Every language is beautiful and every language differs from every other language. Sometimes Cheyennes say, "Cheyenne says things backwards from English." But the truth is that neither language is backwards from the other one. Both languages express things in ways that are correct for that language.
Here are some examples that show interesting differences between English and Cheyenne:
drink
English: 1 word
Cheyenne: 2 words
émane 'he drank (generic word, usually a cold drink)'
énomene 'he drank (something heated, as coffee, soup, tea')
ask
English: 1 word
Cheyenne: 2 words
énôhtsêstovóho 'He asked him (a question).'
évéestomevóho 'He asked him for something.'
hunt
English: 1 word
Cheyenne: 2 words
énése'neva 'He hunted for small game (rabbits, birds, etc.).'
éémôhóne 'He hunted (for bigger game, such as deer.).'
live
English: 1 word
Cheyenne: 2 words
éametanéne 'He is living; he is alive.' (biological life)
évo'êstanéheve 'He is living.' (refers more to social life, a way of living)
listen/obey
English: 2 words
Cheyenne: 1 word covers both: e.g. éáahtovóho 'He listened to/obeyed him.'
forgive
English: forgive
Cheyenne: no single equivalent word; several words cover the meaning:
éévaa'xaoto 'He shook hands with him again.'
éévananóvâhtseo'o 'They recognized each other again.'
návonetanó'ta 'I have forgotten about it.'
fruit/berry
English: 2 different words
Cheyenne: same word used for both, mene
buy/sell/barter/trade
English: these are different words
Cheyenne: same word used for any of these transfers of goods,
éhohtóva
monomial (single word) vs. polynomials (multiple words or compounds)
English: old man
Cheyenne: ma'háhkéso
English: old woman
Cheyenne: mâhtamâhááhe
English: young woman
Cheyenne: kâse'ééhe
English: young man
Cheyenne: kâsovááhe
English: boy
Cheyenne: hetané-ka'êškóne (lit. man-child)
English: girl
Cheyenne: he'é-ka'êškóne (lit. woman-child)
"Opposite grammar":
The same scene or meaning in Cheyenne and English is sometimes captured by
"opposite" grammar (subjects and objects are switched). Neither way is better;
both are good and accurate for that language.
Examples:
fit
English object fits the subject, e.g. 'This shirt fits me.'
Cheyenne subject is fitted to the object, e.g. Nataa'ovo
tse'tohe éstse'he (literally, 'I fit to the shirt.')
be lonesome for someone
English subject is lonesome for the object, e.g. 'I am lonesome for him.'
Cheyenne (semantic) subject is "lonesomed" by the "object", e.g. náhóonôsé'ota = 'I am lonesome for him' (literally, 'I am "lonesomed" by him.')