choctaw language and culture chahta anumpa marcia haag

It marks the first such advanced textbook of Choctaw as well as the first easily available reference grammar for teachers. Volume 2 of Choctaw Language and Culture is designed to help teachers and students alike further their understanding of Choctaw by working with and mastering grammatically complex examples of its use. Exercises encourage the student to think about how the language works rather than relying on rote memorization. The authors also demonstrate the many ways a single Choctaw word can be modified to yield subtle differences in meaning.

Particularly important is the subject of negation, which permeates Choctaw at all levels, and the concept of definiteness. The authors present such topics as idioms, ways to say 'or,' negative conditionals, and compound tenses. The book is organized around twelve texts with translations, each followed by a grammar lesson, a vocabulary section that acquaints students with new words, a word-study section, and exercises. Beginning with 'The Ancient Ones,' the chapters describe Choctaw prehistory, daily life before contact, ritual and religion, trade, removal to Indian Territory, schools, newspapers, and contemporary life.Building on the foundations laid by the first volume of Choctaw Language and Culture, this follow-up text presents a more advanced linguistic study of Oklahoma Choctaw, accompanied by short stories and anecdotes written by Choctaws in their native language. Part two, 'Kaniohmichi-hosh Okchayat Il-asha ('The Way We Live'),' contains essays on Choctaw history and culture written especially for this volume by leading scholars in anthropology, history, linguistics, archaeology, and Native American studies. Designed for classroom use and to preserve the rich heritage of the Choctaw language, the lessons introduce new words, explain sentence construction and correct usage, and provide exercises in grammar and composition. Each chapter begins with a conversation or a Choctaw story. In part one of the book, 'Chahta Anumpa,' Marcia Haag, a linguist, and Henry Willis, a native speaker and Choctaw instructor, present the Choctaw language. Choctaw Language and Culture combines a beginning language and grammar text with a selection of essays on Choctaw history, language, and culture from prehistoric times to the present.

Choctaw language and culture chahta anumpa marcia haag