Native American Placenames of the United States

Native American placenames are found throughout the United States from Massachusetts to Alaska and from Miami to Yosemite. Indeed, American Indian words define the landscape. This volume combines historical research and linguistic fieldwork with Native speakers from across the United States to present the first comprehensive, up-to-date, scholarly dictionary of American placenames derived from Native languages. Accomplished linguist William Bright assembled a team of twelve editorial consultants--experts in Native American languages--and many other Native contributors to prepare this lexicon of eleven thousand placenames along with their etymologies. New data from leading scholars make this volume an invaluable reference for students of American Indian culture, folklore, and local histories. Native American Placenames of the United States also conscientiously follows the movement of placenames from state to state as Indian tribes were forced to relocate during the late nineteenth century. Bright's introduction explains the volume's methodology and the contents of each entry. This comprehensive, alphabetical lexicon preserves Native language as it details the history and culture found in American Indian placenames.