Wichita language
- noun
- /ˈwɪtʃɪtɑː ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/
- The Wichita language has only a few fluent speakers left, most of whom are elderly.
Examples
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Linguists have been working to document the Wichita language before it disappears completely.
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The Wichita language is part of the Caddoan family.
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She is taking a course on the grammar and structure of the Wichita language.
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Many linguists study the Wichita languages for their unique features.
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Linguists have been working to document the Wichita language before it disappears completely.
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She is taking a course on the grammar and structure of the Wichita language.
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The Wichita language has only a few fluent speakers left, most of whom are elderly.
Synonyms
A language once spoken by a Native American people of the southern plains
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward compositional name combining the proper noun 'Wichita' with 'language', so the meaning 'the language of the Wichita people' is directly derivable from the parts. Naming languages by the community or place is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand it.
Etymology
Wichita language gets its name from the Wichita people who lived in the central United States. Early visitors used the tribe's name for their way of speaking, so the phrase simply means 'the language spoken by the Wichita people'.
