Chokkilissa

A Chickasaw word meaning "be quiet," but with a much more interesting etymology. When Hernando de Soto came to America, he asked the Apalachee who lived in a certain village, and they said "Chikashsha," which means "abandoned town" in their language. Apparently the Chickasaw thought this was funny, as they weren't gone, so they decided to go by that name. "Chokkilissa," however, is a translation of "Chikashsha" into the Chickasaw language. Chokkilissa can be broken down a few ways, but they generally mean the same thing. CHOKKA'+ILLA+ISSA, "only quit the house" or CHOKKA'+ILISSA, "we quit the house." "Quitting the house" can be seen as "abandoning the village," as the two seem to be close in meaning. As an abandoned village is quiet, it can be seen why this word would be defined in this way. This is only a theory, so it could be false.

Chokkilissa, chishki'at anompoli! (Be quiet, your mother is talking!)

Chickasaw

A tribe indigenous to eastern North America. Originally occupying the modern day areas of northern Mississippi, northwestern Alabama, western Tennessee, and far western Kentucky, they were tricked into signing away their territory in turn for territory in Oklahoma. They removed in 1837 to their current residence in the cities of Ada, Tishomingo, Ardmore, and others in southern Oklahoma. Their culture is related to that of the Choctaw, Muskogee Creek, Seminole, Yuchi, and other indigenous people of the southeastern woodlands. The Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma still hosts stomp dances, stickball games, as well as language classes for their endangered Muskogean language of around fifty speakers. The Chickasaw are known as "the unconquered and unconquerable," as well as "the Spartans of the southeast."

Chikashsha saya (I am a Chickasaw).

Chikashshanompa' ishanompalitaa (do you speak the Chickasaw language)?