A Short History of the Choctaw Language
Choctaw is a language conventionally spoken by the Choctaw tribe. It is grouped under the Muskogean family and is used by Native Americans in the southeastern U.S.
It was a very popular language in the Frontier days, even known by the likes of some American presidents. Today it is spoken by just under 10,000 people.
Choctaw has been linked to Chickasaw, another Native American language, but members of the tribe would scoff at the claim that the tongues are comparable. The Choctaw alphabet is short five letters in contrast to the English version. There are no rolling rs in the Choctaw language, as this sound is absent.
The Choctaw language is divided into three dialects: “Native” Choctaw from Oklahoma, Mississippi Choctaw (also in Oklahoma), and Choctaw of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (this version actually is in Mississippi).
The dialects are thought to have come about as the result of some of the tribe being forced to relocate to Oklahoma with the Trail of Tears. Each dialect can still comprehend the other, it’s just the pronunciation is a bit different.
