Slang

[Andre Cramblit]

Native Slang


  Skin—Indian. Used mostly among young.
  Huprok-Local Indian of mixed inter-tribal blood
  NDN, ndn—Indian. Used mostly among young and on the Internet.
  shinob, naabe—Anishinaabe Indian.
  rez—reservation.
  rez rocket—reservation car, usually in need of repairs.
  rez dog—Indian who hangs around the reservation.
  Urban-Native person living in a large city, separated from their  
Tribe, usually resulting from Federal Relocation policies
  Shaman-Misnomer Native peoples did not have Shamans
  Dream-Vision, often a prophecy or communiqué to be deciphered
  Apruhan or Indian Devil-Person who uses bad thoughts or magic
  Dine-Original Name of the Navajo
  Lakota, Dakota, Nakota-Original names of groups lumped together as  
the Sioux
  Eskimo-inappropriate name for Innuit, Innupiat and Yupik people
  rez boots—moccasins.
  rezzed out—done in true Indian style. i.e.: "His NDN car is really  
rezzed out."
  Indian time—whenever, signifying a disregard for Anglo-style  
punctuality.
  Pinafich (Karuk word) Coyote-Trickster figure, an anti-hero
  moccasin telegraph—informal talk or gossip.
  River Mail-similar to the telegraph also a round about way to  
deliver things by passing it around to friends and relatives heading  
“home”
  Slippery Eel-unsigned gossip letter usually slamming politicians
  Pow Wow –Big Time, a social gathering inter-tribal in nature
  Regalia-Part of dance items including necklaces, dresses, beadwork,  
bustles etc
  commodity cheese—government surplus food given to Indians.
  commod—short for "commodity."
  frog skins—money.
  brah—"brother."
  chebon—"man." Usage: "Whassup chebon?"
  stay red—"keep it real," be true to your Indian self.
  hola—"hello," from the Lakota.
  chooch—immature male who is acting stupid.
  49—an informal social celebration at an Indian gathering such as a  
powwow.
  49in'—partying at a 49.
  snag—a partner for a date or a one-night stand.
  snaggin'—searching for a snag.
  fry bread girl—Indian female who eats too much.
  twink, twinki, twinkie—non-Indian who believes in New Age mysticism.
  wannabe—non-Indian who wants to be an Indian.
  plastic—fake, as in a fake medicine man or woman. Usage: "Don't  
waste your money on that plastic shaman."
  apple—red on the outside, white on the inside.
  coconut—brown on the outside, white on the inside.
  red nigger—someone who's too Indian to suit a non-Indian. Usage:  
"When a blue-eyed Oglala went into a bar with his brown eyed cousins,  
the bartender said, 'You can stay but your red niggers have to go  
outside.'"
  chief—someone who thinks he's chief but isn't. Used ironically.
  Imareala—a BIA card-carrying Native who brags about having a card  
and is rude to those who don't
  big warrior—someone who takes his or her role as a warrior too  
seriously.
  Tonto—sidekick, lackey, Indian Uncle Tom.
  FBI—"full-blooded Indian."
  U.S. History –the story of the genocidal move west
  NGE—"non-government enrolled." An Indian not officially a member of  
a federally-recognized tribe.
  OSI-Out of state Indian (relocated from another area)
  Indian Taco-1 plate meal made from commodity foods severed on fried  
dough
  blood, Aimster—member of the American Indian Movement (AIM).
  Elder-title of respect not merely of age, must be earned
  Treaty talk—white man's lies.
  Cuz-familiar form of Cousin
  Cosin-related but more distant than a cousin
  suits—government agents or representatives.
  Indian Law 101—Indian law in reality. Comes up in the context of a  
non-Indian lawyer who is competent but has never been exposed to  
Indian weirdness and starts prattling about the Constitution where it  
doesn't apply. Usage: "He was talking about Marbury v. Madison, so I  
had to give him Indian Law 101."
  Going Custer-similar to going postal

Interjections
  Ennit, Innit-Is it not i.e. that’s a nice sunset innit
  Gee Ennit-Exclamation, usual in agreement i.e. That was a great  
party.  Gee ennit
  eh? ey, eyy, ayy-used at the end of a teasing type joke
  oh ya huh
  uh huh, you say or I just say
   "Ima bust an arrow in his ass!"
   Jokes-I was kidding
   Owich-ouch, resulting from pain

On Sep 22, 2006, at 11:21 AM, s.t. bischoff wrote:

Hi all,

I have a student interested in slang in Indigenous Languages of the  
Americas.
Anyone familiar with any work in this area??

Thanks,
Shannon

__________________________
S.T. Bischoff
PhD Candidate
Department of Linguistics
1100 E. University Blvd
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721
USA

bischoff at email.arizona.edu