English-Lakota Dictionary

Alternate Language Names

Lakȟótiyapi, Lakhota, Lakhóta, Teton, Teton Sioux.

Region

Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario, Canada; Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota, and Iowa, United States.

Who

Bruce Ingham.

Others Involved

Dr. Agnes Picotte, Norbert Picotte, Vital Romero, Sophie Romero, Seth Whiting, Beatrice Whiting, Dorothy Brings Him Back, Nyal Brings, Jeff Pretty Weasel, Melvin Gray Owl, Adele Little Dog, Dr. Leonard Bruguier, Jerome Kills Small, Gene Thin Elk, Briant High Horse, Albert White Hat, Emmet Marten, Thomas Iron, Arvol Looking Horse, Billy Goodtrack, Augustus LeClaire (Consultants); Alexia Economou (Software Assistance); University of London, Dakota Indian Foundation, University of Minnesota, Lower Brule Community College, Sinte Gleska University St. Francis, University of Vermillion, the Smithsonian Institution Natural History Archives, University of Colorado (Institutional Support).

Publishing Information

Published 2001 by Curzon Press.

How People are Cited

Consultants and those providing support are listed in the Acknowledgements.

How Information is Cited

Previously published materials are listed in the Preface as well as the References section. Sources are also marked within entries by author initials.

Where is Information Coming from

This dictionary was created entirely from previously published and written materials. The author is candid in the Preface that he has “very little contact with speakers of the language” (Ingham, Preface). The main sources for this dictionary are listed in the the Preface but include a variety of dictionaries and grammars of Lakota published throughout the twentieth century. Various members of the Sioux nation were consulted by the author throughout the process of creating this dictionary, though it is unclear whether information in this dictionary came directly from these members or not.

Tools and Framework used

This dictionary is available as both a physical and digital book.

Access

The physical book is accessible through libraries. The digital book is available on the publisher’s website with either an affiliated institutional login or subscription. Both the physical book (paperback edition) and digital book are available for purchase from the publisher for $51.99 USD.

Included Languages and Directionality

English to Lakota.

Dialects Included

No dialect is specified for this dictionary.

Type of Dictionary

This is a bilingual, mono-directional dictionary.

How are Entries Organised

Entries are sorted alphabetically by English and contain the English headword(s) (and related terms), the part of speech, and the Lakota translation. Some entries include example phrases, written first in Lakota and then in English. Some entries also contain related terms or alternative pronunciations/spellings in both Lakota and English. Verb entries contain at least two forms (third person singular and first person singular). However, irregular verb entries contain more forms. Affix entries contain many examples of words which the affix is part of in both Lakota and English. Some entries are numbered with superscripted numbers to demonstrate where one word in English has more than one equivalent in Lakota, all with different meanings. Entries marked with an asterisk are uncertain forms that the author presumes to exist but has not confirmed.

Prior to the dictionary section there is a brief description of Lakota’s sound system before a thorough Introduction. This covers the writing system used in this dictionary and offers descriptions of each of the types of entries users will see throughout. The author uses these entry descriptions to offer detailed linguistic information about each word form (i.e., nouns, verbs, participles, etc.). After the Introduction is a History of the Lakota Language and People.

There are two appendices following the dictionary section: Personal Names and Place Names. Both appendices are English to Lakota and only contain the English headword (i.e., name) and the Lakota equivalent.

Other Features