An English Dakota Dictionary (Borealis) [Paperback]

John P. Williamson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0873512839 | ISBN-13: 978-0873512831 | Publication Date: October 15, 1992

The language of the Dakota people was first put into written form by missionaries who lived within and learned from the Dakota community in the Minnesota River valley. John P. Williamson (1835-1917), son of missionary Dr. Thomas S. Williamson, grew up speaking both English and Dakota, then spent most of his adult life as a missionary on the Santee Reservation in northeastern Nebraska. In 1902, he produced An English-Dakota Dictionary.

A companion volume, A Dakota-English Dictionary, by Stephen R. Riggs, is also available from the Minnesota Historical Society Press. These two dictionaries preserve the older language and remian the most comprehensive and accurate lexicons available. They are essential cultural and linguistic sources for all Students of the Dakota Language as well as historians, anthropologists, linguists, and ethnologists.

A foreword by Carolynn I. Schommer, a Dakota Indian and former instructor in the American Indian Studies/Dakota Language Department at the University of Minnesota, describes the historical and cultural context in which these dictionaries were created.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English

Product Details

• Paperback: 290 pages
• Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society Press (October 15, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873512839
• ISBN-13: 978-0873512831
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,041,264 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #68 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > Native American
  • #90 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > Native American

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent resource for learning the Dakota language, November 29, 1999

By 

Erik Olson (Savage, Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An English Dakota Dictionary (Borealis) (Paperback)

After searching libraries, the net, and schools for an accurate, good Dakota dictionary, I finally found this book. I was, to be blunt, amazed! Not only does it have a great listing of words (that you can actually use), but it also includes a short introduction of grammar and usage.

I got to test my new skills at a recent Powwow in Minnesota, where I had an entire conversation (although slow!) with a Dakota man. Although he needed to correct me on a few words and some grammar, he was impressed. He was shocked when I told him I had only begun learning within the last six months! I could not have done it without the aid of this book! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars English-Dakota Dictionary, August 13, 2004

By 

Laura Redish (Twin Cities, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An English Dakota Dictionary (Borealis) (Paperback)

This is an excellent English-Dakota dictionary, but be aware that it does not include a Dakota-English section. The Dakota-English volume is sold separately (ISBN 0873512820) and is also high quality. The English-Dakota volume does include a pronunciation guide and clear grammatical overview.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Puzzling, February 14, 2010

By 

David Little Beaver - See all my reviews

This review is from: An English Dakota Dictionary (Borealis) (Paperback)

I am Lakota on my father side and Dakota on my mother side. My mother finds the Dakota words in this dictionary puzzling, she doesn't recognize many of them.