Adai (Adahi, Adaes, Atayo)

Adai is an extinct language of Louisiana. The small Adai tribe moved west to join the Caddo tribe in the late 1700's, and their language is known only from a vocabulary list recorded in 1804. Some people have suggested the Adai language may have been distantly related to the Caddoan languages, but this has not been conclusively shown. Other common spellings of their name include Adahi, Adaes, Atayo, Atay, Adayes, Adaizi, Adaizan, Adaise, Adees, and Hadai. This was the Caddo name for their tribe, meaning "brush wood people." Their original tribal name for themselves was evidently never recorded.

Adai Language Resources

Adai Vocabulary:
Our list of vocabulary words in the Adai language, with comparison to words in the Caddoan languages.

Adai Numbers:
Worksheet showing how to count in the Adai language.

Adai Language Tree:
Theories about Adai's language relationships compiled by Linguist List.

Adai Culture and History Links

Adai Indian Nation Cultural Center:
Homepage of the Adai-Caddo museum in Natchitoches.

Adai Indian Tribe:
Early 20th century article on the Adai Indians.

The Adai Indians:
Profile and timeline for the Adai tribe.

Additional Resources, Links, and References

  Wikipedia: Adai Nation:
  Encyclopedia article on the Adai tribe and their language.
  Lengua Adai

Idioma Adai

Los Adai:
Information about the Adai Indians and their language in Spanish.

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