Lumbee Tribe (03:44)

FREE PREVIEW

The Lumbee are a Native American tribe living in North Carolina. The Lumbee speak English with a distinctive dialect. About 40,000 Lumbee live near the town of Pembroke.

Lumbee Recognition (02:20)

North Carolina formally recognized the tribe in 1885, but the United States government never has. The original Lumbee language is lost. Their dialect is not recognized as a traditional Native American language.

Lumbee Language (05:30)

Little is known about the original language or when it was lost. Three groups of Native American languages were present in what is now Robeson County, North Carolina. Many believe the Lumbee's language combined with the English of the first British colonialist to create Lumbee English.

Lumbee Vocabulary (05:47)

Lumbee English has its own vocabulary with many words being unique to the language. Several Lumbee members were discouraged from using their language at school.

Lumbee English Variations (05:08)

Pronunciation is mostly similar to English dialects in the south, with a few distinctive vowel sounds. The grammar is also distinctive.

Lumbee Community (04:26)

Lumbee English is important to the sense of community. The language has continued despite outside efforts to erase it.

Credits: Indian by Birth (00:59)

Credits: Indian by Birth