GLOSSARY OF CHEROKEE WORDS
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Mooney, James
Shooting creek—see Du′stăyaʻlûñy′yĭ.
Sĭ′gwetsĭ′—a traditional Cherokee settlement on the south bank of the French Broad river, not far from Knoxville, Knox county, Tennessee. Near by was the quarry from which it is said the stone for the white peace pipes was obtained. See number 111 and notes. Sequatchee, the name of the river below Chattanooga, in Tennessee, is probably a corruption of the same word.
sĭ′kwă—hog; originally the name of the opossum, now distinguished as sĭ′kwă utset′stĭ, q. v.
sĭ′kwă utset′stĭ—opossum: literally “grinning hog,” from sĭ′kwă, hog, and utset′stĭ, “he grins (habitually).” Cf. sĭkwă.
Sikwâ′yĭ—a masculine name, commonly written Sequoya, made famous as that of the inventor of the Cherokee alphabet. See page 108. The name, which can not be translated, is still in use upon the East Cherokee reservation.
Sikwi′ă—a masculine name, the Cherokee corruption for Sevier. See also Tsan-usdi′.
sinnawah—see tlă′nuwă.
Sĭ′tikû′ (or sû′tăgû′, in dialectic form)—a former Cherokee settlement on Little Tennessee river at the entrance of Citico creek, in Monroe county, Tennessee. The name, which can not be translated, is commonly spelled Citico, but appears also as Sattiquo, Settico, Settacoo, Sette, Sittiquo, etc.
siyu′—see â′siyu′.
skĭntâ′—for skĭn′tâgû′, understood to mean “put a new tooth into my jaw.” The word can not be analyzed, but is derived from găntkă′ (gantaʻgă in a dialectic form) a tooth in place; a tooth detached is kăyuʻgă. See number 15.
Skwan′-digûʻgûñ′yî (for Askwan′-digûʻgûñ′yĭ)—“Where the Spaniard is in the water [or other liquid]”. A place on Upper Soco creek, on the reservation in Jackson county, North Carolina. See number 122.
Slick rock—see Nûñyû′-tăwi′skă.
Smith, N. J.—see Tsalădihĭ′.
Snowbird—see Tuti′yĭ.
Soco creek—see Sâgwâ′hĭ.
Soco gap—see Ăhălu′na.
Soquee—see Sâkwi′yĭ.
Spray, H. W.—see Wĭlsĭnĭ′.
Spring-Frog—see Du′stu′.
Standing Indian—see Yûñwĭ-tsulenûñ′yĭ.
Stand Watie—see De′gatâgă.
Stekoa—see Stikâ′yĭ.
ste′tsi—your daughter; literally, your offspring; agwe′tsĭ, “my offspring”; uwe′tsĭ, “his offspring”; to distinguish sex it is necessary to add asga′ya, “man” or age′hya, “woman.”
Stikâ′yĭ (variously spelled Stecoe, Steecoy, Stekoah, Stickoey, etc.)—the name of several former Cherokee settlements: 1. On Sticoa creek, near Clayton, Rabun county, Georgia; 2. on Tuckasegee river at the old Thomas homestead just above the present Whittier, in Swain county, North Carolina; 3. on Stekoa creek of Little Tennessee river, a few miles below the junction of Nantahala, in Graham county, North Carolina. The word has lost its meaning.
Stringfield—see Tlâge′sĭ.
stugi′stĭ, stui′stĭ—a key; see page 187 and under Astu′gatâ′ga.
Suck, The—see Ûñ′tiguhĭ′.
Sugartown—see Kûlse′tsi′yĭ.
sû′năwă′—see tlă′nuwă.
sûnĕstlâ′tă—“split noses”; see tsunûʻliyû′ sûnĕstlâ′tă.
sûñgĭ—mink; also onion; the name seems to refer to a smell; the various mints are called generically, gawʻsûñ′gĭ. See number 29.
Suki′yĭ—another form of Sâkwi′yĭ, q.v.
su′lĭ′—buzzard; the Creek name is the same.
Sun land—see Nûñ′dă′yĭ.
su′-să′-sai′—an unmeaning song refrain. See number 66.
su′tălidihĭ′—see nûñ′dă′.
Suwa′li—see Ani′-Suwa′lĭ.
Suwa′lĭ-nûñnâ′hĭ (abbreviated Suwa′lĭ-nûñnâ′hĭ)—“Suwali trail,” the proper name for the gap at the head of Swannanoa (from Suwa′lĭ-Nûñ′nâ) river, east of Asheville, in Buncombe county, North Carolina. Cf. Ku′să-nûñnâ′hĭ. See pages 194 and 379, also Ani′-Suwa′lĭ.
Suwaʻnĭ—a former Cherokee settlement on Chattahoochee river, about the present Suwanee, in Gwinnett county, Georgia. The name has no meaning in the Cherokee language and is said to be of Creek origin. See page 382.
Suye′ta—“The Chosen One,” from asuye′ta, “he is chosen,” gasu′yeû, “I am choosing”; the same form, suye′ta, could also mean mixed, from gasu′yăhû, “I am mixing it.” A masculine name, at present borne by a prominent ex-chief and informant upon the East Cherokee reservation.