In today's world, Pamunkey language has become a fundamental element that affects various aspects of our daily lives. Whether on a personal, professional or social level, the importance of Pamunkey language cannot be underestimated. From its impacts on health and well-being to its influence on the economy and environment, Pamunkey language plays a crucial role in the way we live and interact with the world around us. Therefore, it is vital to fully understand all aspects related to Pamunkey language, in order to make informed decisions and build a sustainable and prosperous future. In this article, we will explore in detail the different aspects of Pamunkey language and its relevance in today's society.
| Pamunkey | |
|---|---|
| Native to | United States |
| Region | Virginia |
| Ethnicity | Pamunkey |
| Era | attested 1844 |
unclassified (Algonquian?) | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | None (mis) |
| Glottolog | pamu1240 |
The Pamunkey language is an extinct language that was spoken by the Pamunkey people of Virginia, United States.
The Pamunkey language is generally assumed to have been Algonquian. However, only fourteen words have been preserved, which is not enough to determine that the language actually was Algonquian.[1][2]
The only attested Pamunkey words, which were recorded in 1844 by Reverend E.A. Dalrymple S.T.D., are:[3]
| English | Pamunkey |
|---|---|
| son | tonshee |
| daughter | nucksee |
| cat | petucka |
| thankfulness | kayyo |
| O my Lord | o-ma-yah |
| friendship | kenaanee |
| thank you | baskonee |
| go out dog | eeskut |
| one | nikkut |
| two | orijak |
| three | kiketock |
| four | mitture |
| five | nahnkitty |
| six | vomtally |
| seven | talliko |
| eight | tingdum |
| ten | yantay |
Below is a comparison of Pamunkey words and selected proto-languages from Zamponi (2024).[4]
| gloss | Pamunkey | Proto-Algonquian[5] | Proto-Iroquoian (PI)/ Proto-Northern Iroquoian (PNI)[6] |
Proto-Siouan[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| son | tonshee | *wekwiʔsema·wa | *iyįḱe | |
| daughter | nucksee | *weta·nema·wa | *iyų́·ke | |
| cat | petucka | *ka·šake·nsa | ||
| thankfulness | kayyo | |||
| O my Lord | o-ma-yah | |||
| friendship | kenaanee | |||
| thank you | baskonee | *hahó | ||
| go out dog | eeskut | |||
| one | nikkut | *nekwetwi | *õskat (PNI) | *rų·sa |
| two | orijak | *nyi·šwi | *tekniːh (PNI) | *rų́·pa |
| three | kiketock | *neʔθwi | *ahsẽh (PNI) | *rá·wrį |
| four | mitture | *nye·wi | *kajeɹi (PNI) | *tó·pa |
| five | nahnkitty | *nya·θanwi, *pale·neθkwi | *hwihsk (PI) | *kiSų́· |
| six | vomtally | *nekweta·šyeka | *tsjotaɹeʔ (?) (PI) | *aká·we |
| seven | talliko | *nyi·šwa·šyeka | *tsjotaɹeʔ (?) (PI) | *ša·kú·pa |
| eight | tingdum | *neʔneʔšwa·šik, *neʔšwa·šyeka | *tekɹõʔ (PI) | |
| ten | yantay | *meta·hθwi, *meta·tahθwi | *wahshẽ (PI) | *hą |
Except for nikkut 'one', which is clearly similar to Powhatan nekut, none of the words correspond to any known Algonquian language, or to reconstructions of proto-Algonquian. Given the extensive ethnic mixing that occurred among the Pamunkey before 1844, it is possible that Dalrymple's list is from an inter-ethnic pidgin or even a language from an otherwise unknown language family, rather than from the original Pamunkey language.[8]
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