Tawasa language
Encyclopedia
Tawasa is an extinct Native American
language
. Ostensibly the language of the Tawasa people of what is now Alabama
, it is known exclusively through a word list attributed to a Tawasa named Lamhatty, collected in 1707.
John Swanton studied the Lamhatty word list and identified the language as a Timucuan
dialect, suggesting it was intermediary between Timucua and Muskogean
. This opinion has been the subject of significant scholarly debate, with some such as Julian Granberry considering it a dialect of Timucua, others arguing it was a distinct language in the Timucua family, and yet others such as John Hann doubting that Lamhatty was a Tawasa at all. The language shows shows significant Alabama
influence, including the Muskogean same-subject suffix -t.
, eventually arriving at the estate of Colonel John Walker. Taking an interest in him, Walker introduced him to colonial historian Robert Beverley. Through an interpreter, Lamhatty explained that he was from the village of Tawasa near the Gulf of Mexico, and had been enslaved by Tuscaroras and transported eastward, where he was sold to Savannahs. He subsequently escaped and came to Virginia. Walker recorded the 60-word lexicon he learned from Lamhatty on the back of a letter, while Beverley wrote an account of Lamhatty's story. According to Beverley, Walker began treating Lamhatty like a slave once he learned other Tawasa were also enslaved, leading a despondent Lamhatty head to the woods, never to be heard from again.
Studying the word list, John Swanton noted the similarity with the Timucua language
, and suggested Tawasa was an intermediary with Muskogean
. Linguist Julian Granberry identifies it as a dialect of Timucua. Victor Golla (2007) argues that it is best considered a separate language. Others, such as John Hann, are skeptical of the accuracy of Beverley's account, and calls into question whether Lamhatty was a Tawasa at all.
-la. Timucua forms are Mocama dialect.
Correspondences with Muskogean and Natchez are,
Although ássick 'moon' appears to be an Alabama form, its compounds are Timucuan:
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
. Ostensibly the language of the Tawasa people of what is now Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, it is known exclusively through a word list attributed to a Tawasa named Lamhatty, collected in 1707.
John Swanton studied the Lamhatty word list and identified the language as a Timucuan
Timucua language
Timucua is a language isolate formerly spoken in northern and central Florida and southern Georgia by the Timucua people. Timucua was the primary language used in the area at the time of Spanish arrival in Florida. Linguistic and archaeological studies suggest that it may have been spoken from...
dialect, suggesting it was intermediary between Timucua and Muskogean
Muskogean languages
Muskogean is an indigenous language family of the Southeastern United States. Though there is an ongoing debate concerning their interrelationships, the Muskogean languages are generally divided into two branches, Eastern Muskogean and Western Muskogean...
. This opinion has been the subject of significant scholarly debate, with some such as Julian Granberry considering it a dialect of Timucua, others arguing it was a distinct language in the Timucua family, and yet others such as John Hann doubting that Lamhatty was a Tawasa at all. The language shows shows significant Alabama
Alabama language
Alabama is a Native American language, spoken by the Alabama-Coushatta tribe of Texas. It was once spoken by the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town of Oklahoma, but there are no more Alabama speakers in Oklahoma. It is a Muskogean language, and is believed to have been related to the Muklasa and...
influence, including the Muskogean same-subject suffix -t.
Evidence
In 1707 an Indian named Lamhatty arrived in the British colony of VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, eventually arriving at the estate of Colonel John Walker. Taking an interest in him, Walker introduced him to colonial historian Robert Beverley. Through an interpreter, Lamhatty explained that he was from the village of Tawasa near the Gulf of Mexico, and had been enslaved by Tuscaroras and transported eastward, where he was sold to Savannahs. He subsequently escaped and came to Virginia. Walker recorded the 60-word lexicon he learned from Lamhatty on the back of a letter, while Beverley wrote an account of Lamhatty's story. According to Beverley, Walker began treating Lamhatty like a slave once he learned other Tawasa were also enslaved, leading a despondent Lamhatty head to the woods, never to be heard from again.
Studying the word list, John Swanton noted the similarity with the Timucua language
Timucua language
Timucua is a language isolate formerly spoken in northern and central Florida and southern Georgia by the Timucua people. Timucua was the primary language used in the area at the time of Spanish arrival in Florida. Linguistic and archaeological studies suggest that it may have been spoken from...
, and suggested Tawasa was an intermediary with Muskogean
Muskogean languages
Muskogean is an indigenous language family of the Southeastern United States. Though there is an ongoing debate concerning their interrelationships, the Muskogean languages are generally divided into two branches, Eastern Muskogean and Western Muskogean...
. Linguist Julian Granberry identifies it as a dialect of Timucua. Victor Golla (2007) argues that it is best considered a separate language. Others, such as John Hann, are skeptical of the accuracy of Beverley's account, and calls into question whether Lamhatty was a Tawasa at all.
Vocabulary
Tawasa words are a bit difficult to make out, due to English respellings. For example, oo, ou corresponds to Timucua u, ough to o, eu to yu, and often e, ee to Timucua i. Tawasa w corresponds to Timucua b, which was probably pronounced β. Timucua c, q were [k]; qu was [kʷ]. Some of the following correspondences have a final t in Tawasa, which appears to be a Muskogean suffix. Others appear to have the Timucua copulaCopula
In linguistics, a copula is a word used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate . The word copula derives from the Latin noun for a link or tie that connects two different things.A copula is often a verb or a verb-like word, though this is not universally the case...
-la. Timucua forms are Mocama dialect.
| Tawasa | Timucua | gloss |
|---|---|---|
| effalàh | efa-la | dog |
| písso | pesolo | bread |
| soúa | soba | meat |
| pítcho-t | picho | knife |
| ocoò-t | ucu | drink |
| heă-t | hiyaraba | cat |
| yáukfah | yaha | 1 |
| eúksah | yucha | 2 |
| hóp-ho | hapu | 3 |
| checúttah | cheqeta | 4 |
| márouah | marua | 5 |
| mareékah | mareca | 6 |
| pekétchah | piqicha | 7 |
| pekénnahough | piqinaho | 8 |
| peétchcuttah | peqecheqeta | 9 |
| toómah | tuma | 10 |
| tomo-eúcha | tuma-yucha | 20 |
| foóley | hue-le | hand |
| hewéenou | hinino | tobacco |
| ocut-soúa | ucuchua | door |
| oū | ho | I |
| hé | he | you |
| uēkqūah | ca | here |
| uēkheth | heqe | there |
| hĕmèh | hime | come |
| héwah | hiba | sit down |
| loókqŭy | (a)ruqui | boy |
| néăh | nia | woman |
| wiedōō | biro | man |
| colúte | colo | bow |
| wiéo-tt | ibi | water |
| wiéo-tt opù-t | ibi-api | salt water |
| yōwe | yayu | great |
| chicky, chiéky | chiri, qichi | little |
| sōquàh | chuca | how many |
Correspondences with Muskogean and Natchez are,
| Tawasa | Muskogean | Timucua | gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| chesapà | Alabama: časi | tapola | maize |
| hássey | Alabama: haši | ela | sun |
| ássick | Alabama: nila haši | acu | moon |
| chénah, chénoh | Natchez: ičina | oqe | he |
| tútcah | Creek: tó'tka | taca | fire |
Although ássick 'moon' appears to be an Alabama form, its compounds are Timucuan:
| Tawasa | Timucua | gloss | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ássick hóomah | acu homa | full moon | homa 'finish' |
| ássick-toúquah | ela-toco | east | toco 'rise' |
| ássick-eachah | ela-echa | west | echa 'set' |
Reference
- Julian Granberry, 1993. A grammar and dictionary of the Timucua language, pp 10–11.
- Hann, John H. (1996) A History of the Timucua Indians and Missions, Gainesville, Florida: University Press of Florida. ISBN 0-8130-1424-7