WASAJI, or Osage[269]

American (an), Manhi̍-tánga (an French).

Arm, ischtó.

Arrow, uan (an French).

Autumn, tandje (an and j French).

Avenge (v), gráschupä.

Beard, putain (tain French), or indjähin (j French; in nasal, like i).

Bird, uaschi̍nga.

Black, sábä.

Blind, ischtá-uä̍rabaje (j French; e distinctly pronounced).

Blood, uahpi̍h.

Blue, tóh.

Bone (bones), uah-huh.

Bow, minn-djä (j French).

Brave, uanompasche (sche German; distinctly pronounced).

Brave man, uassissigä (guttural).

Brook, uatschi̍ska.

Brother (older), uischiniäh.

Brother (younger), uissonga.

Child, schi̍nga-schinga.

Cold (adj), sni̍h; very cold, sni̍h-uatschä.

Copper (metal), mansä̍-sih.

Dance (v), uatschi̍.

Day, hambá (French).

Deaf, nihü̍tsche-ning-kä (e ½; the whole run together).

Devil (evil spirit), uakán-pi̍hschä (a short and ½).

Die (v), ts-ä̍h (ts is merely a fore tone).

Dish (of wood), i̍ntschipä (German throughout).

Dog, schong-gä (German).

Door, tischúpä.

Dream (v), hombra (German throughout).

Drink (v), latan (French).

Dumb, i̍ha-baje (j French; e distinctly pronounced).

Ear, natáh: hence mule, natáh-tánga; i.e., big ears.

Earth, makáh, or maniga (guttural, indistinct).

Enemy, okitsche (e ½).

Englishman, Sanganásch.

Evening, pah-set-tan (an French).

Eye, ischtá.

Father, indadjä (j French).

Feather, manschon (on French).

Fire, pedje (j French; e distinctly pronounced).

Flesh, táh-tóhka.

Forest, schán.

Frenchman, Ischtáchä (ch German, guttural).

Friend, korá.

Go (v), grih-grah (German throughout; r with the point of the tongue).

God, uakán-tánga (first an French) or uakoͣ́nda.

Good, tanhä (an French); it tastes good, láhgenih.

Great (tall), tánga (German, guttural).

Gun, uahóta; rifle, minh-gi̍ng-graha.

Hair, pah-hah.

Hand, nompé (om French).

Head, páh.

Healthy, ansi̍ri.

Heart, nonn-je (j French; e distinctly pronounced).

Heat, (n), man-schtä (an French; schta German).

Horse, kawa; plural is the same.

House (lodge), ti̍h.

Hunger, nompä-anhin (om French likewise an and final in. nasal, like i).

Hunt (v), tábreh.

I, uïe (e ½).

Ice, tschácha (ch guttural).

Iron, mansä̍ (an French); yellow iron.

Kettle (iron), tschäckä̍.

Knife, manhi (an French).

Lame, ih-rá-ha.

Lance, uä̍h-schap-schäh (the whole run together).

Lead (n), mansä-man (an French).

Leader (chief), kahigä̍.

Leg, schä̍ga (German throughout).

Life, ani̍h.

Lightning, uakin-ala (in nasal, almost like i; the whole run together).

Man, niká; nika-schiga, several men, people.

Meal (or to eat?), uanúmbra (German throughout).

Medicine-feast, opä̍han-uakan (an French); or medicine-day, hámba-uakan (am and an French).

Medicine-lodge, kih-uakándagä.

Medicine-man, uakándagä (German throughout; g guttural).

Medicine-pouch, uahhóbä.

Moon, mi̍h, or mi̍h-ómba (om French).

Morning, han-bach-tschä (han French; bach German guttural).

Mother, ni̍h-tánga.

Mountain, pahha.

Mountain (great), pahha-tánga.

Mountain (small), pahha-schi̍nga.

Mourning (n), nanschischon.

Mouth, i-há.

Much (many), hühe (e ½).

Negro, ni̍ka-sabä.

Night, hán-dje (an and j French; e short).

Nose, pah-schu.

Pipe (tobacco), naniómba.

Powder (gun-powder), nichotsche (ch guttural; e distinct).

Quick, uasch-kan (kan French).

Quiver, uáh-onju (n and j French); this, as well as bow and arrow, no longer occurs among them.

Red, schúdja (j French).

Red (to paint red), schudja-gáhcha (ch guttural).

River, uatschi̍ska-tánga; i.e., great brook, or river; they call the Missouri, Nih-schodje (j French; e ½), i.e., the muddy water.

Sand, tschansemon (French).

Scalp (n), pahá.

Scalp (v; scalp an enemy), pahá-rüsá.

Scalp-dance (war-dance), tután-uatschi.

Shield (n), uágrä (short; r with the point of the tongue); to carry a shield, tschehá-uágrä.

Sick, itüh-häga (run together).

Silver, mansaskan (an French); i.e., white iron.

Small, uah-hohstia, or uah-hohta.

Smoke (n), schódiä.

Snow (n), wáh.

Speak (v), i̍hha-uaska.

Spirits (distilled), pädjini̍h.

Spring (the season), päädje (aa separated; j French).

Star, uïtscháchpe (ch German, guttural).

Stingy (greedy), uah-chrih (ch with the point of the tongue).

Stone, in (in somewhat nasal, like i).

Strong, uaschkan-gran-rä (an and gran French).

Summer, bellokellan (an French).

Sun, uin (u and i separated; in nasal, like i).

Teeth, hi̍h.

Thunder (n), gronhóta.

Tobacco (smoking tobacco), nanähü.

Tomahawk (with the pipe), manhispä-nani̍omba (an French).

Tongue, lähja (j French).

Toothache, hi̍h-hi̍h.

Trail, ohschángä (German).

Ugly, pih-sche (e ½).

Village, taman (an French).

War, tu-tan (an French).

War-club (casse tête, tomahawk), manhispä-schi̍nga.

Warmth, manschtä (an French).

Wash (v), gruschá.

Water, ni̍h.

Weep (v), hagä̍.

White (color), skáh.

Widow, ni̍hka-tombaschä (om French).

Wind (n), tadjä (j French).

Winter, páhletan (e short; an French).

Woman (wife), uakó (ua separated).

Wood, tschán (an French).

Yellow, si̍h.

Yes, hóh-uä.

Articles of Dress

Blanket (woolen), hahi̍n (in nasal, like i).

Deer's-tail (hair ornament), táhsinnja (j French).

Leggings, hü̍hninggä (German).

Moccasins, hómpä (om French).

Shirt, o̍ch-kiüera (ch guttural; e ½); i.e., white man's shirt, for they wear none, not even of leather.

Numerals

One, uïnchtschä (uinch nasal; u and i separated; n French; ch guttural).

Two, nombá (om French).

Three, lahbeni (e ½; ni short).

Four, toh-bá.

Five, sah-tá (s soft; ta short).

Six, schah-pé.

Seven, peh-umbá (German).

Eight, kih-atóba.

Nine, grä̍bena-tscheh-uïningkä̍ (the whole run together); i.e., ten less one; they also say, schangká.

Ten, grä̍bena (e ½; na short).

Eleven, grä̍bena-ahgenä-uächze (uach nasal; ach guttural; ze short).

Twelve, grä̍bena-agenih-nombá.

Thirteen, grä̍bena-lahbeni.

Twenty, grä̍bena-nombá; and so on.

Hundred, grä̍bena-hütanga.

Thousand, grä̍bena-itó-grabë̍na-hütanga.

I eat, uaranombra-tatsch, or uanumbra-minktsch.

You (thou) eat, uaranumbra.

He eats, same as I eat.

We eat, there is no plural form, the plural is expressed by using "many."

Eat (imper singular and plural), uanumbra.

I shall eat, nomp-eh-anhin-uaranumbra-tatsch (an and n French); i.e., I am hungry and shall eat.

Names of Other Tribes

Ayowas, Páhodjä.

Comanches, Baschtá.

Crows, Kahchä̍ (ch guttural).

Dacotas, Schauánn (a and u separated).

Foxes, given same name as Sahkis.

Konzas, Kansä̍ (an French).

Missouris, Waschóra.

Omáhas, Omahá.

Otos, Wadochtáta (och guttural).

Pahnis, Pani̍.

Sakis, Sáhki.

Animals

Antelope, tatóhka.

Badger, hogá (ga German, guttural).

Bear (black), uassábä.

Bear (grizzly), mantó (an French).

Beaver, tscháhbä.

Buffalo (bull), tschetoga.

Buffalo (calf), tschéh-schínga.

Buffalo (cow), tschéh.

Cat, mi̍hka.

Cat (European), ing-grong-grä̍scha (German).

Elk (general name), opán (an French).

Elk (calf), opán-schinga.

Elk (doe), opán-mi̍nga (second word German).

Elk (stag), opán-tánga, or hächága (ch guttural).

Fox, schongréscha (German).

Fox (prairie), schongréscha-schi̍nga.

Hare (white), manschtin-skah.

Lynx (felix rufa), mih-ká.

Muskrat, táh-si.

Opossum, sindiäschtá.

Otter, tochenángä (ch German, guttural).

Panther, ingróng-ga (German throughout; run together).

Panther-skin, ingrónggaha.

Rabbit (hare), manschtin-schi̍nga (an French; in nasal, like i).

Skunk, mang-gá.

Snake, uets-ah (u and e separated; the whole run together).

Snake (rattle snake), sin-diä̍-chala (ch guttural).

Spider, tschä̍büka.

Turkey (wild), súhka.

Wolf, schomikásse (e distinct).

The Months

July and August, tschetoga-ki̍rucha; i.e., the moon when the buffalo is in heat.

September, October and November, tah-kiruchä, i.e., the time when the deer is in heat.

December, tah-habrähka; i.e., moon of the thin hides.

January and February, mi̍hka-kiruchä; i.e., the time when the lynx is in heat.

March and April, oh-uä-gachä (ch guttural); i.e., the time of the maize.

FOOTNOTES:

[269] Written from the pronunciation of Mr. Chardon, who had lived a long time among the Osages and understood the language perfectly. They call their people Wasaji. Formerly they were a powerful tribe, and were always at war with the neighboring Indians, even with the Konsas who speak the same dialect. They were originally divided into the Great and Little Osages; but about forty years ago a part of them, known under the name of the Chaneer's, or Clermont's band, separated from the rest and moved to the Arkansa. On the present dwelling place of the Osages, see Gallatin (ibid., p. 126). They regard themselves as autochthonous.—Maximilian.

Comment by Ed. For F. A. Chardon, see our volume xxiii, p. 188, note 144. For Clermont's band and its separation from the Osage, consult our volume v, pp. 191, 192.