Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society
Held at Philadelphia for Promoting Useful Knowledge
Volume XXXI, January to December 1893
Philadelphia. Printed for the Society by MacCalla & Company 1893
A Vocabulary of the Nanticoke Dialect.
By Daniel O. Brinton, M. D.
{Read before the American Philosophical Society, Nov. 3, 1893.)
The vocabulary was collected at the request of a former President of this Society and of our country, Mr. Thomas Jefferson, by Mr. William Vans Murray, from an old woman called Mrs. Mulberry, said to be the widow of the last chief of the Nanticokes. She at that time resided at Locust Neck town, Goose creek, Choptank river, Dorchester county, Maryland.
[Mrs. Mulberry and Wynicaco were Choptank Indians. The Choptank Indians lived at Locust Neck on the Choptank River. William Vans Murray mistakenly identified Mrs. Mulberry as a Nanticoke Indian. The Nanticoke Indians were long gone from the area when Mr. Murray collected the vocabulary in 1792. The vocabulary collected was actually that of the Choptank Indians.]
A note to the vocabulary states that their last " King," " the famous Wynicaco," died about seventy-five or eighty years before (about 1712-15), and that "his body was preserved and very formally kept in a Awacason-house (Chio-ca-son house), seventy years dead," which means, I presume, for seventy years after his death. The preservation of the bones of their dead was a characteristic trait in the religion of the Nanticokes.
The exclamation point, !, so frequently introduced by Mr. Murray, he explains to signify a peculiar, forcible, explosive enunciation of the syllable. At the close of the vocabulary, the writer adds the following proper names:
We ning go mi usk, the personal name of Mrs. Mulberry, " Mulberry woman "
Ama namp quun, the name of the Indian town of Locust neck.
| Air | ayewash |
| Arm | nickpitq |
| Arrows | allontz |
| Arrowhead | ik ke hek (see spear) |
| Ash | paw-kawque |
| Autumn | wee saw panu (weesawpanu, little or short light) |
| Axe | tummehek |
| Back | daduck quack |
| Back creek | pomamato |
| Back woods | ah payw wagh |
| Bad | mattitt |
| Banks | lemoack coi um |
| Basket | munnole |
| Bear | winquipim |
| Beard | nee weeghtoniwash |
| Beaver | nataque |
| Beech | pah l scanemintz |
| Bees | aamook |
| Belly | nut ah! |
| Belt | uekq shit lawk |
| To bend | ne wawk kaw quin nimon |
| Berry | mee eents |
| Bed | dapp in |
| Bird | piss seeques |
| Bitter | wee suck un |
| Black | oaskag u |
| Blackberry | munck qui suck |
| Blackbird | husquinock |
| Blood | puck cuchque |
| Blue | puh squai loau |
| Body | no waw auh |
| Bone | whis scan |
| Bone house | man to kump |
| A bow | kullahlow |
| Boy | wahocki a wauntit |
| Brave | matt whee saw so |
| Bread | applow |
| To break | ne poick shitt own |
| Broad | manckapah sai u |
| Brother | ne ee mat |
| Bubby | noo naque (the mamma) |
| Buck | i e ape |
| Butterfly | aumaun co hunt |
| Cedar | weensquaaquah |
| Channel | an da timp |
| Chesnut tree | eh! qua mintz |
| Chin | unt tampquet |
| Child | awauntet |
| Cloud | matchkatquot |
| Cold | tagh! quiow |
| Cowardly | wee saw so ak (see Brave) |
| Crab | tah! quah |
| Crane | ah! secque |
| Creek | pamptuckquaskque (see River) |
| Crow | kuh! hos |
| to Cry | num moam |
| to Dance | zdocumb |
| a Day | nucotucquon |
| Day break | wawpaney |
| Darkness | samp oo somow |
| Daughter | hun tawn |
| place for the Dead | mutz uck zumpq |
| Death | ungue lack |
| Deep | timmoh |
| Deer | attque, youcat (four legs) |
| Devil | matt ann tote |
| Dew | quesuppost |
| Distance | wah!sow et. |
| Doe | noose at q |
| Dog | al!um |
| Dogwood | ah!laawhunnimints |
| Dove | weetah tomps |
| to Drink | minnih |
| Dry | kow kitt ow a |
| Duck | quah!quamps |
| Eagle | ah!whap pawn top |
| my Ear | nuch tow huck |
| Earth | ahkee |
| to Eat | meetsee |
| Eel | pall!in |
| Egg | waawhq (with a whiff) |
| Evening | weaku |
| my Eye | nucks skencequah |
| Face | assung gui |
| to Fall | ah kinnitsish |
| Falsehood | e kitt co |
| Far | wachschuit |
| Fat | pim |
| my Father | nowoze |
| Fear | quischa-asch |
| Finger | na mishah!qu ulgamz |
| Fire | tunt |
| Fish | wammass |
| a Fly | pootzah |
| Fog | howewen |
| Food | mettsah (to Eat) |
| Foolish | cuip shee in quo |
| my Foot | nist |
| Fox | waaks |
| Frog | clacqu iss |
| Frost | togh!puh! |
| Girl | pukquah |
| God | mann! itt |
| Good | wee ee |
| Grass | mass que quise |
| Grave | wawskowko |
| Green | ah!skaah tuck qui a |
| Gum | pook sacq in ment |
| Guts | walah kiss sisk |
| Hail | ah!sinlipwo |
| Hair | nee eesquat |
| Hand | nut untz |
| Hard | mais kai u |
| a Hare | timihawque |
| to Hate | ne man nin now |
| Hawk | mah!squallen |
| Head | neelahammon |
| to Hear | no oan tum |
| Heart | wea!scheu |
| Heat | nip(ow)kiss |
| Hickory tree | psee cun |
| High | wha sa neep ai u |
| Hill | lemuckquickse |
| Hot | app et taaw! |
| House | youck huck |
| my Husband | nups soh!soh! |
| I | nee |
| Ice | hah!laggu quutz |
| Joy | ne moo ye ow wass |
| to Jump | ni s poicksh |
| to Kill | nepoickt tow |
| King | tall!ak |
| Large | mang ai u |
| to Laugh | wei aih e mitt a ha |
| Lean | moosow wak |
| Leg | much cat |
| to Lie down | cow si nee |
| Life | ne quee quaaawk |
| Light | wassaquitayw |
| Lightning | ton que ah |
| Lip | nussihecque |
| Lizzard | oh! kaush kiss |
| Locust tree | kla one nahq |
| Long | quah!!nah!!!qut |
| to Love | n!wummoi |
| Low | tah!quah!quah! su |
| Maize | cawl na woop |
| Man | wohacki |
| Maple tree | waw see ke me |
| Marsh | nah!squuh! |
| Mocking bird | ahmittonqha |
| a Mat | yawskg |
| Meat | pumantah (hog's meat) |
| Milk | noo oo nack |
| Mole | alvmob schkim nits |
| a Month | nuquoluc quaquoa |
| Moon | atupquonihanque |
| Morning | weschpa |
| Mother | nicque |
| Mountain | pomat tinike |
| Mouth | huntowey |
| Mud | piss sucqua |
| Mulberry tree | whie in guaque |
| Muskrat | weak keh! |
| finger Nails | nuck can sump |
| Narrow | tsipais u |
| Near | pechtschtschu |
| Neck | nissi kip puchqh! |
| New (young) | whuis kai u |
| Night | toopquow |
| No | mattah! |
| my Nose | nick kee u |
| Oak | wee seek e mintz |
| Old (he is old) | kutt a nai u |
| Opossum | nah!simini |
| Owl | quoo waant |
| Oysters | kaw sheh! |
| Oyster shells | tsee ko mack |
| Partridge | kittycawndipqua |
| Peas | pee wah!sh quist |
| Peace | e wee ne tu |
| Pheasant | us!quas capitz |
| Perch | kosk kike nesuc |
| Persimmon tree | law wacq (see Mints) |
| Pigeon | nont siminisuk |
| Pine tree | quaat |
| Point of land | alla maa wampk |
| Pole cat | tzuckquaakq |
| Pond | nippiss (nip water) |
| Poplar tree | wee saa quack |
| Pretty | wee e eat |
| Queen | talla!kesk (see King) |
| Raccoon | anasup |
| Rain | winieow |
| Rainbow | quenuck quenuck |
| Rattlesnake | eeh!seekq |
| Raven | uckquak |
| Red | psquai u |
| Red Bird | pishquiss eeps |
| Religion | Lapp! poi o wees (a coming together) |
| River | pamptuckquah |
| Rock | koshcup |
| to Run | un to mho waish |
| Salt | tzee e oose |
| Sand | loh! ki |
| Sea | mank nippint |
| to See | naa m m |
| Shark | witt ameek |
| Shallow | tacq e timps oh |
| Shame | katt ak katts |
| Shoes | meckhisins |
| Shore | saumps a mu |
| Sick | huntoi miss |
| Side | pmeetempquat |
| to Sing | nuck und oh |
| older Sister | nimpz |
| younger Sister | neighsum |
| to Sit | qui ah quup |
| Skin | nowas sium |
| Sky | moosecaquit |
| to Sleep | n upp |
| Small | lamaisu |
| to Smell | ne quees sum un |
| I Smoke | niponguot tai |
| to Smoke | p simoi (to smoke a pipe) |
| Snake | ash quoke |
| Snakeroot | pah!scho hook quick |
| Snakebite | ah!sckok kas sipekoke |
| Snow | quoono |
| Soft | patt ah ki u |
| my Son | nucks quah |
| Sorry | dah qua a nee (I am sorry) |
| Sour | tchee ee wun |
| to Speak | ne kitt o was |
| Spear | ne poikee hek (see Arrow head) |
| Soul | tsee e p |
| the Spring | see qui no |
| a Spring | moo nip pque |
| Squirrel | mowck key |
| flying Squirrel | ah!sappaneques |
| ground Squirrel | muck quissah |
| to Stand | dogh kinch |
| Star | poomolasuque |
| a Stone | kawscup (see Rock) |
| Straight | lemat tah quot |
| to Strike | ne pack come |
| Strong | miss ki u |
| Summer | mashaquapau u |
| Sun | ah quak |
| Sweet | wee ing on |
| Sweat | nip oo kiss |
| There | ennuk |
| Thick | kee puck an |
| Thigh | hunts sunque |
| Thin | ah shee penz o |
| This, that | you kan nah |
| Thou | kee |
| Thunder | awah! shuck |
| Tobacco | oh pucque |
| Today | ewapawgup |
| my Toe | nicks see equanumps |
| Tomorrow | allappahwee |
| my Tongue | neeannow ah! |
| my Tooth | neeput tumps |
| Tree | petuicque |
| Truth | ko o lam |
| Turkey | pah!quun |
| Turkey Buzzard | moh waas |
| Ugly | matt it (= bad) |
| Valley | qualliquawkimuck |
| a Vine | mallaw cominamintz |
| Viper | apo tass sees a |
| Walnut tree | ah!sin ni mintz |
| to Walk | n gutt o was |
| War | matt ah kass on |
| Warrior | matt ah ki ween |
| Water | nip |
| Wet | kiss ep pai u |
| to Whistle | ne queezkso uh quitt um |
| White | waap pay u |
| Whore | amattz e no |
| Wild cat | laa!waa!quepuss |
| Wild goose | qua haw quunt |
| Winding | apaas suc tucqut |
| Winter | pooponu |
| Wife | nee eeswah! |
| Wise | wee sauce |
| Woman | acquahique |
| Wood | meeh shiz |
| Woods | pamp tuck koisk |
| a Year | nuquolacutquomai |
| Yes | a a mch |
| Yesterday | holacquow |
| Yellow | wee sa way u |
| You | kee (= thou) |
| Young | laimaisu (see Small) |
| 1 | nukquit |
| 2 | na eez |
| 3 | nis |
| 4 | yaguh |
| 5 | nup pai a |
| 6 | noputtah |
| 7 | my yay wah |
| 8 | tzah |
| 9 | passa conque |
| 10 | millah! |
| 11 | ah!tzickquit |
| 12 | ahtz naeez |
| 13 | ahiz whus |
| 14 | ahiz yough |
| 15 | ahtzup pay ah |
| 16 | ahtzaquutah |
| 17 | ahtz mayaway |
| 18 | ahtz wah |
| 19 | ahtz passa conque |
| 20 | nee es mittah |
| 21 | neequa nichquit |
| 30 | su pooks kay |
| 40 | yow pookay |
| 50 | nuppay a poosquah |
| 60 | nequttah e poosquah |
| 70 | may ah wa e poosquah |
| 80 | tzaw e poosquah |
| 90 | passaconque e poosquah |
| 100 | weemba kissana |
| 200 | needa kissana |
| 300 | nuisswa kissana |
| 400 | you wah!kissana |
| 500 | nuppaia tashakissana |
| 1000 | muttah taska kissana |