Beothuk language


Beothuk, also called Beothukan, is an extinct language once spoken by the indigenous Beothuk people of Newfoundland. The Beothuk have been extinct since 1829, and there are few written accounts of their language. Hence, little is known about it, with practically no structural data existing for Beothuk.

Classification

Claims of links with the neighbouring Algonquian language family date back at least to Robert Gordon Latham in 1862. From 1968 onwards, John Hewson has put forth evidence of sound correspondences and shared morphology with Proto-Algonquian and other better-documented Algonquian languages. If this is valid, Beothuk would be an extremely divergent member of the family.
Other researchers claimed that proposed similarities are more likely the result of borrowing than cognates. The limited and poor nature of the documentation means there is not enough evidence to draw strong conclusions. Owing to this overall lack of meaningful evidence, Ives Goddard and Lyle Campbell claim that any connections between Beothuk and Algonquian are unknown and likely unknowable.

Recorded song

In 1910, American anthropologist Frank Speck recorded a 74-year-old native woman named Santu Toney singing a song purported to be in the language. The recording resurfaced at the very end of the 20th century. Some sources give the year 1929, but the 1910 date is confirmed in Speck's book Beothuk and Micmac. Contemporary researchers have tried to make a transcription of the song and to clean up the recording with modern methods. Native groups have learned the song.
James P. Howley, Director of the Geological Survey of Newfoundland, who for more than forty years was interested in the history of the Beothuk, doubted the truthfulness of Santu Toney.

Vocabulary

Beothuk is known only from several wordlists from the 18th and the 19th centuries by George C. Pulling, Rev. John Clinch, Rev. John Leigh, and Hercules Robinson. They contain more than 400 words that had been collected from speakers such as Oubee, Demasduit, and Shanawdithit, but there were no examples of connected speech. Wordlists had also been collected by W. E. Cormack, Richard King, and James P. Howley .
The lack of any systematic or consistent representation of the vocabulary in the wordlists makes it daunting to establish the sound system of Beothuk, and words that are listed separately on the lists may be the same word transcribed in different ways. Moreover, the lists are known to have many mistakes. That, along with the lack of connected speech, leaves little upon which to build any reconstruction of Beothuk.

Combined lists

The wordlists have been transcribed and analyzed in Hewson. The combined Beothuk wordlists below have been reproduced from Hewson.
GlossBeothuk Latham / King Cormack Clinch Leigh Robinson Howley
afraidcockaboset don't be afraidcockaboset don't be afraid
alivemamisut; mamseetmamseetmamisut
angryassoytassoyt
anklegeijebursutgeijebursut
armwatheek; shedbasing wathik upper arm; watheekee; memayet armswatheekeewatheek; shedbasing wathik upper armmemayet arms
arrowashooging; dogematashoogingashoogingdogemat
asleep, deadwiddunwiddun
awakeametamet
babymessiligethookmessiligethook
backposson; possontpossonpossont
badmudty; mudeet bad man; maudee, muddy, madichmaudee, muddy, madichmudty; mudeet bad man
bakeapplesabidemashickabidemashick
batsosheetsosheet
beadbaasick baasick
bearwashawet; gwashuwetwashawetgwashuwet
beastobditch obditch
beatpugathuse beating; bukashowitepugathuse beatingbukashowite
beavermaumshet; mamshetmaumshetmamshet
bedboochauwhit boochauwhit
bellyhaddabatheek haddabatheek
berriesmanus; bibidigemidicmanusbibidigemidic
birchpaushee birch rind or paper; by-yeech birch tree; boyish birch rindby-yeech birch treepaushee birch rind or paperboyish birch rind
birddeynyad, deynyadrook birdsdeynyad, deynyadrook birds
bird popadish popadish
bird obseet; ounermishobseetounermish
birds' excrementsugamithsugamith
bitebashooditebashoodite
blackmaudzyke; mandzeymandzeymaudzyke
blackbirdwoodchwoodch
blanketsmanaboret; manavoritmanaboretmanavorit
blindkaesing-guinyeetkaesing-guinyeet
bloodashaboouth; arrowbauth; izzobauth or iggobauthashabooutharrowbauthizzobauth or iggobauth
blowdeschudodoickdeschudodoick
blow the noseshegame; shegamitshegameshegamit
blueeeshang-eyghtheeshang-eyghth
bluntboas seek; mocothutt blunt-nosed fishboas seek; mocothutt blunt-nosed fish
boatadolthtek ; adothe boat or vesseladolthtek adothe boat or vessel
boat dhooradodhoorado
bodyhaddabothy; haddabothichaddabothyhaddabothic
boil oadjameetoadjameet
boil moadamuttmoadamutt
boneaenameenaenameen
bonnet, hatabodoneek; abadungeyk; abodonecabadungeykabodoneekabodonec
bosombodchmoot; boghmoot boghmoot bodchmoot
bowhathemay; anyemenanyemenhathemay
boy bukashamesh; buggishamish; buggishameshbuggishameshbukashameshbukashameshbuggishamish
boy mossessdeesh; mogazeeshmogazeeshmossessdeesh
breadmaujebathook; annawhadyaannawhadyamaujebathook
break a stickpugenonpugenon
break windtediddletediddle
breastbemoot ; bogomotbemoot bogomot
breathgaboweetegaboweete
bushesmaudeweechmaudeweech
buttonsaegumet; agamet buttons or moneyaegumetagamet buttons or money
candleshapoth; shabothshapothshaboth
canoethubathew boat or canoe; dapathook; tapathookdapathookthubathew boat or canoetapathook
capeeseeboon eeseeboon
capelinshamook; shaamoo; shamoothshamook; shaamooshamooth
catobodish; abidesoot; abideeshookabidesootabideeshookobodish
cat abidishabidishabidish
catching fisheshbautheshbauth
cattlemethabeet; nethabetemethabeetnethabete
cheekweenounweenoun
chinkeoun; geoun; goungeounkeoungoun
clothesdhingyam; thingyamdhingyamthingyam
cloudsberroickberroick
coalmethie; methie dirtmethiemethie dirt
cocklesheedeneesheetsheedeneesheet
codfishbobboosoret bobboosoret bobboosoret
coldeenodsha; moidewseeeenodshamoidewsee
combedrathinedrathin
cometouet; deioodtouet; deiood
come back againnadyednadyed
come hitherdyoot thouret; dyoom; thooretdyoomdyoot thouretthooret
cometaninanin
cream jugnadalahet; motheryetnadalahetmotheryet
crymautheauthaw; matheothucmautheauthawmatheothuc
currantsshamyeshamyeshamye
cuthadyusum; odishuik or odishuitehadyusumodishuik or odishuite
dancingthubwedgie; badiseetthubwedgiebadiseet
deadgosset; gausep gosset; gausep
deerosweet; cosweetcosweetosweetosweet
deer's hornsmegorum; megorunmegorummegorun
devilashmudyim; haoothaootashmudyim
dirtyew-whyyew-why
dogmammasamit; mammasameetmammasameetmammasameetmammasamit
dogberriesmenomemenome
dogwood, mountain ashemoethookemoethookemoethook
drawing knifemoheshaudet; moeshwadetmoheshaudetmoeshwadet
drinkebathook; ebathoot ebathook; ebathoot
drinking cupshoewan; shoewanyeesh shoewan; shoewanyeesh
drygasookgasook
duckeesheet; boodowiteesheetboodowit
ducks and drakesmameshet; howmeshetmameshethowmeshet
eaglegobidingobidin
earmismuth; mootchiman; mooshamanmootchimanmismuthmooshaman
eatpugazoa; bocootyone; pokoodsoont; odoitbocootyone; pokoodsoontpugazoaodoit
eggdeboin; debinedeboindebine
elbowmoocusmoocusmoocus
Eskimoashwanashwan
eyegeegnyan; gwinyageegnyangwinya
eyebrowmomeaugh; marmeuckmomeaughmarmeuck
fallkoshetkoshet
fateegeeg
feargeswat; cockaboset no feargeswat; cockaboset no fear
featherevenau; ewinon; abobidress feathersewinonevenauabobidress feathers
fingeronnus forefinger; oddesamick little; awadshibik middle; wyabick ring; hanyeeshanyeesonnus forefinger; oddesamick little; awadshibik middle; wyabick ring
firekoorae; oodrat; boobeeshawt ; woodratoodrat; boobeeshawt kooraewoodrat
fishpoopusrout; baubooshrat baubooshrat poopusrout
fish hookadooch; adothookadoochadothook
fishing linedisup; edatdisupedat
fleakessyetkessyet
flesh ashauchashauch
flyingmiawoth; miaothmiawothmiaoth
foothodwitch; adyouth adyouth hodwitch
foreheaddoothundoothun
forkpapade-aden; etheuwitpapade-adenetheuwit
fowledgedoweshinedgedoweshin
foxdogajavickdogajavick
fur, animal hairpeathapeathapeatha
gapingabemiteabemite
get upamshut; kinup; ganyessamshutganyesskinup
gimletquadranuckquadranuckquadranuck
girl imamuset; emamoosetemamoosetemamoosetimamuset
girl woaseeshwoaseesh
give medayhamindayhamin
give thee a knifewawashemet o-owinwawashemet o-owin
glasshadalahet ; hadibiethadalahet hadibiet
glovesobsedeekobsedeekobsedeek
go awaygayzhootgayzhoot
go homebaethabaetha
go outbaeodut; enanobaeodutenano
goodhomedick; oomdzech; betheote good nighthomedick; oomdzechbetheote good night
gooseyewone; odo-ezheet ; odeusookodo-ezheet yewoneodeusook
gooseberryjiggamintjiggamint
grassshisthshisth
grindstoneshewthake; aquathoontshewthakeaquathoont
groaningcheeashit; cheashitcheeashitcheashit
gullassonassonasson
gunharreen or huz-seen; adamadretadamadretharreen or huz-seenadamadret
gun powderbeasothuntbeasothuntbeasothunt
hairdonna; drummet; drone-oock; dronnadrone-oockdonnadronnadrummet
halibut, flatfishhanawasutthanawasutt
hammeriwish; mattuisiwishmattuis
handmemen hands or fingers; maelmed; memetmaelmedmemen hands or fingersmemet
hareodusweetodusweetodusweet
hasteishu; eeshooeeshooishu
hatchetnowaut; thinyun; dthoonanyen; thingayathinyun; dthoonanyennowautthingaya
headkeawthaw; geothuk; keauthut, gonothungeothukkeawthawkeauthut, gonothun
hearnodueranoduera
heartbedoret; bogodoretbedoretbogodoret
heaventheehonetheehone
herringwashemeshwashemesh
hiccupsmudyraw; madyrutmudyrawmadyrut
hillkaasook; keoosockkaasook; keoosock
hoopwoinwoin
housemae-adthike ; mammateekmae-adthike mammateek
hungrydauoosettdauoosett
hurtaoodrachaoodrach
husbandzathrook zathrook
hutmeothik meothik
iceozrook; ozeruozrookozeru
Indian behathook; beothuck; beathookbehathook; beothuckbeathook
Indian cupshucodidimet; shucodidimitshucodidimetshucodidimit
ironmauageene; maudshinuk; mowageenitemauageenemowageenitemaudshinuk
islandsmammasheekmammasheek
killwhadicheme; bogathoowytchwhadicheme; bogathoowytch
killdatyunsdatyuns
kisssheboth; widumiteshebothwidumite
kneehodsmishit; hodamishithodsmishithodamishit
kneelingabusthibe; abusthibitabusthibeabusthibit
knifeyewoin; iwo-in; aewaeen; hewhine; uineaewaeen; hewhineyewoinuineiwo-in
lampmondicuet; bobdiduishemetmondicuetbobdiduishemet
laughwhoishme; wyeethwhoishmewyeeth
leadgooshebengoosheben
lean, thin, sickasheiashei
leavesmadyua; madynamadyuamadyna
legcogadealla; aduse cogadeallaaduse
liepisauwau; bituwait pisauwaubituwait
lifemamset mamset
lightningkoorae; barodiisick kooraebarodiisick
likeadjeediskadjeedisk
lipcoosh; ooishcooshooish
lobsterodjetodjetodjet
longkannabuckkannabuck
lord bird, harlequin duckmammadrouitmammadrouit
lousecusebee; kusebeetcusebeekusebeet
lumpfishaeshemeetaeshemeet
mainlandgauzewookgauzewook
man pushaman; buggishaman; bukashamanbuggishamanpushamanbukashamanbuggishaman
man shawdtharut shawdtharut
Micmacshanungshanung
milkmadaboochmadabooch
moccasinmoosin; mosenmoosin; mosen
moneybeodetbeodet
moonkuus; keeose, washageuis; kius, washewiushkeeose, washageuiskuuskius, washewiush
mosquitoshema bogosthucshema bogosthuc
mouthmamudthun; mameshookmamudthunmameshook
muscle owameetowameet
nailscush; quishcushquish
necktedesheet tedesheet tedesheet
necklacezeek ; betheczeek bethec
needletuzmus; dosomite tuzmusdosomite
netgiggaremanetgiggaremanetgiggaremanet
nightwashewch; washewwashewchwashew
nipperbebadrookbebadrook
nonewinnewin
nosegheen; geengheengeen
oakummushabauthmushabauthmushabauth
oarpoodybeacpoodybeacpoodybeac
ochreodemen; odementodemenodement
oilemetemetemet
otteredachoom; edruedachoomedru
partridgesusut; zosoot; zosweetzosootsusutzosweet
partridgeberriesshaudameshaudame
pigeon, bobbodish bobbodish bobbodish bobbodish
pintusmug; dosomitedosomitetusmugdosomite
pitcher, cup, platemanume; manunemanumemanune
pondwoodumwoodum
puffingwoshuawitgwoshuawit
puppiesmammasameet mammasameet
rainpedthae; watshoosooch; badoese; bathucwatshoosooch; badoesepedthaebathuc
raspberriesgauzadungauzadun
ratgadgemishgadgemish
reddeedrashowdeedrashow
rivershebon; shebin brookshebon; shebin brook
rocksahuneahune
rollingodausotodausot
rowinghuzzagan; osavatehuzzaganosavate
runwothamashee; ibadinnam; wothamashetibadinnamwothamasheewothamashet
sailsejabathookejabathookejabathook
salmonwasemookwasemookwasemook
sawdedoweet; deddoweetdedoweetdeddoweet
salt watermassoockmassoock
scabpigatheepigatheepigathee
scallopgowetgowet
scalping the headnomushrush keawthawnomushrush keawthaw
scissorsoseenyet; osegeeuoseenyetosegeeu
scratchbashubetbashubet
sealmomau; bidesuk; beedzuk; bidesookbidesuk; beedzukmomaubidesook
seal sunkaparet a bidesookaparet a bidesook
seal skin bagbochmoot seal skin sledge fullbochmoot seal skin sledge full
seeejewejew
shake handsmeman momasthus; kawinjemeesh; meman monasthuskawinjemeeshmeman momasthusmeman monasthus
ship, vesselmamzhing; mamashee mamashee mamzhing
shoesmoosin moosin
shoothodthoo shoot a gun; outhaje-arrathunum shoot an arrow perpendicularly; wadshoodetwadshoodethodthoo shoot a gun; outhaje-arrathunum shoot an arrow perpendicularly
shortyeechyeech
shouldermomezabethon; momegemethonmomezabethonmomegemethon
shovelhadowadet; godawickhadowadetgodawick
silk handkerchiefegibiduishegibiduishegibiduish
sinew of deermodthamookmodthamook
singingtuauthaw; awoodettuauthawawoodet
sithaddosdoding; athepathephaddosdodingathep
sleepputhuauth; bootzhawet; aoseedwit I am sleepy ; isedoweetbootzhawet; aoseedwit I am sleepy puthuauthisedoweet
sleevewobesheetwobesheet
smellmarotmarot
smokepossthee; basdiek; besdicbasdiekposstheebesdic
snailaeueeceaeueece
sneezingmidyathew; adjithmidyathewadjith
snipeauojetauojet
snow; causabow; kaasussabookcausabow; kaasussabook
songmamatrabet mamatrabet
soonjewmetcheenjewmetcheen
sore throatanadrickanadrickanadrick
sorrowcorrasoob corrasoob corrasoob
speakcarmtack; jeroothackcarmtack; jeroothack
spearanun; aaduth seal spear; amina deer spear; hannananun; aaduth seal spear; amina deer spearhannan
spiderwoadthoowinwoadthoowin
spoonhanamait; adadiminte, andeminadadiminte, andeminhanamait
spouseanwoydinganwoyding
sprucetrawnasootrawnasootrawnasoo
spruce rindsousotsousot
standingkingabie; kingiabitkingabiekingiabit
starsso-ushzeth; shawwayet; adenishitshawwayetso-ushzethadenishit
stinking sealmattik bidesookmattik bidesookmattik bidesook
stockingsgassek; gassetgassekgasset
stonesougen; oun oun ougen
stoopinghedy-yanhedy-yanhedy-yan
sugarshedothoonshedothoon
sun, moondewis; keeose; keuse; magaragueis sun; washageuis moon; kius; maugerooius sun; washewiush moonkeeose; keuse; magaragueis sun; washageuis moondewiskius; maugerooius sun; washewiush moon
swimmingtuwedgie; thoowidgee tuwedgiethoowidgee
swordbidisonibidisonibidisoni
teabutterweye butterweye
teethouthermay; botomet outhermayetouthermaybotomet outhermayet
thank youthinethine
thighipeween; ipweenaipeweenipweena
threadmeroopish; meroobish meroopishmeroobish
throattedesheet tedesheet
throw a trapshaubabuneshawshaubabuneshaw
throwpugatho; pugathoitepugathopugathoite
thumbpooith; buit; boad; pooethboadpooithpooethbuit
thunderpetothorish; barodiisick petothorishbarodiisick
ticklace gotheyetgotheyetgotheyet
tickle kaduishuitekaduishuite
tinker oothookoothook
tobacconechwanechwa
tomorrowmaduckmaduck
tonguememaza; mamadthuk ; memasuckmamadthuk memazamemasuck
traptibethun; lathun; shebathoontlathuntibethunshebathoont
tree, woodsannooeeannooee
trousersmoweadmoweadmowead
troutdottomeishdottomeishdottomeish
turr geonetgeonetgeonet
twinemeroopish; madobeeshmadobeeshmeroopish
walkwoothyan; baysot ; woothyatwoothyanwoothyatbaysot
walking stickcheethingcheething
warmobosheen warming yourself; boobashaboobashaobosheen warming yourselfobosheen warming yourself
watchdewis; keeose ; kiusdewis; keeose kius
waterebauthoo; ebadoe; zebathoong water ebadoe; zebathoong water ebauthooebauthoo
water bucketguinyabutt ; sunong-guinyabutt guinyabutt ; sunong-guinyabutt
wetwabee wabee
whale's tailowasposhno-unowasposhno-un
where do you gobecketbecket
whitewobeewobee
whortle berriesmamoose mamoose
wifeoosuckoosuck
wife adizabad-zeaadizabad-zea
windtisewthun; gidgeathuctisewthungidgeathuc
woodadiabadiabadiab
woodpeckersheebuint; shebohoweetshebohoweetsheebuintshebohoweet
wolfmoisamadrookmoisamadrook
womanimamus; emamoose; woass-sut red Indian womanemamoose; woass-sut red Indian womanemamooseimamus
yawningtibeath; jibeathtibeathjibeath
yesethath; yeathunethath; yeathun

Numerals

Numerals in Beothuk:
GlossCormackLatham / King Leigh
oneyaseekyazeekgathet
twoadzeichadzeechadasic
threeshendeekshendeeshedsic
fourdabseekdabzeekabodoesic
fiveninezeeknunyetheeknijeek
sixbashedtheekbeshedbigadosick
sevenoodzookodeozookoodosook
eightaadazookadosookaodoosook
nineyeothodukyeothoduckyeothoduck
tenshanseeshanseetheant
elevenee-zaziech--
twelveee-adzide--
thirteenee-shendeek--
fourteenee-dabzook--
fifteenee-ninezeek--
sixteenee-beshedtheek--
seventeenee-oodzook--
eighteenee-aadazook--
nineteenee-yeothoduck--
twentyadzeich dthoonut--
thirtyshendeek dthoonut--

Months

Months in Beothuk:
GlossCormack list
Januarycobshuneesamut
Februarykosthobonong bewajoite
Marchmanamiss
Aprilwasumaweeseek
Maybedejamish bewajowite
Junewasumaweeseek
Julycowazaseek
Augustwadawhegh
Septemberwasumaweeseek
Octobergodabonyegh
Novembergodabonyeesh
Decemberodasweeteeshamut

Comparison with Proto-Algonquian

Below is a comparison of Beothuk words from Hewson with Proto-Algonquian lexical reconstructions from Hewson.

Legacy

The prehistoric cnidarian animal Haootia takes its name from the Beothuk word for 'demon'.