Choctaw (Chahta Anumpa)

Choctaw is a Western Muskogean language closely related to Chickasaw. There are about
7,000 speakers of Choctaw, most of whom live in the south east Oklahoma. There
are also Choctaws in east central Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee. Oklahoma
is a Choctaw word meaning “red people.”

The majority of Choctaw speakers are over 45, though in Mississippi efforts are
being made to pass the language on to the younger generation and some children
are being raised with Choctaw as their first language.

Choctaw alphabet

Notes

“Lh” can also be written “hl”, “ʊ” can also be written “u”, and “u” can
also be written “v.”

Sample text in Choctaw

Hattak yuka keyu hokʊtto yakohmit itibachʊfat hieli kʊt, nan isht
imaiʊlhpiesa atokmʊt itilawashke; yohmi ha hattak nana hohkia,
keyukmʊt kanohmi hohkia okla moma nana isht aim aiʊlhpiesa, micha isht
aimaiʊlhtoba he aima ka kanohmi bano hosh isht ik imaiʊlhpieso
kashke. Amba moma kʊt nana isht imachukma chi ho
tuksʊli hokmakashke.
(Atikel I, Aiʊlhepiesa Makosh Ʊlhpisa)

Translation

That all free men, when they form a special compact, are equal in rights, and
that no man or set of men are entitled to exclusive, separate public emolument
or privileges from the community, but in consideration of public services.
(Article I Choctaw Declaration of Rights)

The information on this page was provided by Daniel Lapinski

Link

Choctaw lessons, phrases and grammar
http://myweb.cableone.net/areeves/choctaw/lang.htm
http://www.nativenashville.com/language/tutor_chata.htm

Choctaw language courses, dictionaries and other materials are available from
http://www.native-americans.org/languages/language-choctaw.htm

Information about the Choctaw people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choctaw

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (offical site)
http://www.choctawnation.com

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
http://www.choctaw.org