Catawba language

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July 23, 2026

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The Catawba language is a member of the Siouan language family, historically spoken in North and South Carolina. It is considered the most divergent branch of the Siouan family, meaning it was the first to separate. The Catawba language is now extinct. The Catawba people, who spoke this language, inhabited the territory around the Catawba River. The language itself is also referred to as Catawba.123

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Siouan languages
The Catawban branch (formerly spoken in North and South Carolina) is the most divergent—i.e., the first to break off. Several of the languages are extinct (marked in the classification below with an asterisk [*]), and the rest are endangered.
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The Catawban branch (formerly spoken in North and South Carolina) is the most divergent—i.e., the first to break off. Several of the languages are extinct (marked in the classification below with an asterisk [*]), and the rest are endangered.
Read More