This is Lingít Word of the Week. Each week, we feature a Lingít word voiced by master speakers. Lingít has been spoken throughout present-day Southeast Alaska and parts of Canada for over 10,000 years.
Gunalchéesh to X̱’unei Lance Twitchell, Goldbelt Heritage Foundation and the University of Alaska Southeast for sharing the recorded audio for this series.
This week’s word is dóosh, or cat. Listen to the audio below to learn how to say dóosh.
The following transcript is meant to help illustrate the words and sentences.
Ḵaakal.áat Florence Marks Sheakley: dóosh.
That means cat.
Here are some sentences:
Ḵaakal.áat Florence Marks Sheakley: Tlél haa ádi áyá yá dóosh.
This cat here is not ours.
Keihéenák’w John Martin: Lingít tsu, a dóosh has du jee yei yatee.
Lingít also have cats.
Keiyishí Bessie Cooley: Deix̱ dóosh yóoxʼ has ḵuligaaw
Two cats are fighting way over there.
Kaxwaan Éesh George Davis: Dóosh shí akadlaakw.
The cat scratched his face.
You can hear each installment of Lingít Word of the Week on the radio throughout the week.
Find biographies for the master speakers included in this lesson here.
Learn more about why we use Lingít instead of Tlingit here.
