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Glite Dictionary
Illinois language

Illinois language

9.9
A Native American language that the Illinois and Miami tribes spoke
  • noun
  • /ɪlɪˈnɔɪ lɛŋɡwɪdʒ/
translation icon : idioma illinois
  • The Illinois language had no word for "cross," so the Illinois called it taouane, meaning "tree" or "wood."

Examples

  • Revival efforts are underway to teach the Illinois language to younger generations.

  • The Illinois language is an important part of the cultural heritage of the Illinois and Miami peoples.

  • Many scholars study the Illinois language to understand its historical significance and structure.

Synonyms

Illinois
vsIllinois language
9.9

A Native American language once spoken in the Midwest

uses traditionally instead of historically to describe the same language

Surface Forms

Illinois language singular
Illinois languages plural

Morphology

Illinois + language

The phrase combines the proper noun 'Illinois' with the noun 'language' to denote the language associated with that people/region; a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer it refers to the language of Illinois/the Illinois people. This is a standard compositional naming pattern (X language = the language of X) attested cross-linguistically, so the meaning is directly derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Illinois language simply means the speech of the Illinois people. One popular story says 'Illinois' comes from the native word 'Illiniwek', meaning 'the people', so the phrase refers to the language used by that group.