North American Indian language of the Muskogean family, which includes Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, Seminole. Katzner (1977), The Languages of the World, Routledge, London and New York.
The Choctaws, or Chahtas, are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States (Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana) of the Muskogean linguistic group. In the nineteenth century, they were known as one of the "Five Civilized Tribes," because they had integrated numerous cultural and technological practices of their European American neighbors. They are also remembered for their generosity in providing relief during the Irish Potato Famine.