Shawnee language
- noun
:
idioma shawnee
- The Shawnee language is an important aspect of the cultural heritage of the Shawnee people.
Examples
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"The more that I read and studied the English language," Alford disclosed in his autobiography, "the more my admiration grew for my own Shawnee language, and I was anxious to preserve it in all its purity and beauty."
Academic text (2002) -
For example, Alford's resistance to the theft of Shawnee lands and the obliteration of Shawnee language and culture was circumscribed by his commitment to the Christian religion and the U.S. Indian Service.
Academic text (2002) -
So on his return from Hampton, he began his translation work, convinced that "in the description of nature and things natural, and in the idea of things intangible, the inner man, the soul, the Spirit, and God, the Shawnee language is peculiarly sweet and full, and seems to stand alone."
Academic text (2002) -
Many linguists study the Shawnee language to better understand its unique characteristics and phonetics.
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Efforts to revitalize the Shawnee language are crucial for preserving the identity of the Shawnee community.
Synonyms
A Native American language once spoken in the eastern United States
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward noun phrase combining a proper name with the noun 'language' to mean 'the language spoken by the Shawnee.' Such name+language constructions are highly compositional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The name Shawnee language comes from the Shawnee people who speak it. The word 'Shawnee' may come from an old word meaning 'southerner', so Shawnee language simply means 'the language spoken by the Shawnee people'.
