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 x̱alak’ách’, or porcupine. Listen to the audio below to learn how to say x̱alak’ách’.
The following transcript is meant to help illustrate the words and sentences.
Keiyishí Bessie Cooley: X̱alak’ách’.
That means porcupine.
Here are some sentences:
Keiyishí Bessie Cooley: X̱alakʼáchʼ kagéináx̱ yaa gagútch.
Porcupines walk down slowly.
Keihéenák’w John Martin: A x̱oo.aa haa atx̱aayíx̱ sitee wé x̱alakʼáchʼ.
Itʼs food for some of us, the porcupine.
Kooshdáakʼu Bill Fawcett: Alʼóon kḵwagóot x̱alakʼáchʼg̱áa.
I am going to go hunting for porcupine.
Ḵaakal.áat Florence Marks Sheakley: Chʼáakw dus.éeyin yá x̱alakʼáchʼch haa atx̱aayíx̱ sitéeyin.
A long time ago people would cook it; porcupine used to be our food.
Kaxwaan Éesh George Davis: X̱alak’ách’ ashaawax̱ích.
They clubbed the porcupine.
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.
