Cheyenne Dictionary

 Cheyenne

'

'-1   ep. epenthetic consonant which occurs to prevent some preverb-final vowels from making contact with a following vowel; this element always follows sáa- 'not' when it precedes a vowel. Ésáa-'-áahtomónéhe. He didn't listen. (cf. ésáa-manéhe 'He didn't drink.').

'-2   tns. oblique in conjunct order verbs. In independent verbs this block refers to a "distant" past. The degree of distance in the past of h- varies according to context and the point of view of the speaker. Remote past can be farther back in time than one year or more. Forms unmarked for tense are either present tense or recent past, for example, énéméne 'he is singing' or 'he sang.' The /h-/ changes to x, ', s, or š, depending on what letter follows: x before h, ' before a vowel, s before s, and š before š. In dependent (conjunct) verbs this marks location and cause, as well as tense, so for the conjunct we give it the technical label of an oblique. allomorph of /h/ 'past tense' between vowels. É'-áahtomónėsesto. They were listening (reportative). É-hnéméne. He sang. (note Énéméne 'He is singing' or 'He sang (recent past)'). É-xhonótovȯsesto. They cooked him. (reportative mode). É-'éenéšeohtsésesto. There were two of them. (reportative mode). É-ssévanóhoono. They slid. (preterite mode). Phon: Allomorphs are s- and š- (by assimilation to the following sound) and '- and x- (by dissimilation). See: h-2 tense, location, cause; -htse1 future; h- past tense; '-1 epenthetic vowel. Category: grammar.

-'á   fti. by foot (or body). Éávevo'ē-'a. He knocked it over (with his body). Éé'é-'a. He broke it with his foot. fta: -'ov.

-'ahtá   fti. taste. Nápėhévé-'áhta. I like its taste. Éhoháe-'ȧhtánóvo ho'évohkȯhtse. They really go for the taste of meat. Émé'-áhta. He recognized its taste. Éoné-'áhta. He taste-tested it. That is, he tested its taste. fai: -'ȧsené. Category: taste.

-'ahtse   ni. Gram: poss arm, hand, forearm. includes hand and forearm. ma-'ahtse arm. Plural ma-'ȧhtsenȯtse. na-'ahtse my hand/arm. he-'ȧhtsenȯtse his arms. he-'ȧhtsenevótse their arms. BodyPartMedial -he'oná hand; -na'eva arm. See: -ahtsená mouth. Etym: *mexpetwini. Category: body.

-'a'o   ni. Gram: poss shin (poss.) ma-'ā'o a shin. [Croft] he-'ā'o his shin. Plural ma-'a'onȯtse; Medial -a'oná; IndepNoun ve'ȯhkono. Ques: recheck pitch cf Croft ma'a'ónéso 'little shin' See: -vé'ho'á'one. Etym: cf. nexkaxkwani 'my shin'. Category: body.

-'asé   mbp. belly. See: -tonėše; -ome.

-'ȧsené   fai. taste. Éhméhaehoháe'-ȧsēne. He used to really drink. [1987:200] Ée'omé-'ȧsēne. He tasted (s.t.) greasy. fti: -'ahtá.

-'éémá   mbp. snot, mucus, runny nose. É-néhe'éemȧséóhtse. He has a runny nose. Category: nose.

-'éeme   na. Gram: poss snot. ma-'éeme snot. he-'éemo his snot. ne-'éeme your snot. Morph: /ma-'ééme/. See: -htátseeme. Etym: cf. *makikwa or akikwa. Category: nose.

-'esé   mbp. rump; buttocks; arse; ass; butt. hóxe-'ėsénéó'o bustle (literally, tie.around-buttocks-(thing)). vé'še-'ėsénȯhestȯtse pants (literally, enclosed-rump-thing). táxe-'ėséestȯtse chair (literally, on-rump-sit-thing). Étáxe-'ėsee'e. He's sitting upon (a chair etc.). Étó'ėse-'ėsévo'ėhāna. She has high heeled shoes. Lit: long-"rump"-shoed Né'eve-'ėsé'hameha! Pull your pants up! Nátóo-'ėsénoo'o. I rear ended them. See: -esé. Category: body.

-'esó   fii. long, length. Éháa-'ēso. It's far away. Étsėhe-'ēso. It's long. Category: size.

-'está1   mbp. ear. Ématse-'ēsta. He has infected/running ears. Émomá'e-'ėstávose. His ears are red from the cold. Nátoe-'ēsta. My ears are cold. néške-'ēsta chipmunk (lit. perked-ears). Variant: -'kestá1. See: -htovoo'ȯtse ear (poss.). Category: ears, body.

-'está2   na. Gram: poss vagina. Variant: -'kestá2; Homonym -'está ear. Category: sex, vulgar.

-'ėstahe   fai. height, length, high, long. Étsėhe-'ėstahe. He's tall. É-tšėhe'kėstahe. He is short. Éhehpe-'ėstahe. He's taller. fii: -'esó. Category: height, size.

-'évá   m. wife. Éasėta-'éva. He took a wife. Éháestȯhe-'éva. He has many wives. Énéše-'éva. He has two wives. Ého'ėhéhestana-'éva. He came to court (his lover) under a blanket. Étsėhése-'éva. He has a Cheyenne wife. Variant: -(a)'évá; Masculine -éhamá. Category: marriage.

-'evo   ni. Gram: poss nose. ma-'evo a nose. na-'evo my nose. he-'evo his nose. Ques: Or is that just 'nose'?? Category: check. Plural ma-'evonȯtse; Medial -esé. Morph: /ma-'evon/. Etym: *mexkiwani. Category: body, nose.

-'exa   ni. Gram: poss eye. ma-'exa eye. Plural ma-'éxánėstse. na-'exa my eye. na-'éxánėstse my eyes. BodyPartMedial -'éxané; Oblique ma-'éxáá'e. Morph: /na-'éšen/. Etym: *neškiinšekwi. Category: eyes.

'éxae   ni. Gram: poss eye. na'éxaenōtse our (excl) eyes.

'éxae   Gram: poss ni. eye. na'éxaenōtse our (excl) eyes.

-'éxané   mbp. eye. Éotá'tave-'éxáne. He has blue eyes. Éó'kȯhoméheve-'éxáne. He is sly/he cheats. Lit: He has coyote eyes. Émomá'e-'éxáne. He has red/bloodshot eyes. Émamée-'éxanénahtse. He rubbed his (own) eyes. Stem -'éxa. Category: eyes.

-'haenȯtse   na. Gram: poss sputum, spit, phlegm. na-'haenȯtse my phlegm. he-'haenoto his sputum. See: -oese'haná.

-'ha(me)   fna. livestock. especially horses; cattle. originally, for dog, then extended to other domesticated animals. mo'éhno-'ha horse. he'é-'hame mare (literally, female-horse). vóhpo-'ha white horse. Phon: -me elides when word-final, for example, when singular. Category: livestock.

-'hame   na. Gram: poss cross-niece. Gram: poss. This is a man's sister's daughter or a woman's brother's daughter. She is called "niece" when speaking English in the Cheyenne system. na-'hāme my cross-niece. na-'hameho my cross-nieces. ná-'hame cross-niece (voc.) ne-'hāme your cross-niece. he-'hameho his cross-niece. tséhe-'hamėhéto the one who is my cross-niece. na-'hamasėstse cross-nieces (voc.) vai: -he-'hamehe. See: -htónȧhamóone. Etym: *ne'θem-. Category: relatives.

-'hamé   m. livestock. especially horses or cattle. Évoneotsé-'háme. He lost his herd. Variant: -(o)'hamé. Category: livestock, horses.

-'haná   fai. eat. Variant: -e'haná. Category: eat.

-'háononá   mbp. popliteal (back of knee). Nėstsenoné'ke-'háónóna. You'll be dirty back of your knees. (When short skirts came into style, Cheyenne women would tease each other saying this; the dirtiness could be from dust or dirt; the word refers to being streaked as with a dirty streaked face; the connotation could even be (especially was?) of being streaked with urine.) Category: body.

'heóneve   fai. characterized as. Énėševátsėstȧhé-'heóneve He's a merciful person. Émané-'heóneve. He's a drunkard. See: -éve. Category: personality.

-'kestá1   mbp. ear. Variant: -'está1; Homonym -'kestá2 vagina. Category: ears, body.

-'kestá2   na. Gram: poss vagina. ma-'kēsta vagina. Usage: This variant may be more commonly used than -'está. Variant: -'está2. he-'kėstáne her vagina. Plural ma-'(k)ėstáne; BodyPartMedial -ahá; Homonym -'kestá1 ear. See: -só'é; -xó'é; -má'ko'seo'o; -nėstané1 knee. Etym: O nikidin my vulva (N). Category: sex, body, vulgar.

-'kėstané   mbp. vagina. É-ónėše'kėstanéóhtse She has pain in the vagina. See: -ahá. Category: body.

-'néh   na. Gram: poss older brother. Gram: poss. nē-'ne your older brother. (another recording) ne-'neho your older brothers. he-'neho his (or her) older brother(s). he-'néhevóho their older brother(s). tséhe-'néhéto the one who is my older brother. na-'neha older brother (common noun and vocative). na-'néhasėstse my older brothers (voc.; said when addressing them). vai: 'nehe; vta: 'néhé't. See: meh. Category: relatives.

-'ó   f. lurch. Nátaésėhe'oná-'o. I put my hand in quickly. [Fishing.021] Ques: quickly See: -a'ó.

-'óhta   ni. Gram: poss forehead. Gram: poss. ma-'ohta a forehead. he-'óhtáne on his forehead. [Deer Meat.034] Mó'ȯhkevá'netoo'ėstsėhéhe hétsėhéóhe he-'óhtáá'e hevóhtáne. He used to tie his skin up on his forehead. [1987:287] Morph: /ma-'óhtan/. Usage: sg. not commonly used, but obl. fairly well known ?? Category: check. Plural ma-'óhtánėstse; Oblique ma-'óhtáá'e. Etym: *meška:htekwi. Category: body.

-'óhtá ??    Category: check.

fii. declare s.t. to be . See: -'ót ??. Category: check, speak.

-'óhtané   mbp. forehead. Náónėše-'óhtanéóhtse. My forehead hurts. Ho'honáeve-'óhtanéhe Stone Forehead (name). Éohaséve-'óhtáne. He has a shiny forehead. Category: body.

-'om ??   m. hill ?? hesé-'ome ridge. tséstovó'-oma'ene cut-through hill (especially for road construction). tséššéstotó'evo-'omēno where there are pine trees on the hill. See: -ose; -om. Category: environment.

-'ót    Category: check.

fta. declare s.o. . Épėhévo'-ótóho Ma'heóneva. oto?? He praised God. (lit., called him good). Category: check. Épėhéve'-oto. ?? He honored him (lit., called him good). Category: check. Náhávėsévo'-óto.  ?? I regard him as bad. Category: check. Náma'heónevo'-óto. I praise him (declare him to be God). Néoseehoháe'-otoo'o.  ?? You caused them much loneliness. (1987:296). Category: check. É-háo'-oto He bragged about him. fti: -óhtá ??. Category: check. See: -átam. Category: cognition.

-'ov   fta. by foot (or body). Ná-toe'ōvo I held him down with my foot. Éé'e-'ovóho. He broke him with his foot. Éamó'a-'óvahtse. He bicycled. (literally, he-along-roll-by.foot-REFL) ?? fti: -'á. Etym: *netahkweskawa:wa. See: -a'ov. Category: check, body.

-'ovóhponahe   vai. be exacting. éhoháe-'ovóhponahe He is an honest person. Phon: contraction of -vovóhponahe See: -vovóhponahe.

-'pa'o   ni. Gram: poss back. of body. na-'pa'o my back. ma-'pa'o a back. he-'pa'o his/her back. Plural ma'pa'onȯtse. he-'pa'onéome behind the house. He-'pa'onevo éohkeamėhóheo'o. You walk behind them (in back of medicine people). Medial -'pa'oná. Etym: *mexpeθkwan-. Category: body.

-'pa'oná   mbp. back (of body). Éé'e-'pa'ōna. His back is broken. Éhese-'pa'onáotse. He has cramps in his back. Nátó-'pa'onáhno. I punched him in the back. pa'e-'pa'onáhe camel (literally, humpbacked one). See: -htȧhtoónoná. Category: body.

-'seh   fta. cause s.o. to. Nánémené-'sého. I made him sing. Námȯxe'eotsé-'sého. I took his picture. Lit: I caused him to be written (that is, pictured) fti: 'sest. Category: grammar.

-'sestsé   fti. cause s.t. to. Námȯxe'eotsé-'séstse. I took a picture of it. fta: -'seh.

'sevó   fii. flow. Éhóe-'sēvo. It's flowing out. Éame-'sēvo. It's flowing along. Één-e'sēvo. It quit flowing. [1987:276] Móstaetó'tšėšė-háa'ého'ome'sevóhanetséhe. The water was at the widest point. Ques: or is it -e'sevó?? See: e'sevó. Category: liquid, check.

'(š)-   i. free. See: šé(x)-.

-'šeme   fai. make loud noise. Ques: loud?? Éháe-'šeme. He's making loud sounds. É-héhpȯhe'šeme. He is making scary sounds. See: -évone. Category: sounds.

-'t   ft. transitivizer final. This final takes -á to indicate an inanimate object of TI verbs: Nápėhévé-'ta. I took good care of it. This final takes the generic final -ov to indicate that the object of TA verbs is animate: Phon: The /ov/ of this final contracts to /óe/ word-medially in the inverse voice, for example, návovéstomóéne 'he taught us (excl)'. Phon: If the preceding vowel is phonemically high pitched, most verbs requiring the -'tov final take its allomorph -no(t). In the direct voice this final is especially used to mark ai+o verbs, namely, intransitive verbs, which are secondarily marked to take a syntactic direct object, as in the following verbs: Nápėhévé-'tóvo. I took good care of him. Nápėhéve-'tova. He took good care of me. Nápėhévé-'tóó'e. They took good care of me. Épėhévé-'tóó'e. They/he (obv) took good care of him (prox). Népėhéve-'toene. He took good care of us (incl). Népėhéve-'toevoo'o. They took good care of you (pl). Náháóéná-'tóvo. I prayed to him. (cf. náháóéna 'I prayed'). Náne'étamé-'tova. He depends on me. (cf. náne'étame 'I depend'). Náne'étame-nȯtse. I depend on him. Éne'étamé-noto. He depends on him. Néné'étamé-none. We (incl) depend on him. Éne'étamé-novo. They depend on him. Námoné-'tova. He chose me. Námone-nȯtse. I chose him. Náhešké-'tova. She has me as mother. (cf. náheške 'I have a mother'). Náheške-nȯtse. She is my mother; I have her as mother. Variant: -no. Etym: *-'taw. fti: -'tá; fta: -'tov. See: -ov; -ev; -no. Category: grammar.

-'tósané   fai. to(ward) people ?? abstract AI final. Éne'étamé-'tȯsáne. He depends on people. Éohkeanoetanó-'tȯsáne. He puts people down. See: -ósané. Category: check.

-'tov   fta. transitive animate final. This final is actually composed of two smaller finals, -'t and -ov. Náháóéná-'tóvo. I prayed to him. Épėhéve-'tovóho. He was good to him. See: -'t; -ov. Category: grammar.

-'xe   f. jerk. Variant: -a'xe. Námȧsóhosóvėhe'ona-'xe. I jerked my hand back hard. [Fishing.025] Category: motion.

'xóve   m. time. Énėšė-só'xóvetseto éohkemé'emetotse hevéhestovevótse. (From then) until now their names are mentioned. [Head Chief and Other Instruction to Children.062] Category: time.

-'xóvevá   m. time. nėhe-'xóvéva then/at that time. tséstaéšenenóve-'xove after a certain amount of time.