Lenape Tribe Seal

Lenape Talking Dictionary

By English WORD or PHRASE

By Lenape WORD or PHRASE

Wàni Lënape Elixsit

The Language of the Delawares . . . Told by James C. Webber (1877 - 1950) to anthropologist Frank Speck in 1928. It is copied from an old phonograph record which is in the Library of the American Philosophical Society. It is probably the earliest recording of the Lenape language. This talk was re-edited by linguist Ives Goddard. Where there are skips on the record we use *** to indicate that a word or part of a word is missing.
Sound Icon
Sound Icon
English:
Fellow tribesmen, that I say a few words
Lenape:
Nitape, kexaptun kèku ntëluwen.
Sound Icon
English:
For I know that, at the present time to which our granted existence has come,
Lenape:
èli nuwatun mèchi yukwe she petelëmukwenkw
Sound Icon
English:
it is more than ever difficult.
Lenape:
ahi hwëska ahot.
Sound Icon
English:
More and more, every day and every year, it proceeds to be lost
Lenape:
ahaluwi kikishkwike òk kikahtinke alëmi taonkën
Sound Icon
English:
the Delaware language and songs,
Lenape:
wàni Lënape elixsit ok tòsuwakana,
Sound Icon
English:
as well as their (old ways? [meaning not clear]) and all their practices.
Lenape:
nal ta ne (ònkuwakàn?) òk wèmi èlaehòsit.
Sound Icon
English:
Here now where I have been traveling around in the East
Lenape:
yukwe yu she [ènta] (ni) ayahpamskaa, wehënchiòpànk
Sound Icon
English:
by the seashore, is where long ago our departed ancestors used to make their homes,
Lenape:
shòhpiye, lòmëwe ehëlaikèhtit (?) kikayëmënaninka,
Sound Icon
English:
precious men now deceased,
Lenape:
ahpashèki lënunka,
Sound Icon
English:
who exercised authority over the Delawares at that time.
Lenape:
sakimatamaòhtit nike lëkhikwi yuli Lënapeyo.
Sound Icon
English:
*** Pemenent and many older men.
Lenape:
*** Pemënënt òk xaheli khikuwi lënunka.
Sound Icon
English:
One of those old men was named
Lenape:
Na *** naka kwëti hilusësa luwènsu
Sound Icon
English:
he was named Kwehkwilunt, and
Lenape:
luwènsu Kwèhkwilunt, òk
Sound Icon
English:
in addition my late grandfather, when he was made chief,
Lenape:
nahëlii naka nëmuxumsa, ènta pèchi sakimawhenk,
Sound Icon
English:
he was named Weoxelinkot.
Lenape:
luwènsu Weòxelinkòt.
Sound Icon
English:
Now at present when I too assist in
Lenape:
Mèchi yukwe she ènta nèpe wihìchi
Sound Icon
English:
the council over in the West where we now make our homes.
Lenape:
achimulsia yukwe ni she pe maikeyànkw wëntahkwi ehëliwsikak.
Sound Icon
English:
*** thanks; I am glad when I am yet again able to remember
Lenape:
*** wanëshi; nulelëntam ènta iapchi kàski mëshatàma
Sound Icon
English:
how I might explain their customary practice
Lenape:
ntëli a weitahkënutàmën ehëlaehòsit
Sound Icon
English:
and show how Delaware songs are customarily sung.
Lenape:
òk wëntamasin ehëlasuwink Lënapei asuwakàna.
Sound Icon
English:
Where I additionally gave my brothers, the Whiteman, all that now
Lenape:
Enta anhùkwi li milak nimahtësàk Weòpsit, yukwe she wèmi
Sound Icon
English:
*** this state which is called Pennsylvania;
Lenape:
*** yuni khikhakàn èluwènsik Pennsylvania;
Sound Icon
English:
and all these rivers: Delaware River, (and) Hudson River,
Lenape:
òk wèmi yul she sipuwa: Lënapei Sipu, Hudson River,
Sound Icon
English:
as it is called by the White people, and in addition
Lenape:
ehëluwèntànk wàni shëwanakw; òk naheli
Sound Icon
English:
Siskuwahënèk, which our brother the Whiteman calls Susquehanna;
Lenape:
Siskuwahënèk, wàni kimahtësëna weòpsit ehëluwèntank Susquehanna;
Sound Icon
English:
right up to New York, it is called Hupokàn (hupokàn means-'pipe' i.e. Hoboken).
Lenape:
pèchi ika wëli New York ènta hànkw Hupokan
Sound Icon
English:
a town is called (that). thanks; that's all for now.
Lenape:
luwensik utènay. *** wanëshi; lahapa nàni txi.