Pamunkey language

The Pamunkey language is an extinct language that was spoken by the Pamunkey people of Virginia, United States.

The Pamunkey language is generally assumed to have been Algonquian. However, only fourteen words have been preserved, which is not enough to determine that the language actually was Algonquian.

Word list
The only attested Pamunkey words, which were recorded in 1844 by Reverend E.A. Dalrymple S.T.D., are:


 * {| class="wikitable sortable"

! English !! Pamunkey
 * son || tonshee
 * daughter || nucksee
 * cat || petucka
 * thankfulness || kayyo
 * O my Lord || o-ma-yah
 * friendship || kenaanee
 * thank you || baskonee
 * go out dog || eeskut
 * one || nikkut
 * two || orijak
 * three || kiketock
 * four || mitture
 * five || nahnkitty
 * six || vomtally
 * seven || talliko
 * eight || tingdum
 * ten || yantay
 * }
 * two || orijak
 * three || kiketock
 * four || mitture
 * five || nahnkitty
 * six || vomtally
 * seven || talliko
 * eight || tingdum
 * ten || yantay
 * }
 * six || vomtally
 * seven || talliko
 * eight || tingdum
 * ten || yantay
 * }
 * ten || yantay
 * }
 * }

Lexical comparison
Below is a comparison of Pamunkey words and selected proto-languages from Zamponi (2024).


 * {| class="wikitable sortable"

! gloss !! Pamunkey !! Proto-Algonquian !! Proto-Iroquoian (PI)/ Proto-Northern Iroquoian (PNI) !! Proto-Siouan
 * son || tonshee || *wekwiʔsema·wa || || *iyįḱe
 * daughter || nucksee || *weta·nema·wa || || *iyų́·ke
 * cat || petucka || *ka·šake·nsa || ||
 * thankfulness || kayyo || ||  ||
 * O my Lord || o-ma-yah || ||  ||
 * friendship || kenaanee || ||  ||
 * thank you || baskonee || ||  || *hahó
 * go out dog || eeskut || ||  ||
 * one || nikkut || *nekwetwi || *õskat (PNI) || *rų·sa
 * two || orijak || *nyi·šwi || *tekniːh (PNI) || *rų́·pa
 * three || kiketock || *neʔθwi || *ahsẽh (PNI) || *rá·wrį
 * four || mitture || *nye·wi || *kajeɹi (PNI) || *tó·pa
 * five || nahnkitty || *nya·θanwi, *pale·neθkwi || *hwihsk (PI) || *kiSų́·
 * six || vomtally || *nekweta·šyeka || *tsjotaɹeʔ (?) (PI) || *aká·we
 * seven || talliko || *nyi·šwa·šyeka || *tsjotaɹeʔ (?) (PI) || *ša·kú·pa
 * eight || tingdum || *neʔneʔšwa·šik, *neʔšwa·šyeka || *tekɹõʔ (PI) ||
 * ten || yantay || *meta·hθwi, *meta·tahθwi || *wahshẽ (PI) || *hą
 * }
 * two || orijak || *nyi·šwi || *tekniːh (PNI) || *rų́·pa
 * three || kiketock || *neʔθwi || *ahsẽh (PNI) || *rá·wrį
 * four || mitture || *nye·wi || *kajeɹi (PNI) || *tó·pa
 * five || nahnkitty || *nya·θanwi, *pale·neθkwi || *hwihsk (PI) || *kiSų́·
 * six || vomtally || *nekweta·šyeka || *tsjotaɹeʔ (?) (PI) || *aká·we
 * seven || talliko || *nyi·šwa·šyeka || *tsjotaɹeʔ (?) (PI) || *ša·kú·pa
 * eight || tingdum || *neʔneʔšwa·šik, *neʔšwa·šyeka || *tekɹõʔ (PI) ||
 * ten || yantay || *meta·hθwi, *meta·tahθwi || *wahshẽ (PI) || *hą
 * }
 * six || vomtally || *nekweta·šyeka || *tsjotaɹeʔ (?) (PI) || *aká·we
 * seven || talliko || *nyi·šwa·šyeka || *tsjotaɹeʔ (?) (PI) || *ša·kú·pa
 * eight || tingdum || *neʔneʔšwa·šik, *neʔšwa·šyeka || *tekɹõʔ (PI) ||
 * ten || yantay || *meta·hθwi, *meta·tahθwi || *wahshẽ (PI) || *hą
 * }
 * ten || yantay || *meta·hθwi, *meta·tahθwi || *wahshẽ (PI) || *hą
 * }
 * }

Except for nikkut 'one', which is clearly similar to Powhatan nekut, none of the words correspond to any known Algonquian language, or to reconstructions of proto-Algonquian. Given the extensive ethnic mixing that occurred among the Pamunkey before 1844, it is possible that Dalrymple's list is from an inter-ethnic pidgin or even a language from an otherwise unknown language family, rather than from the original Pamunkey language.