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 tsaa, or seal. Listen to the audio below to learn how to say tsaa.
The following transcript is meant to help illustrate the words and sentences.
Keiyishí Bessie Cooley: Tsaa.
That means seal.
Here are some sentences:
Keiyishí Bessie Cooley: Lagaaw yáx̱ amdlitsaa, wé tsaa.
The seal burped loudly.
Keihéenák’w John Martin: Tsaa táayi haa x̱’éi yak’éi.
Seal fat tastes good to us.
Kooshdáakʼu Bill Fawcett: Goodé sáwé tsaa l’ooni áwé kg̱waḵóox̱?
Where are they going to hunt seals?
Ḵaakal.áat Florence Marks Sheakley: Ḵúnáx̱ haa atx̱áyi áyá tsaa.
Seal is an important food of ours.
Kaxwaan Éesh George Davis: Tsaa taayí awaadákw.
They rendered seal fat.
You can hear each installment of Lingít Word of the Week on the radio throughout the week.
Additional language resources:
Find biographies for the master speakers included in this lesson here.
Learn more about why we use Lingít instead of Tlingit here.
