GLOSSARY OF CHEROKEE WORDS
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Mooney, James
Pine Indians—see Ani′-Naʻtsĭ.
Pinelog—see Naʻts-asûñ′tlûñyĭ.
Qualatchee—a former Cherokee settlement on the headwaters of the Chattahoochee river in Georgia; another of the same name was upon the waters of Keowee river in South Carolina. The correct form is unknown.
Qualla—see Kwalĭ.
Quaxule—see Guaxule.
Quinahaqui—a place, possibly in the Cherokee country, visited by Pardo in 1567. The form cannot be identified. See page 28.
Quoneashee—see Tlanusi′yĭ.
Rattlesnake springs—see Utsanătiyĭ.
Rattling-gourd—see Gănsĕʻtĭ.
Raventown—see Kâlănûñ′yĭ.
Red Clay—see Elăwâ′diyĭ.
Reid, Jesse—see Tse′si-Ska′tsĭ.
Ridge, Major John—see Nûñnâ′hĭ-dihĭ.
Ross, John—see Gu′wisguwĭ′.
Ross’ landing—see Tsatănu′gĭ.
Sadayĭ′—a feminine name, the proper name of the woman known to the whites as Annie Ax; it cannot be translated.
Sâgwâ′hĭ, or Sâgwûñ′yĭ—“One place,” from sâ′gwû, one, and hĭ or yĭ, locative. Soco creek of Oconaluftee river, on the East Cherokee reservation, in Jackson county, North Carolina. No satisfactory reason is given for the name, which has its parallel in Tsâskâ′hĭ, “Thirty place,” a local name in Cherokee county, in the same state.
sâ′gwălĭ′, horse; from asâgwâlihû, a pack or burden, asâgwŭllû′; “there is a pack on him.”
sâ′gwălĭ dĭgû′lanăhi′ta—mule; literally “long eared horse,” from sâ′gwălĭ, horse, and digû′lanăhi′ta, q. v.
Sâkwi′yĭ (or Suki′yĭ; abbreviated Sâkwi′ or Suki′)—a former settlement on Soquee river, a head-stream of Chattahoochee, near Clarkesville, Habersham county, Georgia. Also written Saukee and Sookee. The name has lost its meaning.
sălâ′lĭ—squirrel; the common gray squirrel; other varieties are kiyuʻga, the ground squirrel, and tewa, the flying squirrel. Sălâ′lĭ was also the name of an East Cherokee inventor who died a few years ago; Sălâ′lăni′ta, “Young-squirrels,” is a masculine personal name on the reservation.
săligu′gĭ—turtle, the common water turtle; soft-shell turtle, uʻlănă′wă; land tortoise or terrapin, tûksĭ′.
sălikwâ′yĭ—bear-grass (Eryngium); also the greensnake, on account of a fancied resemblance; the name of a former Cherokee settlement on Sallacoa creek of Coosawatee river, in Gordon county, Georgia.
Sa′nigilâ′gĭ (abbreviated Sanʻgilâ′gĭ)—Whiteside mountain, a prominent peak of the Blue ridge, southeast from Franklin, Macon county, North Carolina. It is connected with the tradition of Uʻtlûñ′ta (see number 66 and notes).
Santeetla—the present map name of a creek joining Cheowa river in Graham county, North Carolina, and of a smaller tributary (Little Santeetla). The name is not recognized or understood by the Cherokee, who insist that it was given by the whites. Little Santeetla is known to the Cherokee as Tsundaʻnilti′yĭ, q. v.; the main Santeetla creek is commonly known as Nâgu′hĭ geyûñ′ĭ, “Sand-place stream,” from Nûyu′hiĭ, “Sand place” (nâyŭ, sand), a former settlement just above the junction of the two creeks.
Sara—see Ani′-Suwa′lĭ.
sa′sa′—goose; an onomatope.
Sautee—see Itsâ′tĭ.
Savannah—the popular name of this river is derived from that of the Shawano Indians, formerly living upon its middle course, and known to the Cherokee as Ani′-Sawănu′gĭ, q. v., to the Creeks as Savanuka, and to some of the coast tribes of Carolina as Savanna. In old documents the river is also called Isundiga, from Iʻsû′nigû or Seneca, q. v., an important former Cherokee settlement upon its upper waters. See number 99.
Sawănu′gĭ—“Shawano” (Indian); a masculine personal name upon the East Cherokee reservation and prominent in the history of the band. See Anĭ′-Sawănu′gĭ and Kâ′lahû′.
Sawnook—see Kâ′lahû′.
Sehwate′yĭ—“Hornet place,” from se′hwatû, hornet, and yĭ, locative. Cheowa Maximum and Swim bald, adjoining bald peaks at the head of Cheowa river, Graham county, North Carolina. See number 122.
selu—corn; sometimes called in the sacred formulas Agawe′la, “The Old Woman.” See number 126.
sel-utsĭ′ (for selu-utsĭ′)—“corn’s mother,” from selu, corn and utsĭ′, his mother (etsĭ′ or agitsĭ′, my mother); the bead-corn or Job’s-tears (Coix lacryma). See number 126.
Seneca—see Ani′-Nûn′dăwe′gĭ (Seneca tribe), and Iʻsû′nigû, (Seneca town).
Sequatchee—see Sĭ′gwetsĭ′.
Sequoya—see Sikwâyĭ.
Sĕʻtsĭ—a mound and traditional Cherokee settlement on the south side of Valley river, about three miles below Valleytown, in Cherokee county, North Carolina; the name has lost its meaning. See number 79. A settlement called Tăsĕʻtsĭ (Tassetchie in some old documents) existed on the extreme head of Hiwassee river, in Towns county, Georgia.
Sevier—see Tsan′-usdi′.
Shoe-boots—see Da′siʻgiya′gĭ.