As the Mormons moved into the West in the mid-19th century, it was imperative that they be able to communicate with the local Native peoples, particularly the Ute, Paiute, and Shoshone tribes. It isn’t unusual to find short lists of Native words recorded in diaries and ledgers by missionaries and others who worked in close contact with the Natives.
An indication of how important these language skills were may be deduced from the fact that Dimick B. Huntington published his first Ute and Shoshone Vocabulary in 1853, with a revised edition in 1854. What follows was a version published much later, in the Improvement Era of 1914.
(It has been difficult to get the formatting right. If things don’t line up on your screen, let me know what’s wrong and I’ll try again.)
Axe
Apple
Antelope
Another
All
All gone
Awl
Arrow point
A boundary line
A straight line
A hole
A well
A great way off
A long time ago
A long time in future
Boat
Bridge
Blood
Bad
Bed
Buffalo
Buffalo skin
Black
Bear
Bridle
Break
Beads
Bread
Bite
Brass
Boy
Beaver
Bow
Born
Badger
Black-tail rabbit
Beaver trap
Big black cricket
Clock
Chest or Trunk
Canter
Corn
Cut-throat
Chicken
Come
Crow or Raven
Crow Indians
Comb
Chair
Crane
Cottonwood
Choke-cherry
Certain
Chief
Child
Cedar
Cry
Colt
Cut
Coat
Cheese
Centre
Chew
Cane
Cat
Confined to the bed
Candle
Coach
Conceive
Catch
Catch with lasso
Creek or River
Die
Dead
Done
Do you understand
Doctor
Drink
Deaf
Dry (thirsty)
Deer
Dog
Dig
Drown
Dust
Dance
Duck
Dream
Devil
Door
Drum
Daylight
Encamp
Eat
Ear
Elk
Eye
Equal
Egg
Earth
Enough
Eagle
Fire
Fish
Friend
Fishhook
Fix or make
Foot
Finger-ring
Forgotten
Fight
Fish hunting
Fox
Fence
Foolish
Flour
Ford
Feathers
Face
File
Gradual ascent
Good
Go with me
Give
Great
Gone away
Gun
Get out of the way
Grass
Get up
Ground squirrel
Grasshopper
Gambling
Go
Glean, to pick
Grease wood
Go home
Go slow
Go fast
Gold
Girl
Grow
Hard
Heart
Hair
Horse
Hat
Hand
Hen
Handkerchief
Hand it to me
Hind sight to a gun
Hare
Hog
Hold up your hand
Head
Hobble
House
Heavy
Iron
Ice
I do not know
Indian tobacco
In the future
In the past
I say
I said
Interpreter
Kneel down
Knife
Kettle
Kill
Kick
Load a gun
Look and stand
Light the fire
Liar
Long
Lie down
Look
Lead (a metal)
Looking-glass
Long ago
Lame
Lice
Laugh
Lodge pole
Large
Live
Lend
Licentious
Light (not heavy)
Make
Mule
Moon
Mosquito
Mine
Myelf
Make haste
Mother
Money
Medicine
Milk
Many or Much
Mountain sheep
Meat
Man
Mad
Mountain
Morning
Mud
Moe
Marry
Mountain top
Mountain side
Muskrat
Moe camp
Mourning dove
Male kind
No, not so
Not certain
Not any
Needle
Noon
No name
New
Now
Never
Night
Open the door
Old man
Otter
Old
Onion
One
Over the river
Pack (to carry)
Paper
Pantaloons
Potatoes
Plate
Pistol
Pipe
Pine
Powder
Painting
Poor in flesh
Pain
Pine-nuts
Polecat
Plover (a bird)
Roan
Red
Run
Rabbits
Rattlesnake
Road
Red shirt
Ride
Round circle
Rope
Rabbit-brush
Resurrection
Ramrod
Rifle
Ripe
Report
Saluttion
Sick
Small bells
Small
Sing
Sleep
Salt
Slow
Soft
Shut the door
Sack or Bag
Shoot
Saddle
Strong
Stirrup
Sage-hen
Sioux Indian
Stand up
Stinking
Stink
Spy-glass
Spirit
Sage-brush
Snow
Service-berries
Sinew
Spaniard
Sheep
Shield
Sun
Stone
Spoon
Soap
Sewing-thread
Sheep-eaters
Shot-gun
Shade or Shadow
Sunrise
Sundown
Stars
Spring of water
To fly
This, that or it
To baptize
Think
Thunder
The night
Talk
Trout
Tired
Tobacco
To trade
Tie up
Throw away
Table
Tail
Toad
To catch fish
To cook food
Trot
Want
Watermelon
White-tail deer
Warm
Wrong
What is your name
Wash hands
Wood
Walk
Wolf
Wash clothes
Water
Willow
White hair
White
Wagon
What
Wild goose
Whiskey
White face
Yellow or Brass
Younger brother
You
Yonder
Yes
…
NUMBERS:
…
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-one
Thirty
Forty
Fifty
Sixty
Seventy
Eighty
Ninety
One hundred
…
SHOSHONE:
…
Axe
Another thing
Another person
All
Antelope
Arrapahoe
Awl
All come
Arrow point
Blood
Bad
Buffalo
Black
Bear (a beast)
Bridle
Break
Brown
Black hair
Belly
Been done
Brother
Bannack
Black feet
Beaver
Blue
Corn
Coffee
Crow Indians
Come
Cloud
Certain
Chief
Cord
Cedar
Child
Deer
Don’t kill
Dig
Dead
Dog
Drink
Drown
Dream
Eat
Ear
Equal
Empty
Earth
Enough
Fire
Finger-ring
Frightened
Fish hunt
Friend
Fat
File
Foot
Forgot
Fight
Father
Flour
Flint
Good
Give me water
Go away
Go home
Grass
Grasshopper
Good for nothing
Green
Get up
Gum
Hard
Heart
Horse
Hair
Hat
Hard heart
Hare
It’s enough
I do not know
Iron
Knife
Kettle
Kill
Laugh
Long ago
Lance
Large
Looking-glass
Look
Long
Lie
Make
Moon
Mosquito
My friend
Money
Milk
Many
Mountain sheep
Meat
Man
Mountain
Morning
No, not so
Nose
Noon
Old
Otter
Open the door
Percussion cap
Pig
Poor
Powder
Pipe
Paper
Pantaloons
Roan
Red
Red hair
Red blanket
Run fast
Run
Road
Sick
Small
Sing
Sleep
Slow
Soft
Salt
Shut the door
Sack or Bag
Shoot
Saddle
Strong
Stirrup
Sweet water
Sugar
Sister
Shot-gun
Snow
Service-berries
Smoking leaf
Shield
Sun
Snake river
Sunrise
Sundown
Throw away
That
Thunder
To-night
To talk
Tired
Tobacco
To trade
To know
To kill
Tail Ma [?]
Wagon
White
White hair
Wife
White blanket
Water
Wolf
Wood
Warm
What
Wild goose
Yellow
You
Yes
…
NUMBERS:
…
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
And so till twenty
Twenty
Thirty
Forty
Fifty
Sixty
Seventy
Eighty
Ninety
One hundred
Quepannump
Peag-a-mar
Wanzitz
Ker-mush
Mah-no-nah
Topic-quay
Wee-uds
Pan-now-nup
Tig-ah-kent
Tomequint
Puckage
Oroc-kent
To-edg mae
To edg-tish
To-edge-pe-nun-ko
Obishock
Oyem-po-shag
Pwap
Kadz-at
Sham-up
Quitsen
Quitsen-pooah
Toquer
Queo-gand
Timbi-up
Ko-poke
Tso
Pan (or Te-shut-cup)
Keae
Wah-ker
Ipeds
Pow-inch
Ads
Nan-to-un-gee
O-num-buds
Cam-mo
Pow-inch-yeari-nump
My-soods
Tab-by-nump
O-yem-fat-sup
Ap-poo-yah
Coeets seeb-in
Cam-boonk
Pie-ka
At-taw-konts
Up-sa-ro-ka
Nan-zu-ri-nump
Pah-ger-nump
Tsuck-ore
Sho-ap
To-nump
Tuege-shump
Ne-ab
Tow-ats-en
Wap
Yah-gi
Co-war-o-wets
Scheb-in
Tah
Ka-sooch
To-tery-wup-unt
Cuts-so-I
Nan-ze tope
Moo-chich
Nah-me quy
Nighty-nump
Po-kent-o-yem-bon-go
O-net-shpec
Tsi
Witch ung I nunk
No-quint
E-iqueay
E-I
O-wish
Poo-suds-a-way-ah
Poy-gand
E-bee-bee
Katz-nan-ki
Town goo-nary-oo-ah
Te-ah
Sar-rich
O-ra
Pah-e-I
O-coomp
Weep-pi
Tsig
No-ni-shee
Shin-nob
U-ra-wop
Que-tum-bi-nump
Tash-a
Mea-a-bitch
Ticki-I
Nan-kub-bah
Par-ri-ah
Poo-ye
To-a-now-er
No-pub
Tee-weep
Own-shump
Quan-a-tich
Coo-nah
Pan-gwitch
Tig-a-boo
Pah-ger-a-nump
E-ne-kend
Namp
Pan-a-mah-ger-i-nump
Katz-shu-mi
Nah-oo-quey
Pan-gwitch-pushager
Tab-boon-zits
O-ven gwup
Katz-te-su-ah
Tu-shu-kent
Par-a-boo
Peeb
Ko-bub
O-one-er i-nump
Pan-nunk
Att
Tam-my-nah-wah
Mug-gi
Ah-bat
Katz kar-ra
Tum-by-oo
In-e-to-ah
O-weep
Quir-I ka
See-pitch
A-ran guts
Ni-a-witch
Pi-equay
Tso-I
To-nub
Pi-equay-band
Shan-neech
Pun-ker-ro
Wah-pana-kar-ra
Nan-zitch
Nan-a
Tin-zeer
Tots-sib-a-wub
Teah or Ka vah-u
Katz-oats
Moo-ninch
Kam-boonk
Pan-shi-aci
Yen-no or Yack
Poon-ery-nump
Tsuch-kum
o-sho or Ko-chee na
Tone-do
Tot se-in
Mo-e chuck
Kahn
Put-te-ent
Pan-a-kar-a
Tesh-pah
Um-pio or Katz-poo-soods a-way
Pow-rah
Pe-nun-ko
Ick-in-nish
Mkie-e-neah
Tin-ne-ah
To-to-un
Weitch
Pam-boon-nah
Puck-ki
Tang-I
To-wudg-ka
Poon-ny-won-y
Coon-ah-night-y
Tu-wish-er-er
Cu-ber-ant
Ah-be-nuy
Poon-e-kee
Oo
Nah-voo-nump
E-tish
Shan-gee
Poo-chup
Kee-en
Wandin
Ah-bat
No-re-ah
Yow-e-na
Nah-soon-chee
Shi-pun-ny
InInelka
Moo-rats
My-toge
Mo-ap
Nin-ny
Tam-my
Te-we-ne
Pe-ades
Pan-na-car-ra
Mh-shoot-te-quoop
Pee-chup
Hah-van
Nah-gadz
To-quab
Tow-ats
Ni-ah
Ki-bah
Po-e-chi-co
Pow-e-ibe
Meah-bike-way
Pe-oh-a
Wig-ki-bah
Pi-ab-bah
Pah-rant
Me-ah-bi-quay
I-oo
Ko-mong
Katz
Ump-i-o
Katz-i-an-o
Tidz-ah-nump
To-tab-by
Katz-ne-ate
Ah-ger-um
Ahp
Katz-pe-nun-so
To-can
Tsap-kak
Nan-i-peds
Pan-sook
Etum
Kin-kah
Soos
Mah-bah quan-do
Noke
Po-kent
Pe-mo
Tsing
Tuwup or Tick-i-nump
To-i-pidg
Tsong
Ompe
Koots-ah-wah
An-ker-ker-oak
Kan-e-bitch
Pe-kon-gah
Teeb
Po-ney
Queets
Ash-sheer
An-karr
Pun-ker-ro
Shuc-cum
To-ab
Po
An-ker-tah
Shpee
Que-o-kent
Tshap
Man-no-nah quyr-a-ky
Sku-ri-nump
Aukage
Quash-a
To-ah-boy
Mike tig a boo
Puck-kon-gah
Tappa-a-rump
Me-poodg-e
Kah
Ep-weh
O-ab-bit
Shan-neach
Katz tin-zeer
To-oci
Co-nob
Co-que
Car-ri-nump
Nar-ri-ent
Tang-i-nump
She-jah
Pam bitch a-men
One-e
Pe-quy-na-ry
Quan-na
Poon-e-rey-nump
Mo-ap
Mahb
New-wappy
To-em-py
Tam-mo
Co-quets
Can-na-rich
Tap=po
Tab-by
Timp
Mon-zoo
Ne-var-a-ga-nump
Pan-shi-tam-mo
Na-gads-tick-er
Pant-tum-bi-oo
Wah-bab
Tabby-moushy
Tabby-eoquay
Poo-chitts
Shpee-kin
Mah-be-nunk
Inch
Tsow-oo-ni
Shu-mi
O no-nint
To-can
At-am-bar
At-em-pah-gar
Oo-wo-one
Quap
Nar-ro-wap
Tan peech-e
Tur-reb-by
Tick-i-nump
Quah-sitch
Quan-nump
Pang-gwitch-tsi
Tshi
Ap-poo-na
Ash-en-ty
Shan-te-cut
Soo-goosh
Coo-too-rich
Katz dat
An-na-ne-ah
Ne-var-e-ga
O-pti
Pah-wi
Ye-oge
Pah-shoa
Pah
Kan-nab
Tshar-tots-sib-i-wub
Tsharr
O-yem-bon-go
Hum-pah
O-bi-nunk
Koon-ah-pay
T-shuker-boin
Wah-ker
Suc-ige
Em
Mah-bah
Oo-ah
…
…
…
Soos
Wuy-une
Pi-une
Wats-u-ene
Man-i-gin
Nav-i-une
Tat-su-ene
Ni-wat-su-ene
Sur-rom-su-ene
Tom-su-ene
Tom-su-ene soos spinko
Tom-su-ene wy-une spinko
Tom-su-ene pi-une spinko
Tom-su-ene wats-u-ene spinko
Tom-su-ene man-i-gin spinko
Tom-su-ene nav-i-une spinko
Tom-su-ene tat-su-ene spinko
Tom-su-ene ni-wat-su-ene spinko
Tom-su-ene sur-rom-su-ene spinko
Wamp-su-ene
Wamp-su-ene soos spinko
Pam-su-ene
Wtas-u-ene tom-su-ene
Man-i-gin tom-su-ene
Nav-i-une tom-su-ene
Tat-su-ene tom-su-ene
Ni-wat-su-ene tom-su-ene
Sur-rom-su-ene tom-su-ene
Soos meh
…
…
…
Oo-han
Kick-er-much
Under-sih
O-yate
Qura-retz-ey
Sar-ry-tcik
Wey-oe
O-yate-kiim
Oo-pah-zuts-sii
Pweep
K-gent
Kood-sin
To-e bti
Oo-rets-ey
Tum-bup
Ko-pup
Toop-she-bit
To-pam-py
Shap
Pwesh
Pad-zits
Pan-nack
Pah-kee
Han-ny
Em-boo-e-bit
An-neap
Cop-py
Up-sa-ro-ka
Kim
Pah-ger-nump
Tee-bits
Ty-gwun-nup
tim-mook
Wap
To watsi
Shock er-ah
K-my beck
Ah-we
Te-I
Sar-ry
Mh-he-be
Pah te-I
Now-she-ah
My-dick
Nank
Soo-wite
Kay-wut
Shog-oup
So-bi-gush
Koo-nah
Mah-van
Shir-re-er
Pan-gwitch-mo-wick
Hanch
Yope
Tim-uts
Em-pah
K-shwucik
Nah-be-tink
Ap
To-se-te cup
Tim pah nah rack
Tshant
Pah-mote
Me-a ro
Can me-a-ro
Sho-neep
At tank
K tshant
Sha-go-ebit
E ate-sey
Sham-up
Ke-tant
Pe
Bon-go
Pompy
Tits-o-mo
Pe-ke-tant
To-se-cumb
So-bi-gush
I-my-shun-bun-ny
Poo-e-wee
We-its
Wit-to-ah
My-beck
Ye-an-net
So-bash
She-jah
Peah-up
No-boo-way
Mah-boon
Kiv-er-ant
Ish-ump
Ma-hon
Man-e-goots
Mom-poo
Neah hanch
Lay-pe-ase
Pit-see
Shont
To coot sey
Un-toke
Tur-nup
To yab-by
Po-eech-i-co
Kay
No-be
Tab-by-pant
Tsoo-goo-pet-sy
Pan-sook
Mah-ah-tak
Nar-rack
Co-sho
Mash-en tee-tant
Nau-gar tush
Un-to
Tu-wup
Coos
Ash-en-bit
An-e-bit
An-e-pom-py
An-ke-wan-up
Kit-tant-nook
Nook
Po
Ne che quy
Te-tich
E-moo
Ep-wee
O-be-tah
Ke ke tant
Oun e bit
Mut sut-tum
Mow gut say
Mah-gwoot
Nar-ri-no
Nar-ri-ent
Nar re-tuck
Pe nah pah
Pe nah
Pad-zits
Pe-yet
Tuck-e-bit
Te-em-py
Mi-tim-e-ah
Tap-po
Tab-by
Jamph-pah-pa
Tab-by to-wick
Tab-by-ti I
Mu-e-ty
Ick
Too-yah-kay
To-can-inch
Ty-gwun
Pah-buck
Pau-mo-e
Nah a me
Mah-shum-bun-ny
-wash or Mah-gar-vic
Qua-shay
Wah-bin-bon-go
To-see bit
To-see pom-py
Un-gwab-it-se
To-see-bit wan up
Pah
E-chup
Ho-pit
Ear-rint
Hin
Noo ken detch
Owee-bit
Him
Oos
…
…
…
Sim-i-titch
Wat
Pite
Wat-su-et
Man-a-get
Nav-ite
Tat-su-it
Nh-wat-su-it
Shim-mer-o-men
Shim-mer
Shim-mer sim-er-titch ma-do-ick
Shim-merwatama-do-ick
…
Wam-i-no
Pam-i-no
Wat-su-wee-ny
Man-i-gen-ny
Nav-i-te-wee-ny
Tat-su-et-wee-ny
Ni-wat-su-it-wee-ny
Shim-mer-o-men-ny
Shim-mer-shim-mer
Can you spot the meaning of some Utah place names?
“Pang-gwitch-tsi” looks pretty familiar.
What a tremendous amount of work this must’ve taken, Ardis. Thanks.
I thought the whole list was worth reproducing, in part to see what words made up Huntington’s conversations.
The first list was interesting that among secular, survival-based words are “resurrection” and “to baptize”.
Now I want an Old West English phonetic pronunciation dictionary. Are words ending in “ank” pronounced with a long a sound or more like “ahnk?”
I find it faintly alarming that “cut-throat” was important enough to be included in the list.
You read the whole list to find those, HokieKate! I can understand “to baptize” because it was something the Utes would have seen the Mormons doing, but I wonder how “resurrection” came up in conversation?
That’s really a weakness, isn’t it, Matt? Huntington had no phonetic alphabet or linguistic training, just a knack for languages. I wonder what a modern Ute- or Shoshone-speaker would make of his efforts?
Vader, I’m hoping that is a reference to the trout species … but there’s no telling, is there?!
Fascinating what was were included, like “big black cricket”and “catch with lasso”.
I hope they weren’t using the lassos for the crickets …
Yeah, it’s kind of a snapshot of life at that time and place, isn’t it?
Turns out I know a Shoshone expert, so I’ll forward a link to him. He’s awfully busy right now but hopefully will have time to comment.
I think that it is pretty extraordinary that he got those publications out so early. His work with Native Americans was also pretty extraordinary. By the 1870s he had created a diorama that narrated the plan of salvation from the Garden of Eden to the Angel Moroni, to aid in his native proselytizing. It doesn’t surprise me at all that Resurrection was included in his list.
Wondering about that Ute word for the Sioux: “Pam bitch a-men.”
I knew a girl named Pam, and I’m not saying “Amen.”
And “nump” shows up at the end of a lot of words, most some kind of machine or tool. But when I got to “cloud” and “toad,” I couldn’t figure out the connection.
This is fabulous, Ardis! I took the lists and made the data a little more structured via some spreadsheets:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EJMJAfzyN9xnGGwJvNXbesoLbnB1adoX1EMxdHyO4kE/edit?usp=sharing
Two tables for Ute and two tables for Shoshone.
Very nice, Tod, thanks.
I can’t believe how he was able to learn these words in such a short time, and printed a primer with them so others could communicate with the two tribes.