# Catawba language

Catawba (/kəˈtɔːbə/) is one of two Eastern Siouan languages of the eastern US, which together with the Western Siouan languages formed the Siouan language family. The last native, fluent speaker of Catawba was Samuel Taylor Blue, who died in 1959. The Catawba people are now working to revitalize and preserve the Catawba language.

## Phonology
### Consonants

| | | Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Glottal |
| Plosive | voiceless | p | t | | k | ʔ |
| Plosive | voiced | b | d | | (g) | |
| Affricate | Affricate | | | tʃ | | |
| Nasal | Nasal | m | n | | | |
| Fricative | Fricative | | s | ʃ | | h |
| Trill | Trill | | r | | | |
| Approximant | Approximant | w | | j | | |
* /ʃ/ rarely occurs.
* [ɡ] occurs as an allophone of /k/.

### Vowels

* Short vowel sounds /i, e, a, u/ can be heard as lax, ranging to [ɪ, ə~ɛ, ɑ, ʊ].
* /u/ can range to [o], and a short /a/ can range to a back vowel sound [ɑ].

## Orthography

A Catawba alphabet was created by the Catawba Language Project for the Catawba language, as part of a revitalization effort for the language and the creation of an app for it.
(Ye Iswąʔre) Catawba alphabet :
| A a | Ą ą | Aa aa | α | B b | Č č |
| [a~ɑ] | [ã] | [aː] | [ʌ~ə] | [b] | [t͡ʃ] |
| D d | E e | Ę ę | Ee ee | Ɛ ɛ | G g |
| [d] | [e] | [ẽ~ɛ̃] | [eː] | [ɛ] | [g] |
| H h | I i | Į į | Ii ii | K k | M m |
| [h] | [i] | [ĩ] | [iː] | [k] | [m] |
| N n | P p | R r | S s | T t | U u |
| [n] | [p] | [r] | [s~ʃ] | [t] | [u~ʊ] |
| Ų ų | Uu uu | W w | Y y | ʔ | ʰ |
| [ũ] | [uː] | [w] | [j] | [ʔ] | [ʰ] |
| Á á | ά | É é | έ | Í í | Ú ú |
| [á~ɑ́] | [ɑ́~ə́] | [é] | [ɛ́] | [í] | [ú~ʊ́] |
| Ą́ ą́ | Ę́ ę́ | Į́ į́ | Ų́ ų́ |
| [ã́] | [ẽ́~ɛ̃́] | [ĩ] | [ṹ~ʊ̃́] |
* The aspirated ⟨ʰ⟩ is used in the word: hawuʰ 'thank you'.
* The ⟨ʔ⟩ is written in different ways like ⟨ɂ⟩ and ⟨ˀ⟩ in some texts.
* The ⟨o⟩ and ⟨ǫ⟩ is some time occurs in words like example, "mǫ(hare)" meaning ask, "wǫ" meaning call, "mǫhee" meaning ice, and "sota" meaning Santee Tribe

## Vocabulary

Some Catawba lexicon is presented below.

### Word lists

Numbers :
| English | Catawba |
| One | dαpinɛ |
| Two | nąpαri |
| Three | naminα |
| Four | pαrapαri |
| Five | paktαri |
| Six | dipkuura |
| Seven | wasisiniyα |
| Eight | dαbusa |
| Nine | wąɁča |
| Ten | pičinɛ |
| Eleven | pičinɛ dαpinɛ hαksα |
| Twelve | pičinɛ nąpαri hαksα |
| Thirteen | pičinɛ naminα hαksα |
| Fourteen | pičinɛ pαrapαri hαksα |
| Fifteen | pičinɛ paktαri hαksα |
| Sixteen | pičinɛ dipkuura hαksα |
| Seventeen | pičinɛ wasisiniyα hαksα |
| Eighteen | pičinɛ dαbusa hαksα |
| Nineteen | pičinɛ wąɁča hαksα |
| Twenty | pičinɛ nąpαri |
| Thirty | pičinɛ naminα |
| Forty | pičinɛ pαrapαri |
| Fifty | pičinɛ paktαri |
| Sixty | pičinɛ dipkuura |
| Seventy | pičinɛ wasisiniyα |
| Eighty | pičinɛ dαbusa |
| Ninety | pičinɛ wąɁča |
| One hundred | pičinε harε |
| One thousand | pičinε harε iksα namuwaʔ |
Greetings :
| Catawba | English |
| Tαnakɛ | Hello |
| Kuri | Good |
| Yawab kuri | Good morning |
| Yab kuri | Good day |
| Wičawaséɂ kuri | Good evening |
| Wiičawa kuri | Good night |
| Tiine yiiéduu | How are you |
| Yį yat tanenɛ | What is your name |
| ... nii yat | My name is ... |
| Dehare | It's me |
| Tiine wiiéduu | How are you all |
| Tαną kureɂ | How goes |
| Tαnąčuharɛ | Ok (I'm alright) |
| Baraɂharɛ | It's not good |
| Wanαsárɛ | I feel sick |
| Síiɂserɛ | I am tired |
| Mąsačure | I am so happy |
| Hawuʰ | Thank you |
| Katé | Later (goodbye) |
Catawba Vocabulary :
| English | Catawba |
| Tree | yap |
| Grass | sαrak |
| Cloud | nɛmą |
| God (creator) | yahrúweh |
| Devil (evil spirit) | yehuręče |
| And | derα, ka |
| Yes | himbá |
| No | waharé |
| That | ma |
| River | iswą |
| Water | yą |
| Earth | mánuuwa |
| Sun | nųti |
| Moon | wičawa nųti |
| Blessings | dúupa wiiyukαrį |
| Loss | dečere |
| Dog | tąsi |
| Cat | hapkę |
| Wild Cat | hapkę surii |
| Horse | witsakway |
| Turtle | kayaɁ |
| Fish | yii |
| Butterfly | dapanenei |
| Earthworm | kučiri |
| Deer | widαbuye |
| Bird | kučin |
| Blue jay | tiinde |
| Woodpecker | wačαk |
| Robin | wiispαkpαk |
| Goose | ahą |
| Eagle | wikčiči |
| Owl | wimbá |
| Chipmunk | dɛpendαtaksusuɁ |
| Squirrel | payą |
| Rabbit | pvⁿwaⁿ (pąwą) |
| Beaver | čapi, tąʔse amúre |
| Bison (Buffalo) | wideé |
| Snake | yaɁ |
| Wolf | tąsisúre |
| Fox | dαpαyamuye |
| Bear | nimęɁ |
| Chicken | watką |
| Duck | kasą́ |
| Dove | itúsi |
| Turkey | witką teruu |
| Corn | kus |
| Milk | witas |
| Potato | witiki |
| Sweet Potato | witiki čuwa |
| Egg | hinu |
| Acorn | Tumu |
| Apple | triɁi |
| Blueberry | wuuii aru |
| Pear | tri |
| Food | nuuyą |
| Vegetable | kus mirúu |
| Fruit | trii |
| Dry Goods | nuuyą yiire |
| Family | yemą |
| Grandfather | tatéwa |
| Grandmother | isčuu |
| Father | nane |
| Mother | yaksu |
| Husband | yį kiča |
| Wife | yaa kiča |
| Son | kuríi |
| Daughter | ɛnuwa |
| Brother | mbarana |
| Sister | yaanáa |
| Drum | tushakehi |
| Rattle | sę́sαreʔha |
| Office | suukiatéru |
| House | suuk |
| Bathroom | ísuk |
| Kitchen | hiriʰsahęʰ |
| Farm | Yabsigre |
| Cash register | yekąwą dyákere |
| Dollar | suntarúu |
| Hunter | yękurepahą |
| Body | ihaakyuu |
| Head | iskąʔ |
| Hair | iskąsi |
| Face | hinen |
| Forehead | itaap |
| Ear | duksuuʔ |
| Eye | hįtuuʔ |
| Nose | ipįsuuʔ |
| Mouth | isumuuʔ |
| Tongue | hisumuuʔ­se |
| Tooth | hiyaap, niyaap |
| Beard | yisumuuʔ­see |
| Neck | idát |
| Arm | iksa |
| Hand | iksapiya |
| Fingers | iksa ičaa |
| Nails | iksa pis |
| Belly | ipą |
| Feet | h­įpapiya |
| Foot | n­įpapiya |
| Toes | i­įpaičaaʔ |
| Bone | hipasaap, nusaap |
| Heart | dihaa |
| Chief | yę miirá |
| Red | siiką |
| Blue | wuuii |
| Green | wiiyą |
| Yellow | wiiyę |
| White | takčii |
| Black | hawakče |
| Day of the Catawbas | yáp ye iswą |
| Ache | warepa |
| Over (Beyond) | αkę́ |
| Armpit | hinų́ksu |
| Ashes | yáči |
| Ask | mǫ(hare) |
| Axe (knife) | sįpé |
| Back | įtak |
| Hold | pąʔ |
| Shoulder | híriit |
| Bare (husked) | sαráhę́ʔ |
| Root | tet |
| Pot (Basket) | (i)tus |
| Be | ri |
| Blood | iit |
| Blow | puu |
| Brain | mųtu |
| Reed (cane) | wąsa |
| Burn | wiirą |
| Call (shout) | wǫ |
| Carry (go) | kida |
| Flint | wą |
| Cold | čiʔ |
| Cry | ake |
| Cut | kąʔ |
| Dance | bari |
| Day | yáp |
| Then | αn |
| There | či |
| Dig | ʔare |
| Do (make) | ʔǫči |
| Cause | če |
| Dream | hímbare |
| Ground | mánuu |
| Inside | hákαpaʔ |
| Step | peʔ |
| Ice | mǫhee |
| Go | ra |
| At | tak |
| Sit | wą |
| Sleep | imų |
| Tobacco | ųpaa |
| Small | sų́wα |
| Town, Village | wee |
| House, hut | suuk |
| Creek | yátru ihaterú |
| Catawba River | iswą katabare |
| Board River | iswą hápide |
| Congaree River | iswą karaʔre |
| Santee River | iswą tii |
| Savannah River | isundiga |
| Wateree River | iswą wátraʔre, wátra |
| Sugeree creek | iswą sígrii |
| Catawba Tribe | ye iswąʔre |
| Wateree Tribe | ye iswą wátraʔre |
| Cheraw Tribe | sarα |
| Cherokee Tribe | ye matεra |
| Chickahominy tribe | ye kusi |
| Chickasaw Tribe | ye imohčékεre |
| Choctaw Tribe | ye čákere |
| Congaree Tribe | ye iswąkaraʔre |
| Creek Tribe | ye kusáʔre |
| Eno Tribe | ye íinare |
| Etiwa Tribe | itawa |
| Kiawah Tribe | kaya |
| Lumbee Tribe | kerúkeruʔre, ye makeruɁre |
| Pamunkey Tribe | mákiis |
| Pedee Tribe | ye piiɁre |
| Santee Tribe | są́ta, sota |
| Saponi Tribe | yepą |
| Sawee Tribe | ye sαwiiʔre |
| Shawnee Tribe | sawana |
| Sugeree Tribe | ye sígriiʔre |
| Tuscarora Tribe | taskaruni, ye atεra |
| Waxhaw Tribe | ye hiskapeteʔre |
| Woccon Tribe | wakų |
| Yamasee Tribe | yeemusi |
| Yuchi Tribe | yučikere |

## Errata

Red Thunder Cloud, an impostor, born Cromwell Ashbie Hawkins West, claimed to be Catawba and the last speaker of the Catawba language. He was promoted by anthropologist Frank Speck, who introduced West to the Catawba community. The Catawba told Speck that West was not Catawba, but Speck ignored them and continued to promote West and include him in his work, even recommending him as an expert to other anthropologists. (Speck is also the source of the theory that Catawba is a Siouan language; at one time he also insisted that the Cherokee language is Siouan.) At his death in 1996 it was revealed that West was neither Catawba nor even Native American, but had learned what he knew of the language from books, and from listening to the last known native speaker, Samuel Taylor Blue and his half-sister, Sally Gordon, when Speck brought him to the Catawba reservation. This had apparently been enough to fool the non-Native ethnologists who wrote about him.