Cf. tvpekshvho, (G.33) We (both) are about

Natchez (phonetic) Alphabet Sound Chart

Letter Said Sounds Like Example/Definition

A Aay A (rarely a short a) Tok'h a ’les Chop

C Jee Between Ch and J C vsa’xup Antler/Prong

E E EEE (long e) E sv’hv Above

F Fee F V f e’teesv Assist

H Hee H H o’ka’kes Abandon

I I I (usually long I) Tohek’t i Equal

K Gah Between K and hard G Wvh'nate k Ablaze

L Lee L L vtv’se All

M Mee M M v’wevkvwv About

N Nee N N vlkwv’yv Bell

O O O (long o) O k’ustek Backward(s)

P Bee Between P and B P uhs Ball

R Thlee Th or thl (usually thl) Vpe’su r -sel Apple/Big Peach

S She She S okon’ Good

T Dee Between D and T T v’luen Many

U You Long U U tu’wv Wolf

V Ahh Ahh V h v ’huh Aha!

W Wee W W e’tvnu Panther

Y Yee Y Y vnv’sv Buffalo

X Gutteral K Clearing Throat Cv x op’ Blackbear/blackbird

English-Natchez Dictionary

Using the Natchez Phonetic Alphabet

(taken from all available speakers and resources)

A

ABANDON. Ho'ka’kes Hoh’-kay’-keesh

ABOUT. Mv’wevkvwv also, at about that time. mawevkvwa, (G.45).

Cf. (G.59), always about. (P.)

to be ABOUT. Hvpe’tes cf. tvpet’vhu, (G.33) I am about.

cf. tvpekshvho, (G.33) We (both) are about.

cf. wetvk’vho. (G.33) We (more than two) are about hvpe’tes (sing.), hvpekses (dual), wehvkes, pl.

ABOVE. Esv’hv also up, Esv’hv, (P.).

ABLAZE. Wvh'natek wah’nay-tek (uwv-na-tek)

ABRIDGE. Mocha’les moch-ha’-les, (P'.) Tuwv nv’yvkus, (P.).

ACCEPT. Kvteha’les kah-tee-hay’-leesh

ACCIDENTAL. Mvkup’ vehvne’svt mah-goop’ Ah-eeh-ahh-nee’-shaht

ACCIDENTLY. Mvkup’ no’kv vehvnes’svt mah-goop’ noh’-kah Ah-eeh-ahh-nee’-shaht

ACCOMPANY. Uncahe’lues oont-chay-hee’-loo-eesh

ACCOMPLISH. Hvkwal’esh be done with, also to finish, Hvkwvl’esh, (G.17).

ACORN. Ele’keh or eleke, (G.9).

ACROSS. Yvwes’tek also beyond, yvweshtek, (G.18).

ACTIVE. Svput’kup shah-boot’-goop

ADAM'S APPLE. Hvnvk’sh hahn-ahksh’, also a stick of firewood. (G.13/30).

ADMIT. Ho’cvi vetv’wv. hoht-chai ah-eee-tah-wah I admit, ya-etv’wv,

ADOPT. Hv’kwvl vye’no hahk’wall ah-ye’no.

ADZE. Cu-kwehvwesh’ tsuu-kwe-hvw-esh’, (G.25).

AFFECTIONATE. Ken’lenu(l) ken lee noo, kenlenu (P.)…l is optional

AFRAID. Kvlumh’-nvkek, kah-lum hnah kik, to be afraid, kvnkvlum’hvkes

AFTERNOON. Tu’wv nv’yvkus too’wah nah’ yah goos

AFTERWARDS. Esv’hv-es eshah’ hah’ ees

AGAIN. Hvmv’ hah mah’

ARGUE. Tvk’vp-tvk tahk’ ahhp tahk

AH! Vhv’huh aha’ hoo, also ah!, alas!, oh!, ah me!

AIL (to be sick). Kos’kvt ehes’ku gohs’ kaht ee-hees’-goo

to ALARM. Kenka’lum yu’kv ken-kay-lum yu-kah, Kenkalum yu’kv

ALL. Lvtv’se lah tah she. They all, there; Lvtvse latvkup (they all sit there)

ALRIGHT. Hv-vh’ hah-aah’, also well, ok and yes, hv-vh’

ALLIGATOR. Kuh’nakvu koon’aay kow

ALMOST. Mvkup’ hvyuhvnv’ mah-goop’ hah you hah’ nah

ALOUD. Wetv’yae wee tah’ yay, also complete, wetv’yae

ALSO. Mvnok’ or mvnv’ mah nok’ (or) mah-nah’ (and)

ALWAYS. Hv’mexawv (usual) tvwetok’ (sec.), hah’mee xay’ wah, tah wee tohk’

AND. Mvkup’ mah goop’ (also mv’nv)

ANGRY. Lemet’skup lee meets’ goop, e.g. Lemetskup’ pvh’te/let him/her go home angry. e.g. Lemetchta’kv / I am angry.

ANKLE. Vt wa’sv aht way’sha (vt is foot)

ANOTHER. Hiv’kwal wetvh’nv hi-ah’-qual wee-tah’-nah lit. (another thing)

ANSWER. Wenecyehv’ res wee neet’ chah ye hah’ thlees lit. Answer you. Can be said: Ehe te-ha’res OR I answer: Ehe te’yalv.

ANT. We’le wee’ lee

ANTLER. Cvsa’xup (cv)tsa-sha’-xup, also prong. Cv (chah) is deer.

ANVIL. Tv’hv wes tah’ hah weesh

ANYBODY. Tvm koseyo’koyo tom go see yo’ go yoh (Tom=mine/man, my/man somebody)

ANYTHING. Kos ‘enuhok gohsh enuh’ hok (kos=ours, our thing)

ANYWHERE. Tv’-ce-hok taht’ gee hohk (a place)

APPLE Vpe’sur-sel ah-bee-suth sheel also big peach, vpesursel

APPLE TREE. Vpe’sur-sel chu see above, add chu (tree)

APPROACH. Yvmvc’ hal’ses yah mahch’ hayl’ sheesh

ARGUE. Ehe’wen ecv’yv hetv’xnu eehee’ wen eed chah’yah heet ah’ new.

ARM. Vhvl’ (also a fish fin) ahh hall’. e.g. Tvke’hv vhvl’; I bind (an) arm.

ARMPIT. Vperenu’yv ahh bee’ thlee’- noo’ yah; vper=shoulder, nu’yv/ inu=under

ARRIVE AT. Esvk’ kuv’ho eshog’ kuah’ hoh, I arrive at. (where speaker is not; yvtvn shv xuvho) two arrive; epes vxku’ more than two arrive; hees’ akus

ARROW. Esvk’ (or esvk’wv) eeh shock’, eeh shock’ wha (can also be a missle of lead)

Esvk eshalesh eeh shock’ ees hale’esh, “seen on top,” an arrow head

Esvk-kwetoxol eeh shock’ gwe toh hxol, quiver or satchel

Esvk-halu’sesh eeh shock’ hay lu’ sheesh, arrow/bow string

Esvk-kvhvp eeh shock’ kah hahp’, white arrow

Esvk hepesul’ eeh shock’ he pee shool’, arrow person…archer

ASCEND. Holoha’kes ho low hay’ kesh

ASHES. Wvlk’v wvlk’ ahh (from uwv, fire)

ASSIST. Vfe’teesv ah fete’-ee shah, (I assist/help) Vfente-esv, He assists.

ASSOCIATE with. Uncv’tet vx nu esesv untchatetaxnu-isisa

ASTRINGENT. Cvtoo’-op chvtoo-op

AT THAT TIME. Mvwevkv’wv mawiaka’ywa

AUNT. Kwvl’eesh kwvlesh compared to Mother (kwvlneeshoo)

yeshtv=grandmother, eshtv=aunt

AUTHORITY. Luku’pe lakupe

AUTUMN. Kus’eyv kusiya

AVOID. Kephep’sees kiphepsi-is

AWAKE(en). Wvkvha’kes wah kah hay’ geesh (I or you)

AX. Eyum’k, eyumk, (P.), ohyaminoo(k)=I hack at

AX-HANDLE. V’ya cu’es(h) hvku-cues(h)=ear of maize.

Note. Cues(h) literally means "short stick."

B

BABY: Ced’se tchidsi, also, child. Cedse, tchidsi (G. 8)

BACHELOR: Tvmvl’ kvtepelsh tama'l katipilsh, (P.)…man single/alone.

BACK: U’sus/Oktu'su also, usus(v), (P.), usus, (B.).