunktokecha or Shunkahmahneetu)
Shunke Canku - Iron Horse (i.e. train)
shunke (or s'unka) - dog
shunke
wakan - horse (literal translation - holy or sacred dog)
shunke-kan - pinto
sicha - bad
sinkpaylah - muskrat
sipawicayaska - beetle
ska - white
s'kipipi -chickadee
slol yapi - the people
sni - negative, not
sosa - muddy
sosho
-snake
sota - many
Susuni - Shoshone (or snake tribe)
T
to - his
tah – moose
tshcha - deer
tah chasala or tahheencha - antelope (pronghorn) tahheenchala - white tailed
deer
tahhenchala - mule deer
tahunsa - cousin
tajuska - ant
taku-skan - spirit, living force
tanagila - humming bird
tanka - great, big, or bull
tanke - sister
tannicala tusweca - dragonfly
tashina - robe
tashina pte - buffalo robe
Tashunke Witko - Crazy Horse (A literal translation is
His Dog is Enchanted but in this case the "wakan" is dropped from
"horse" and people would still know the meaning.)
tasina - shawl, blanket
tashnahhayhotah - ground squirrel
tatanka - buffalo bull
Tatanka lyotake - Sitting Bull (his name is really Buffalo Bull Sitting)
Tatanka Wapahun - Buffalo Bull Society
tinza - power, strength
Tioheynuka Wi - January (moon of frost in the lodge)
tipsila - prairie turnip
tiyospaye - family group (band)
to - blue
to (toh) - a vigorous affirmative like "damn right."
Tokala - Kit Fox Society
tokalu – fox
toniktuka hwo? - How are you?
tonkalla - mouse
tonwan - spirit, bad spirit
toskala - woodpecker
tuka - but
tunkaschila
- grandfather
tunkes - hot stones
U
Umi or Yum - Whirlwind
unchi - grandmother
Unshimalam ye oyate - Have mercy on me
W
wabluska - insects
wacca pella - stream
wacekiyayo - pray
wachin ksapa yo - listen to me - be attentive
wachpanne - poor, needy
wacipi - dance
wackikun or waschichin - white man
wagachun - cottonwoods
Waga Wakpa - Swimming Bird river ( Laramie river)
waglesksun - turkey
waglula - woodgrub or maggot
wahi - I come, I am coming
wahinhayya - gopher
wakan - holy, sacred
Wakan Tanka - Great Spirit
wakikunza - camp leader
wakina - thunder
Wakincuzas - pipe owners (village headmen or councilers)
wakinyan - thunder powers or lightning
Wakinyan Tanka - Thunderbird
Wakpa - river
wakon-ya
- springs (where water is born)
Wamanuncha - Prince of Thieves (especially applied to
Custer)
wan - surprise
wana - one or now
wanagi - ghost, spirit
Wanagi Tacaku - Spirit Path
wanagitakimimila - moth
Wanagi Yata - Place of Souls
wanbli or anunkasan - eagle
Wanbli Galeska - Spotted Eagle
Wanbli Luta - Red Eagle
wanichi - no good
Wanicokan Wi - December (midwinter moon)
Waniyetu Wi - November (winter moon)
waniyetula - winter
waniyetula wowapi - winter count
wapiye - medicine man (a curer with herbs only - no spiritual power)
washtay or washte - good
was'te (pronounced wash-tay) - greetings!
wasichu or washitu - bad medicine, white man
wasin - here
wa'sin - frog
wasiyuta el unpi - those who live among the whites -
the loaf around the fort people
wasna - pemmican
Wasutan Wi - August (moon when all things ripen)
wayo - true
Waziah - Giant God of the North
weecha or wichitigulegha - raccoon
Whope - earth principle
wi - sun
wicasa - man
wicasha - an important man
wicasha
wakan - a holy man, a visionary
wicasha yatapika - a shirtman
wichashita - chief
Wickmunke - Rainbow God (also a trap)
wicksemna - ten
Wicokannanji Wi - July (middle moon)
winkte - half man
Wipazuka Waste Wi - June (moon when the chokecherries ripen)
witko or whte - enchanted, magical, crazy
Wiwanyag Wachipi - Sun Dance
wochangi - power
wonamayin - mistake
Wotawe -
Oglala buffalo society
woya - story
Y
yamina - three
Yanpa - the
Spirit of the east
yaspapi - the time of the bitten moon (first half of
new moon, last half of old moon)
yata - place
Yata - the Spirit of
the west.
yeosh palay - clans, tribes
yunke-lo - death
yuwipi - medicine man or healer
Z
zeecha - squirrel (red)
zintka - birds
zunta - honest
zuya - warpath
Copyright ©
William Purcell and Cetan 2004
All rights reserved.
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