Indian Name Translation

Abstract

N THE WESTERN UNITED STATES, as earlier in the East, Indian names have been changed in pronunciation and form to the extent that today they very commonly bear little resemblance to their originals. Joseiah Gregg remarked in 1844 that stranger would be led to suppose we were without a system of orthography, from the fact of our so generally adopting the French spelling of Indian names, whereby all sight is soon lost of the original.' The French first corrupted the Indian names, and American explorers, fur traders, mountain men, and others continued the process. The many changes in the pronunciation and spelling of original Indian names often resulted in changing their meanings. It was when the Indians were brought into closer contact with white culture that difficulties really began to arise. The missionary teachers usually made efforts to give school children names which were to be carried and used with pride in the new Americanized life that was to follow. These missionaries sometimes allowed the school children to choose their own