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Adai Language (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, Athao, Atay, Aday, Adaise, Adois,
Adees, Adee, Addee, Addies, Andaye, Adage, and Hadai. This was the Caddo name for their tribe, meaning "brush wood people."
Their original tribal name for themselves was evidently never recorded.
Sponsored Links
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.
Books for sale on the Adais
Our organization earns a commission from any book bought through these links
Historic Indian Tribes of Louisiana: From 1542 to the Present:
A good overview of Louisiana's Native American cultures, including the Adai.
Adai Indian Nation Cultural Center:
Website of the Adai-Caddo museum in Natchitoches.
Adai Caddo Indian Nation:
Homepage of the state-recognized Adai tribe in Louisiana.
Adai Tribe History: 
Adai Indians:
Early 20th-century articles about the Adai people.
Caddoan Tribal Locations and Archaeology in Louisiana:
Historical information about the Adaes and other tribes of the Caddo Confederacy.
The Adaeseños:
History of the Adaes and Nacogdoches Indians in Louisiana.
The Adai Indians:
Profile and timeline for the Adai tribe.
Tribes of the Southeast:
Map of Southeastern tribes including the Adai.
Adai Caddo Flag:
Picture of the Adai tribal flag.
Additional Resources, Links, and References
Wikipedia: Adai Nation:
Encyclopedia article on the Adai tribe and their language.
Louisiana Native Americans:
Information about Native American history in Louisiana.
Adai Tribe:
Adai links.
Lengua Adai Idioma Adai Los Adai:
Information about the Adai Indians and their language in Spanish.
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