Editing Lenape Language (section)

== Lenape Words in Philadelphia ==

Many familiar Philadelphia place names derive from the Lenape language, preserving indigenous words in the landscape long after the people who spoke them were displaced. [[Manayunk]] comes from ''ménëyunk'', meaning "where we go to drink" or "place of drinking," referring to the Schuylkill River. [[Wissahickon]] derives from ''wísahickon'', meaning "catfish creek," describing the stream that flows through what is now [[Wissahickon Valley Park]]. Passyunk likely comes from a word meaning "in the valley" or "place between the hills." Even Schuylkill, though spelled in Dutch fashion, may incorporate Lenape elements, with various etymologies proposed.<ref name="donehoo">{{cite book |last=Donehoo |first=George P. |title=A History of the Indian Villages and Place Names in Pennsylvania |year=1928 |publisher=Telegraph Press |location=Harrisburg, PA}}</ref>

These surviving place names represent a tangible connection to the region's indigenous past. When Philadelphians speak of riding the [[Manayunk|Main Street]] trolley or hiking the Wissahickon, they are unknowingly using words from a language that was spoken here for thousands of years before William Penn's arrival. Efforts by organizations like the [[Lenape Center]] and local historical societies aim to educate the public about these linguistic connections and the broader history they represent, ensuring that the Lenape language remains part of Philadelphia's cultural memory even as revitalization efforts continue in Oklahoma and elsewhere.<ref name="lenapcenter">{{cite web |url=https://thelenapecenter.com/lenape-territories/resources/ |title=Lenape Language Resources |publisher=The Lenape Center |access-date=December 29, 2025}}</ref>