Yahi language
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Yahi Native Name |
||
|---|---|---|
| Spoken in: | USA | |
| Region: | California | |
| Total speakers: | Extinct | |
| Language family: | Hokan? Yanan Southern Yanan Yahi |
|
| Language codes | ||
| ISO 639-1: | - | |
| ISO 639-2: | - (B) | (T) |
| ISO 639-3: | ynn | |
| Note: This page may contain IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. | ||
Yahi is an extinct language formerly spoken in the upper Sacramento Valley area, roughly in the area between Mill Creek and Deer Creek. It is grouped with the Southern forms of the Yana languages which, together with Central and Northern Yana are an isolated group of languages.
Contents |
[edit] Vocabulary/Lexis
Yahi distinguishes male and female forms with male forms, frequently marked with the suffix -na, generally longer than female forms. Some examples are[1]:
| Male Form | Female Form | Meaning |
| diwai-ja | diwai-tch | see me! |
| t'en'na | t'et | grizzly bear |
| yana | yah | person |
[edit] Examples
Some language samples from Kroeber, T[2]
| ähä | yes |
| k'u'i | no |
| kuwi | shaman |
| mudjaúpa | chief |
| sake mahale | menstruating woman |
| saltu | white person |
| siwini | yellow pine |
| wataurisi | bastard |
[edit] Pronouns
| ai'numa | you (formal) |
[edit] Numerals
| 1 | baiyu |
| 2 | uhmitsi |
| 3 | bulmitsi |
| 4 | daumi |
| 5 | djiman |
| 6 | baimami |
| 7 | uhmami |
| 8 | bulmami |
| 9 | daumima |
| 10 | hadjad |
| 20 | uhsiwai |
| 40 | daumista |
| 60 | baimamikab |
| 80 | bulmamikab |
[edit] Example Phrases
| achi djeyauna? | what is his name? |
| ine me yahi? | are you an Indian? |
| wo-wi | my house |
[edit] History
The last documented speaker of Yahi was a man called Ishi who caused a scientific stir when he made contact with the outside world in 1911, long after the Yahi had been assumed to be extinct.
