Arikara Indian Language (Sanish, Arikari, Arickaree)

Arikara is a Caddoan language of the Great Plains, once spoken in North and South Dakota. It is a polysynthetic tone language with complex morphology. The people and their language are sometimes referred to as Arikari, Arikaree, or just Ree, but they call themselves Sanish or Sahnish. Today, the Arikara Indians share a reservation with the Mandan and Hidatsa tribes. The Arikara language has been in decline and is spoken today by only a few dozen elders in North Dakota, but some young people are working to keep their ancestral language alive.

Arikara Language

Arikara language samples and resources.

Arikara Tribe Culture and History

Information and links about the Arikara Indians past and present.

Arikara Legends

Introduction to Arikara mythology.

Arikara Indians Fact Sheet

Our answers to frequently asked questions about the Arikaras, their language and culture.

Arikara Language Resources

Our Arikara Language Materials

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

Arikara Pronunciation Guide:
How to pronounce Arikara words.

Arikara Animal Words:
Illustrated glossary of animal words in the Arikara language.

Arikara Body Parts:
Online and printable worksheets showing parts of the body in Arikara.

Arikara Colors:
Worksheet showing color words in Arikara.

Arikara Numbers:
Worksheet showing how to count in Arikara.

Arikara Language Lessons and Linguistic Descriptions

English to Sanish Language Dictionary:
Alphabetic vocabulary of the Arikara Indian language.

Arikara (Sáhniš) Language Program:
Homepage of a tribal initiative to create Arikara textbooks and CD-ROM's.

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

Arikara Language Structures:
Arikara linguistic profile and academic bibliography.

Arikara Language Preservation and Usage

House of Languages: Arikara
Information about Arikara language usage.

Arikara:
Demographic information about Arikara from the Ethnologue of Languages.

Arikara Dictionaries, Audio Tapes and Language Resources

Traditional Narratives of the Arikara Indians:
Four volumes of stories in the Arikara/Sahnish language, with translation and audio cassettes.

Native American Dictionaries:
Arapaho and other American Indian dictionaries and language materials for sale.

Links, References, and Additional Information

Wikipedia: Arikara:
Encyclopedia article on the Arikara language.
La Lengua Arikara

Langue Arikara:
Information about the Arikara language in Spanish and French.
Arikara Language:
Arikara links pages.

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