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 g̱agaan, or sun. Listen to the audio below to learn how to say g̱agaan.
The following transcript is meant to help illustrate the words and sentences.
The word this week is g̱agaan.
Keiyishí Bessie Coolie: g̱agaan.
That means sun.
And here are some sentences.
Keiyishí Bessie Coolie: G̱agaan x̱ʼus.eetí yíkt áa wé g̱áx̱.
The rabbit is sitting in the sunbeam.
Ḵaakal.áat Florence Marks Sheakley: Tlél tláx̱ g̱agaan yéi tusatínch.
We always see very little sun.
Kaxwaan Éesh George Davis: Ligéi g̱agaan.
The sun is bright.
Find biographies for the master speakers included in this lesson here.
Learn more about why we use Lingít instead of Tlingit here.
