The Dictionary of the Taino Language

Some General Notes About Our Taino American Indian Language

1. We have dropped the Spanish written form of "Que" and "Qui" for the spelling of "Ke" and "Ki" in our Taino Language. The use of the double letter "LL" and the in Spanish has also been droped from our Taino Language.

2. The Use of the Locono and other related languages of the Arawakan family of languages will be recongized as part of the Taino Dialect language base.

3. The "X" letter has been droped from the Taino Alphabet and replaced with the "SH" simbol for the "SH" sound, like in the word Shaman.

4. We have added 28 letters to the Taino Dialectic Alphabet, more symbols for missing letters for nasal and gutteral sounds, will be added as we further progress in the written form of our Taino language reconstruction.

5. Words have a deeper phonetic cultural meaning. We will attempt to break down these word in our dictionary, so that the deeper meanings will become clearer and give a better understanding of the Taino Language.

6. This Dictionary includes words in the Eyeri Arawak dialect that are part of the Taino dialectic language of the Caribbean.

7. If you see this apostrophe mark ['] it is used as an accent mark to emphasises a letter the same way as in modern Spanish.

Notes On Lenguistic Errors In The Taino Language of Today

The "Wa" sound does not adhere to the traditional Taino "Gua" sound that was historicly documented as part of the Taino cultural language of the Caribbean & Florida region. The following is an example of a lenguistic Error: The Word "Guajataca" is correct, but the word "Wajataca" is incorrect. It is noted that within the Arawakan family of dialects, the "Wa" sound is of the language. It is also noted, that in the Taino Arawak Dialect, the "Gua" sound, is of a Caribbean lenguistic origin. Also it is to be noted that the word "Cuan" found in the say "Guakia Taino Cuan Yahabo" or "We the Taino Are Still Here" and is a lenguistic error. It comes from an old Spanish origin, found in the Spanish dictionary of today. The word Cuan means "Are" and is not of the Taino origin. It would be correct to say "Guakia Taino Yahabo" with out the Spanish word Cuan.

8. Note, many of the personal names will not be found in the dictionary section of terms. If not they will be under the section of "People" as these personal names do not belong in a dictionary of terms. Some names will be found in the dicctionary of terms as these names can be translated. An example is like the name of Anacaona or "Golden Flower".

9. It is to be noted that, in this new Taino dictionary, you wil note some new words and terms. These words were not included in the past word lists of the pre-Columbian Taino Arawak language. Our Language is part of our people's living cultural, thus a living language of a people will forever be in development.

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